'Maximum' dive depth based on certification

[ggunn]

PADI states that OW divers should limit their dives to 60'. It's part of the training in AOW to go below that depth.

I am not PADI certed but my wife is. She told me that her instructor recommended that she limit dives to 60' until she got some experience, not that it was a hard limit without AOW training. My certing agency (PDIC) instructor told me pretty much the same thing without mentioning a specific depth. She and I have been diving since the mid 1990's on OW certs and we have been quite a bit deeper than 60'.

 

[mediumone]

I am not PADI certed but my wife is. She told me that her instructor recommended that she limit dives to 60' until she got some experience, not that it was a hard limit without AOW training. My certing agency (PDIC) instructor told me pretty much the same thing without mentioning a specific depth. She and I have been diving since the mid 1990's on OW certs and we have been quite a bit deeper than 60'.

It's been awhile since the subject of depth has come up. I haven't looked at PADI's site for some time, (since it was dumbed down and became little more than a marketing site), about 5 years ago.

Before they re-vamped it, it was very clear and specific. OW divers over 16 yo were permitted to go to 130', as were Jr OW divers who were accompanied by a parent or dm. Jr OW divers without such supervision were permitted to 60 feet.

All of us, the missus, our two boys who were 12 and 14, and I were taken to 60' for our final checkout dive in Puget Sound 42 degree water, and 4' vis. Our instructor demanded proficiency, and had the tools to ensure that we were. One of the top 5 teachers in my life; from kindergarten through 7 years of college.

 

[Snoweman]

It's been awhile since the subject of depth has come up. I haven't looked at PADI's site for some time, (since it was dumbed down and became little more than a marketing site), about 5 years ago.

Before they re-vamped it, it was very clear and specific. OW divers over 16 yo were permitted to go to 130', as were Jr OW divers who were accompanied by a parent or dm. Jr OW divers without such supervision were permitted to 60 feet.

All of us, the missus, our two boys who were 12 and 14, and I were taken to 60' for our final checkout dive in Puget Sound 42 degree water, and 4' vis. Our instructor demanded proficiency, and had the tools to ensure that we were. One of the top 5 teachers in my life; from kindergarten through 7 years of college.

Per PADI's website: What’s the Difference Between Scuba Diver and Open Water Diver?

 

[scubadada]

...I assure you that she is far more "advanced" than any diver with the minimum number of dives that PADI requires to get AOW certed, even after they get the cert...

As you know, you can be AOW/nitrox after just 9 training dives.

This does not make for an experienced diver. I had a very interesting dive with such an individual on the Duane in Key Largo, that I have previously posted about.

 

[ggunn]

As you know, you can be AOW/nitrox after just 9 training dives.

This does not make for an experienced diver. I had a very interesting dive with such an individual on the Duane in Key Largo, that I have previously posted about.

I agree that a diver with 20 dives is likely to be a better diver if they have an AOW cert than they would be if they only had an OW cert, but that's about as far as it goes.

 

[yle]

60 ft max depth for an OW diver?

A couple years ago we took my OW-certed 13 yr old niece diving in Florida and the Caribbean. She did a few dives to depths of 95-100 ft, a couple drift dives, a night dive and a couple wreck dives.

Then she took the AOW course a year later.

 

[yle]

As you know, you can be AOW/nitrox after just 9 training dives.

This does not make for an experienced diver. I had a very interesting dive with such an individual on the Duane in Key Largo, that I have previously posted about.

Oh goodness. I can imagine, having met some of those "I am AOW and I have 9 dives!" people, and having dived the Duane a number of times. Can you point to your previous post?

 

[Snoweman]

Getting way off topic now. Maybe the mod's can move the last seven or eight posts to the basic scuba forum.

 

[yle]

It's been awhile since the subject of depth has come up. I haven't looked at PADI's site for some time, (since it was dumbed down and became little more than a marketing site), about 5 years ago.

Before they re-vamped it, it was very clear and specific. OW divers over 16 yo were permitted to go to 130', as were Jr OW divers who were accompanied by a parent or dm. Jr OW divers without such supervision were permitted to 60 feet.

It must have been much longer than 5 years ago. I did my IDC seven years ago, and I know the PADI depth advice (for OW, juniors, AOW, etc) has not changed since then.

 

[scubadada]

Oh goodness. I can imagine, having met some of those "I am AOW and I have 9 dives!" people, and having dived the Duane a number of times. Can you point to your previous post?

Spare air/pony bottle---should I get one?