Who this course is for:

• The certified diver looking for more information to maximize the use of boats for scuba diving

Course prerequisites:

• SDI Open Water Scuba Diver, SDI Junior Open Water Diver, or equivalent
• Minimum age 18, 10 with parental consent

What you can expect to learn:

The SDI Boat Diver Course takes an in-depth look at all of the following and more:

Types of boats and features of those boats

• Live-aboard
• Charter boat
• Private boat

Safety features

• Life preservers
• Life boats
• Flares SDI Instructor Manual
• Radio
• Throw rings
• US Coast Guard requirements
• First aid kit
• Oxygen kit

Exiting and boarding the boat

• Type of ladder
• How to use ladder
• Entries

Planning boat trips

• Types and sizes of boats
• Location
• Degree of difficulty of dives
• Air availability on boat
• Food/beverages available
• Sleeping equipment necessary?
• Weather
• Dive planning

Determining necessary equipment

• Use of a checklist
• C-card and log book
• Extra cylinder
• All open water equipment
• Spare parts kit
• Camera/photo equipment
• Game equipment

Boat procedures

• Loading
• Captain and crew briefs of special procedures
• Special rules
• Crowded area procedures

Lines

• Anchor line
• Descent lines
• Tag line
• Stern safety line
• Decompression bar

Underwater navigation from a boat

• Natural navigation
• Anchored
• No current
• Current
• Drift diving

Some of the required skills you will have to demonstrate include:

• Plan a boat dive
• Briefing on dock before departure
• Review of boat diving procedures
• Captain’s brief and travel to dive destination
• Entry
• Exit
• Log dive
• Care of equipment
• Attempt to use a different types of boat s or, at least, use a different entry point from the boat during the course

What’s in it for you?

Upon successful completion of this course, graduates may engage in diving activities without direct supervision of the SDI Instructor* so long as the following limits are adhered to:

• The diving activities approximate those of training
• The areas of activities approximate those of training
• Environmental conditions approximate those of training

*Note: Junior divers (ages 10-14) must participate in boat diving activities with a parent, guardian, or dive professional

SDI Boat Diver minimum requirements:

• Satisfactorily complete the SDI Boat Diver Knowledge Quests with a passing score of 80%, followed by 100% remediation by the Instructor
• Complete all open water requirements efficiently
• Demonstrate mature and sound judgment concerning dive planning and execution