So, what is the point of AOW???

[philly]

If ever you want to dive off a liveaboard, most, if not all require minimum AOW. They are very strict on this,and check all certification. It is not just the depth, It has a lot to do with the current,being picked up in zodiacs,diving without guides (if you wish) After doing a lot of liveaboard diving,I can see why they insist on AOW.

 

[SelkieDVM]

I didn't get much out of AOW either. However, at least with PADI, it is a prerequisite for Rescue which I thought was highly valuable. I have not talked to anyone who took Rescue who did not say something similar.

 

[427Dave]

I was told send $40 and the old NASDS card to SSI, to get a new SSI card. For that, I'll keep the bag. Where is the microfiche? Mine is just plastic. A buddy saw it and thought it was funny that it said: "National Association of "Skin Diving" Schools.

Too good to get rid of.

Microfiche is imbedded into the card in upper right corner, looks like a black square about a 3/8 inch in size. At the time they also sent a microfiche that was placed into a necklace that was brass with a diver on it. Lost that many years ago.

 

[Barracuda2]

If ever you want to dive off a liveaboard, most, if not all require minimum AOW. They are very strict on this,and check all certification. It is not just the depth, It has a lot to do with the current,being picked up in zodiacs,diving without guides (if you wish) After doing a lot of liveaboard diving,I can see why they insist on AOW.

What liveaboards require AOW?? I dive a lot of liveaboards; Aggressors, Aqua Cat, Big Blue Explorer, Thorfinn. None of these require AOW and I dove most of them without the AOW. Just curious.

When I got my AOW in 2003, I had to keep reassuring my instructor that "all is ok". He was a bit nervous because he knew I was diving before he was born. (He could have been my younger son) you ask any of my dive friends---I do not push my dive experience weight around at all. I went out of my way to make this instructor feel that what he was doing was very important) I got very little out of the course except a card that allowed me access to the deep side of a local quarry that I have been diving for years even before it was a dive op. Because of the insurance trend, I feel that we will see more and more sites closed out to BOW divers; maybe even the liveaboard industry.

 

[jon m]

interesting...
i am not nearly as experienced as most of the folks on these boards, but i have several night dives, at least 12 boat dives, several drift dives, cold water dives,and at least a dozen (actually well more than that) below 60'...all with OW only. i wonder if the AOW for certain dive ops is an East Coast (in the US) thing??? nobody here has ever asked for AOW, they just want to see my C card, and know where i was certified. i guess, according to the dives i've done, i've qualified for AOW... i wish it worked that way!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I had a dive op in Maui refuse me service once because I didn't have the right C-card.

When asked, I produced my YMCA AOW card. He said they didn't recognize that one. So I produced my NAUI Instructor's card. He said they didn't recognize that one either. I asked him what cards he did recognize, and he said only PADI cards.

We laughed all the way across the street ... where we signed up for a charter with his competitor ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Teamcasa]

I had a dive op in Maui refuse me service once because I didn't have the right C-card.

When asked, I produced my YMCA AOW card. He said they didn't recognize that one. So I produced my NAUI Instructor's card. He said they didn't recognize that one either. I asked him what cards he did recognize, and he said only PADI cards.

We laughed all the way across the street ... where we signed up for a charter with his competitor ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Sad but all too true.

Maybe that op will accept this card?

 

[Izze]

There's plenty of room to make a good AOW course, even for people with some experience. My girlfriend did hers as a resort course on a trip to egypt.

Her class included SAC-calculations, gas planning for all dives, frog kicks, rudimentary back kicks, heli-turns, light signals for the night dive, pretty much the entire PADI nitrox theory and a proper buoyancy class.

AOW comes in all flavors - if you find a good one it can definitely be worth it.

 

[wjefferis]

Here in the Florida Panhandle for the most part if you do not have an AOW cert you are not getting on the boat for what most boat operators consider an advanced dive (depths below 80fsw). In my opinion it is a good idea and you will likely learn a little more and increase your comfortability and ability in the water.

 

[cuddlefish]

I had a dive op in Maui refuse me service once because I didn't have the right C-card.

When asked, I produced my YMCA AOW card. He said they didn't recognize that one. So I produced my NAUI Instructor's card. He said they didn't recognize that one either. I asked him what cards he did recognize, and he said only PADI cards.

We laughed all the way across the street ... where we signed up for a charter with his competitor ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

When did this happen? I can't even imagine it. I have to assume that it wasn't the company's policy...that this person just had NO IDEA what he was talking about!