Technical Diver

Technical Diver: The NAUI Technical Diver program is designed to introduce experienced advanced divers to the techniques and methods employed in diving beyond the traditional recreational diving limits. The course provides training in decompression techniques, the use of technical-enriched air nitrox, oxygen decompression gases, and the fundamentals of using oxygen-enriched helium-based mixed gas (called Helitrox).  
This is the first of three helium based classes in the NAUI program. Candidates entering the program must already have mastered fundamental skills in the NAUI Intro to Tech, or GUE fundamentals class. Students enrolled in the NAUI Technical Diving program will have the opportunity to cultivate these skills and many new ones while training in this class.


ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
Classroom work emphasizes decompression theory and management, diving physics and physiology, oxygen exposure management, equipment, dive planning and emergency procedures. Practical sessions include appromimately 40 hours of training with at least 8 dives 

SCOPE OF COURSE
  • The training depths for these dives are 90 to 160 fsw. Maximum PO2 is 1.4 atm for working portions of the dives and 1.6 atm for decompression.
  • No dives may exceed an equivalent narcosis depth of 130 fsw; an END of 100 fsw or less is generally employed on the training dives.
  • The in-water instructor to student ratio will never exceed 3 to 1  for all  dives.

SKILL REQUIREMENTS
  • For each dive students will define oxygen limits based on PO2 of 1.4 atm or less for the working portion of the dive and 1.6 atm or less for decompression stops.
  • For each dive students will analyze all gas mixtures and label each accordingly with mix and MOD.
  • For each dive students will complete a Technical Diver Plan and a Team Planner
  • Set up personal scuba systems for each dive satisfying all training, environmental, and physiological constraints.
  • Establish safety and emergency procedures, contingency strategies, abort and bailout plans.
  • Demonstrate proper buoyancy control and trim during dives and deco stops.
  • Turn around or begin the ascent at the predetermined back gas pressure or bottom time.
  • Demonstrate proper underwater communications.
  • Shut down failed regulator and isolate for catastrophic gas loss (< 15 sec) while maintaining tand buoyancy control.
  • Shutoff and switch over to redundant regulator.
  • Gas sharing, simulate out-of-gas scenario over a distance of 100 feet.
  • Lost visibility - maintain contact with team and continuous line to the surface.
  • Equipment failure management drills.
  • Demonstrate team cooperation skills.
  • Missing diver search procedures.
  • Rescue skills.
  • Ascend with reel and lift bag and execute drift decompression.
  • Execute staged decompression stops.
  • Demonstrate mastery of emergency procedures (abort plan, omitted deco protocols, emergency first aid).
  • Demonstrate proper descent and ascent rates and depth, time, and gas management.
  • Demonstrate proficiency with one decompression gas/bottle

EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS
NAUI Technical Equipment Configuration Requirements


PREREQUISITES FOR ENTERING THE COURSE
Age: Minimum is 18 years.

Certification:  NAUI Master Diver, NAUI intro to Tech or GUE fundamentals. These requirements can be modified or amended during pre-course interview and/or screening dive. A reasonable amount of the candidate's experience should include advanced recreational dives between 80 - 100 fsw.

Additional requirements include:

  • Medical clearance and physically fit
  • Nonsmoker
  • Minimum of 100 logged dives with at least 10 (beyond certification) using EANx.
  • Must be able to swim a distance of 300 meters under 14 minutes, and 15 meter breath hold swim

Policies applying to all NAUI SCUBA Courses can be found here