Training outline
Group A - Swimming Tests
- Swim 200m (8 lengths) breast stroke, without stopping
- Swim 100m (4 lengths) life saving kick, without stopping
- Duck-dive & recover six objects from the bottom of the deep end, one object at a time
- Tread water for one minute, keeping your hands above your head
- After being made aware of the dangers of hyperventilation, attempt to swim 25m (1 length) underwater
- Tow a body 25m (1 length) & recover onto the side of the pool at the deep end.
Group B - Primary Tests
Using basic equipment - mask fins, snorkel & weight belt.
- Fin 200m (8 lengths) on the surface, duck-diving twice each length
- Fin 25m (1 length) underwater, collecting three objects
- Hold breath for 30 seconds, at the bottom of the deep end
- Flood & clear mask three times
- Fit basic equipment, in the deep end
- Fin 50m (2 lengths) with face submerged, using snorkel. Finish at deep end, duck-diving to recover & fit mask & weight belt. Signal "Okay" before surfacing
Group C - Basic Open Water
Using basic equipment plus suit & BC.
- Fin 500m, inflate BC orally, fin a further 100m
- Duck-dive to a depth of 5m, three times. On the third time, rescue a fully kitted diver & tow to shore, performing Expired Air Resuscitation & land body
- Attend a minimum of three open water dives using basic equipment, suit & BC
Group D - Pool SCUBA Tests
Instructor to explain embolisms, barotrauma & pressure effects before commencing.
Using basic equipment, plus SCUBA kit.
- Assemble, test & fit aqualung. Demonstrate bouyancy by depth of breathing
- Remove, replace & clear mask three times underwater. Remove, replace & clear regulator three times
- Wearing full equipment, fin 25m (1 length) finishing in the deep end. Remove equipment
- Fin 50m (2 lengths) alternating between regulator & snorkel, changing twice each length
- Fin for 5mins underwater, wearing a blacked-out mask
- Establish a breathing rhythm, then fin 50m (2 lengths) underwater, sharing a regulator
- Starting in the deep end, fin to the middle at speed. Rescue body & return to the deep end, performing Expired Air Resuscitation. Remove kit & recover body onto the side of the pool
- Identify six selected hand signals
- Attend lectures on equipment, pressure effects & life saving
- Spend two evenings in the Compressor Room, learning the correct proceedures for the use of compressors & for cylinder filling
Group E - Open Water Diving
Using basic equipment, plus SCUBA kit.
- Using BC, demonsrate adjustment of buoyancy. Perform a controlled ascent from a depth of 3m, after explaining how to avoid an embolism & barotrauma
- Demonstrate & respond to diver-to-dive & diver-to-surface signals
- At a depth of 10m, remove, replace & clear mask three times
- At a depth of 10m, remove, replace & clear regulator three times
- Share a regulator for 25 minutes at depth of not less than 7m
- Demonstrate underwater navigation by swimming a straight course for 100m, at a depth of not less than 3m
- Demonstrate the correct use of a BC at 3m
- Attend a boat handling course
- Act as a helmsman for boat cover twice
- Act as dive leader for a minimum of three divers, five times
- Log at least ten open water dives