PADI AOW through specialties

[Jerrod]

Hi,

I have an SSI open water cert, the GUE Primer and I have taken the PADI PPB and Nitrox specialties, and one PADI dive propulsion vehicle dive. I have 87 dives under my belt since beginning diving in July 2012. I wanted to take Deep diving but they want me to take the AOW course and that will cost me 400.00.

Now clearly that is a waste of money if I can just do one more adventure dive and qualify for deep. Now they are telling me that the books and material are still required. My questions are can I just take the specialty course for navigation (for 125), then do I automatically hold the AD rating? This would qualify me for deep diving (225) and I could still take one more specialty and pay just 75 more and have more training and get AOW?

I can't seem to find if this is the case. I did do a lot of searches and most people hint that this can be done but advise to take the AOW. I don't feel this best fits my circumstances.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Jerrod

 

[TMHeimer]

Did you contact PADI directly? When you say "they" I assume you mean your LDS. I believe if you have Adventure Diver cert. you can take the Deep specialty. Not sure if you get 5 specialty certs. you can get AWO automatically (well, pay for the card....). If you add Rescue and have 50 dives you get Master Scuba Diver--that is, if you have AOW.... e mail PADI on their website.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Screw em. Take deep with another agency and don't worry about the PADI AOW.

 

[iamjblevine]

If there is an IANTD shop in the area take theirs. I did the PADI first, and then the IANTD. I can't believe the difference in material covered. Dive planning, gas management, pony bottle use, deco tables were all part of the IANTD class. The PADI was, if you go deep, it's dark, you use air faster, you might get narced, and you hit your NDL really fast.

 

[Scott]

You already qulaify for Adventure Diver. Find an LDS or Instructor that will work with you, you don't need AOW to take the PADI Deep Diver specialty.

Certified as a PADI Adventure Diver or Advanced Open Water Diver or have a qualifying certification from another training organization.In this case, a qualifying certification is defined as proof of certification beyond entry
level (at least two certifications total) with proof of 20 or more logged dives
documenting experience in deep diving and underwater navigation. Verify
student diver prerequisite skills and provide remediation as necessary.

 

[abyss_scuba]

In order to get advanced from padi you need deep, navigation and 3 more adventure dives. You can do a deep specialty and it can count towards your advanced. Where are you I am sure with all the resources here you can find a good shop or independant who can get you deep.

 

[tbrix]

To answer the OP question. according to the Padi Instructor manual regarding the adventure dive programs and option the ONLY prerequisite for the deep diver certification is being open water certified. The same manual also says that the Minimum training for the ADVANCED OPEN WATER CERT is "5 adventure dives including deep and underwater navigation". So you can achieve the AOW cert by doing it the way that you ask in regards to the doing the specialties. The part of your question that i do not understand is in regards to the books. All of the PADI specialties including the AOW cert come out of the same book the "adventure in diving" manual. SO if you already have that from your PADI PPB and the Driver Populsion training then you should have the same book that you would have to purchase for the Advanced class anyway. You shouldnt have to take the AOW class in order to get the deep diving cert. I hate to admit it but it looks like your local dive shop is just trying to run the bill up on you, and if that is the case and they wont allow you to take the deep cert without taking the AOW class then i have to agree with Jim Lapenta and advise you to look at taking the deep class through someone else, and maybe even a different agency if thats what it comes too. Hope this helps

 

[Scott]

The PADI was, if you go deep, it's dark, you use air faster, you might get narced, and you hit your NDL really fast.

Sounds as though you are referring to the AOW Deep Adventure dive and not the Deep Diver speciality. Either way your instructor failed you, not the agency.
Dive Planning and Gas Management are required in in AOW. Bottle use is required in the specialty and while deco tables are not used, decompression is simulated and required to be discussed.

 

[oreocookie]

The part of your question that i do not understand is in regards to the books. All of the PADI specialties including the AOW cert come out of the same book the "adventure in diving" manual. SO if you already have that from your PADI PPB and the Driver Populsion training then you should have the same book that you would have to purchase for the Advanced class anyway.

That's not really true. The knowledge development for all the adventure dives comes from the same book, but most specialties have their own books (I think there are still a couple that don't yet), which go into more depth than the corresponding chapter in the Adventures in Diving manual and, at least in the ones I have first hand knowledge of, an extra knowledge review appears in the specialty manual as well as the one that is in the Adventures in Diving book.

 

[DevonDiver]

As others have said, three Adventure Dive (dives #1 from a specialty course plus knowledge review) allows you to qualify as an Adventure Diver. That is the minimum prerequisite for entry onto the PADI Deep Diver course.

That said, this is the specific description of equivalencies from the latest PADI Instructor Manual:

Prerequisite Certifications

Continuing education courses have PADI, TecRec or EFR certification prerequisites.
You may accept divers with certifications through other training organizations into a PADI course using this general guideline, and after conducting a knowledge and skill preassessment.

Qualifying Certification Description:

3. PADI Adventure Diver — proof of certification beyond entry-level (at least two certifications total).
4. PADI Advanced Open Water Diver — proof of certification beyond entry-level (at least two certifications total); proof of 20 or more logged dives;
documented experience in deep diving and underwater navigation.

As you can see, ANY proof of certification beyond entry-level (Open Water) may be counted as equivalent to Adventure Diver - which is, in turn, the prerequisite for admittance onto Deep Diver training. You have completed further training courses since Open Water, so the dive operation COULD allow you straight onto the Deep Diver course.