AOW Necessary?

[GDiver]

Have many of you found it necessary to get your AOW? Over the last few years, I have done the "required" AOW dives but I don't have the AOW certification. Is it really necessary for a recreational diver? Thank you all for your input.

P.S.
I'm a PADI certified diver.

[FOUNDATIONER]

Wassup G?
It has been my experience that some dive ops do want to see
that AOW c-card if you plan on going deep. My wife does not
dive so I do some of my diving at All-inclusive resorts. They
generally only offer 2 dives per day. Morning dive is deep, noon
dive is shallow. If you don't have AOW you aren't doing the
morning dive. Hope I helped. Stay wet!

[JugglingMonkeys]

Right. It's often required for deeper dives.

[in_cavediver]

Is it necessary - well no. Can it help - well sometimes, depends on the instructor.

For me, I did it right after OW. I was 'advanced' at dive 11. My wife has yet to do it after 150 dives and numerous classes. (Padi OW, IANTD Nitrox, IANTD Advanced Nitrox, IANTD Tec Nitrox, NACD Full Cave). At this point, the AOW class offers very little for her.

To be honest, look at your dive skills and see if 5 dives with an instructor would be of interest or benefit. Do you have things you want to try, like nitrox, search and recovery or drysuit. Do you have buoyancy issues you could use help with. If you say yes, then AOW can be a benefit.

If you don't think those adventure dives offer you much, well look at an IANTD rescue or NAUI rescue class. Either class will serve you very well and they don't require AOW like PADI does. Actually, I think they have MUCH MORE value than the AOW class.

[GDiver]

Thank you all for you input.

in_cavediver: I'll look into the rescue courses.

[somewhereinla]

There is nothing advanced about the AOW, it actually used to be called OW2 before a marketing genius at PADI decided it would sound better to call it AOW. That said getting more training with a pro. never hurt. Also if you ever need to do a deep dive with a dive tour company they will most likely require an AOW C card. Again it's a good idea to experience narcosis with an instructor around...

[DiverBry]

I waited a year after my OW to get my AOW... my goal was to pursue one major certification a year, so I could develop experience at the same time as I was acquiring certifications... also gave me something fun to look forward to. Next summer... Rescue Diver!

[WaScubaDude]

Just back from Jamaica. They started requiring AOW on the deep dive. My wife signed up for their AOW class in part so we could do all the dives with them and also because it may be helpful in Cozumel when we go.
Her AOW there was a cake walk. I would say to do yours with a diveshop/instructor whom you trust to do a thorough job training you.

[cummings66]

You won't get Rescue without AOW so in that case it is necessary. To be honest, I was told Rescue was necessary for cave cert and AOW was needed for Rescue, so I don't know how a person gets cave without AOW. Unless, I think it's NAUI that might let you slide from OW to Rescue? One of them might, but only one agency.

The long and short of it is if you want to be anything other than an OW diver you need AOW.

[BSea]

Originally Posted by cummings66

You won't get Rescue without AOW so in that case it is necessary. To be honest, I was told Rescue was necessary for cave cert and AOW was needed for Rescue, so I don't know how a person gets cave without AOW. Unless, I think it's NAUI that might let you slide from OW to Rescue? One of them might, but only one agency.

The long and short of it is if you want to be anything other than an OW diver you need AOW.

As you mentioned, it depends on the agency. SSI doesn't require AOW for rescue. In fact it can be part of your AOW if you want it to be. But rescue is required for Master Diver. Which is a step above AOW for SSI.