how old do you have to be to get advanced?

[jlittlejohn321]

I was wondering how old you have to be to get your advanced or adventure diver. I was also wondering if you have to be a certain age for the rescue diver course?

[nunofs]

You must be 15 to take the AOW with PADI (they have a Junior AOW for 12yo and older, though). Not sure about other agencies.

[datamunk]

i think rescue is either 16 or 18 with padi that is

[Dive-aholic]

12 for PADI Rescue diver. And if you get a Jr. rating, all you have to do is upgrade to a regular rating when you turn 15.

[pnevai]

NAUI if you are 15 and over you may qualify to take the NAUI rescue diver course.

Who does PADI think a 12 year old is going to rescue? Even at 15 with NAUI you may still not qualify. I can see it now asking a 12 year old to tow a 180 lb guy and get him on board a boat. Like I had to do. Of course then PADI is a for profit business and NAUI is a Not for Profit organization.

[Dive-aholic]

Now why are you turning this into a PADI bashing thread? No where in the OP was your opinion on PADI and NAUI asked.

But hey, under your definition of NAUI standards that would mean that an adult who is 5' tall and weight 100 lbs should be a rescue diver either. I don't think that was NAUI's intention at all.

I agree that not all 12 year olds can do all the skills involved in the Rescue course, but considering that most of the skills are conducted in the water where weight isn't an issue, I think the most important ones can be accomplished. So what if someone can't carry our a 180lb guy! If that person can get the 180lb guy to the boat or to water shallow enough for others to help, shouldn't that be enough? There are a lot of good skills to be learned in the Rescue diver course. I think if you're mature enough to take the class (I've seen adults that lacked the maturity level to be in a Rescue course), then by all means, take the class!

[downunder]

Originally Posted by pnevai

NAUI if you are 15 and over you may qualify to take the NAUI rescue diver course.

Who does PADI think a 12 year old is going to rescue? Even at 15 with NAUI you may still not qualify. I can see it now asking a 12 year old to tow a 180 lb guy and get him on board a boat. Like I had to do. Of course then PADI is a for profit business and NAUI is a Not for Profit organization.

Yikes! My wife is 4'11" and around 95 pounds.... my eleven year old is bigger than her! At 12, we are predicting that he will tower mom in both size and strenght.... but I sill wouldn't look down at her and say "you too whimpie do that" if I were you!

And, I'm 6'5" around 240 pounds.... can a 40 year old 5'2" 110 pound female diver (just a typical size) rescue me? Hmmmmmm.... OK... no comment!

[Scout]

What's the difference between Junior AOW and regular AOW? Can they be taught in the same class? After my son turns 15, can his Junior AOW translate into a regular AOW?

While I'm on the subject, can a Junior OW diver be certified for Nitrox?

Thanks!

[Charles R]

Originally Posted by Scout

What's the difference between Junior AOW and regular AOW? Can they be taught in the same class? After my son turns 15, can his Junior AOW translate into a regular AOW?

While I'm on the subject, can a Junior OW diver be certified for Nitrox?

Thanks!

According to PADI you must be 15 for Nitrox class as far as the converting I belive all they have to do is update it with PADI

[RoadRacer1978]

I know you can become a PADI master Scuba diver at age 12. There is a Kid that is 12 years old that wrote a book "SCUBA diving for kids" and he is a master Scuba Diver.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...1/ai_n16677193