So, what is the point of AOW???

[vladimir]

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.

Peter Hughes does not. Aggressor does not. Mike Ball does not. Sea Hunter does not. Kararu does not. None of the other non-brand name liveaboards I have dived required it. Which ones do?

 

[philly]

Peter Hughes does not. Aggressor does not. Mike Ball does not. Sea Hunter does not. Kararu does not. None of the other non-brand name liveaboards I have dived required it. Which ones do?

Every liveaboard in the Red Sea that I have been on requires AOW,also the Liveaboards I have been on in Thialand required AOW

 

[jviehe]

Here we go again. Doesnt anyone use the search button?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Here we go again. Doesnt anyone use the search button?

Ever search for an attorney in the Manhattan Yellow Pages?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[diverdowndh]

I have never been asked by anyone, ever, to see my logbook. I have detailed information about almost every dive I've taken and never asked to see it. And while my 170 dives isn't near what some of the people on this board have, it certainly is enough to say that I am surprised to hear anyone say that you need your logbook for diving. I have simply never been checked (and kinda miffed, if you can't tell - I have LOTS of details in it <grin>).
I took AOW only to proceed onto ResQ, so I could then start my DM, which I am currently working on now. As far as gratification, I rate the AOW as the class with the least worth to me. I believe it is designed more for people who have not had much diving experience right out of OW, and to give them a little more supervised diving. For me and my fiance', we kinda laughed it off and just made it into another good time diving. For my fiance', she was all worked up over the "advanced" word - and after the class she asked me "what was I so worried about?"
D

 

[SparticleBrane]

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)

Wow are you freakin' kidding me?!
Bob that's ridiculous.

 

[jviehe]

Ever search for an attorney in the Manhattan Yellow Pages?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Is that agreement or disagreement?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Is that agreement or disagreement?

Neither ... it's a reality check.

There are more than 2.7 million posts on ScubaBoard.

Unless you are extremely good at narrowing down a search ... or have some advanced degree in database management ... you can spend an entire day locating an answer to any particular question ... and not even get the satisfaction of having participated in a discussion.

There is absolutely no variation of a scuba-related question that hasn't already been asked on ScubaBoard ... if we expect everyone with a question to search for prior threads on the same topic, there will be nothing left to talk about but mindless chatter and threads complaining about the moderators ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[littlejohn]

or have some advanced degree in database management .

I took that course, didn't think much of it.

Any cert is just a bottom line bench mark.

 

[Walter]

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.

Why do you think it's a good idea?