Who this course is for:
- The advanced diver interested in working in the dive industry as a professional dive guide or moving on to become an instructor
Course prerequisites:
- Minimum age 18
- Certified SDI Advanced Adventure Diver or equivalent; advanced certification must include verifiable experience in deep, navigation, night, and limited visibility specialties
- Certified SDI Rescue Diver or equivalent
- Provide proof of current CPR, first aid and oxygen provider (where local law permits)*
- Provided proof of at least 40 logged dives (see 3.11 for number of dives/hours required for graduation)
* Note: CPR, first aid, and oxygen provider courses may be combined with the IDC Program by qualified instructors
What you can expect to learn:
The SDI Divemaster Diver Course takes an in-depth look at all of the following and more:
- SDI standards and procedures
- History of SDI
- Code of ethics and professionalism of an SDI Divemaster
- Products and procedures
- How to place an order
- Yearly renewals
- Liability and insurance
- Risk management
- Waivers and releases
- Filling out an accident report
- Knowledge Development
- Equipment
- Physics and physiology of diving
- Medical problems related to diving
- Use of dive computers and tables
- Diving environment
- Dive planning and dive management control
- Problem solving
- Underwater and surface communications
- Diver assistance
- Avoiding out of air and emergency situations
- Recommended safe diving practices
- Boat diving procedures
- Shore/beach diving procedures
- Night diving procedures
- Accident management
- Emergency procedures
- Leadership development
- Planning group dives
- Divemaster check lists and logs
Some of the required skills you will have to demonstrate include:
- 800 metre swim with mask, snorkel, and fins non-stop without the use of arms in less than 17 minutes
- 400 metre swim on the surface, non-stop, any stroke, without the use of swimming aids, in less than 10 minutes; swim goggles permitted
- Scuba skills – minimum equipment: all equipment required for a SDI Dive Leader
- In water, transport another diver in full scuba equipment at a quick pace for 4 minutes
- Demonstrate a complete rescue scenario satisfactorily
- Perform underwater skills with and without a mask
- Swim on the surface, in full scuba equipment, using the snorkel, 100 metres
- Bring a diver, simulating unconsciousness, up from depth, not greater than 6 metres/20 feet; at the surface swim them 100 metres in less than 4 minutes
- Confined water skills:
- Preparation and planning
- Briefing and debriefing
- Group control
- Problem recognition and solving
- Diving equipment assembly and disassembly
- Equipment inspection
- Entries/exits
- Proper weighting and buoyancy control
- Snorkel and regulator clearing
- Regulator recovery
- Controlled descents and ascents
- Underwater swimming
- Mask clearing
- Buddy system techniques
- Weight system removal and replacement
- Out-of-air emergency alternatives
- Equipment care and maintenance
What’s in it for you?
Upon successful completion of this course, graduates may:
- Assist an active SDI Instructor during approved diving courses provided the activities are similar to the graduate’s prior training
- Supervise and conduct dives for certified divers, provided the activities are similar to the graduate’s prior experience and training
SDI Divemaster Diver minimum requirements:
- Satisfactorily complete the SDI Divemaster written examination, or online version with a minimum score of 80 percent and 100 percent remediation
- Complete all water requirements
- Demonstrate to an active SDI Instructor the ability to solve in-water and out-of-water diver problems
- Demonstrate mature and sound judgment concerning dive planning and execution
- Operate as a Divemaster in a wide variety of environments
