Autonomous Diver

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The open water diver (for English autonomous diving ) describes the minimum requirements for basic training and Certification Fees for scuba divers , in the international standard ISO 24801-2 and the relevant European standard EN 14153-2 are specified. Various diving organizations offer diving training that meets the requirements of the Autonomous Diver. A certification that corresponds to the Autonomous Diver entitles you to dive independently with a diving partner in open water. Most diving organizations recommend diving below 18 or 20  meters . After successfully completing a training equivalent to the Autonomous Diver, what has been learned can be deepened and expanded in special courses, a training equivalent to the Dive Leader (according to ISO 24801-3) or one of the non-standardized intermediate levels.

Before basic diving training as a diver and afterwards at regular intervals, a diver should undergo a diving medical examination by a diving doctor . In some countries, such an examination is required by law and is a prerequisite for any training in many diving schools . Since the usual certifications for recreational divers are not official documents, they are merely recommendations. Nevertheless, a diving certification that corresponds to the Autonomous Diver and a medical certificate at many diving centers are the minimum requirements to be able to rent diving equipment and be taken on guided dives. In some countries (e.g. Australia ) laws require every diver to have completed basic diving training.

Some diving organizations offer an additional training and certification level corresponding to the supervised diver (according to ISO 24801-1), which usually only distributes the contents of the autonomous diver training over two courses and does not entitle you to dive independently.

Training according to ISO 24801-2

Around 1.7 million people worldwide are trained in accordance with ISO 24801 every year. Despite the common standardization, the diving courses of individual diving organizations differ considerably in content, expansion and philosophy. However, the minimum requirements defined in the ISO standard guarantee that a diver can easily change training organization.

The following training courses meet the requirements of the Autonomous Diver:

CMAS *

Overview of the CMAS training system

The CMAS  * (one star) training goes far beyond the requirements defined by the Autonomous Diver. CMAS requires you to pass the theory test before diving in the lake or sea. Therefore, first about 6 theory lessons, which build up the basic understanding of the student diver and, after successfully passing a theoretical test, in the water during at least 6 swimming pool lessons - which can also take place in free water, shallow places - and with 5 open water dives Diving practice learned, practiced and tested. Apnea exercises are also part of the course . After successful completion, what you have learned can be deepened and expanded with special courses or the CMAS ** (two stars). CMAS recommends that a one-star diver and his buddy dive to a maximum depth of 20 meters. For divers, aged 8-14  years , a maximum depth of 5 meters is recommended.

The following topics are covered in the CMAS * course:

The CMAS * course can be started without any previous knowledge of diving. Normal physical health and fitness are required. Student divers wishing to attend a CMAS * course must be at least 14 years old. A CMAS bronze course can be attended from the age of 8. These children's diving courses only differ in that they convey the same content in a way that is suitable for children.

The basic training of the individual CMAS member organizations (for example: VDST , TSVÖ or SUSV ) can differ from the regulations and designations of CMAS.

NAUI Scuba Diver

The NAUI Scuba Diver course ( SD ) is a basic diving training that corresponds to the standardized Autonomous Diver. The training includes 2 apnea and 4 scuba dives. NAUI recommends that SD divers dive to a maximum depth of 18 meters. After successful completion, what you have learned can be deepened and expanded with so-called specialties or the Advanced Scuba Diver course. The NAUI SD course can be started without prior knowledge of diving. Normal physical health and fitness are required. Student divers wishing to attend an SD course must be at least 15 years old. A NAUI Junior Scuba Diver course can be attended from the age of 12. These children's diving courses only differ in that they convey the same content in a way that is suitable for children.

PADI Open Water Diver

Overview of the PADI education system

The PADI Open Water Diver course ( OWD ) is a basic diving training in which a diver can learn all the content required by the ISO standard for an autonomous diver. Open Water Diver means free translated in German open water diver . PADI allows OWD divers to dive to a depth of 18 meters. After successful completion, what you have learned can be deepened and expanded with so-called specialties or in the Advanced Open Water Diver course.

The PADI Open Water Diver course includes five theory lessons, five pool dives and a minimum of four open water dives with a compressed air diving device . An optional snorkel dive and / or “adventure dive” is also recommended . PADI follows the “dive today” concept in training. Therefore, after a theory lesson, the dives usually take place on the same day. The swimming pool dives - which can also take place in free water, shallow places in the open water - serve to learn the basic and safety-relevant techniques. This includes getting into the water, breathing underwater with the compressed air diving device , using the fins , simple taring , blowing out the mask , regaining the regulator or the emergency ascent . In the open water dives, the same exercises are sometimes repeated in greater water depth. There are also techniques to relieve cramps , open water descent and ascent, alternating breathing or navigation under water. The PADI OWD course includes the following theoretical content:

  1. Lesson One
    1. Introduction to the underwater world
    2. Diving equipment
    3. Partner system (buddy)
  2. Lesson two
    1. Adaptation to the underwater world
    2. Breathing underwater
    3. Diving equipment
    4. Diving sign
  3. Lesson three
    1. The environment while diving
    2. Dive planning
    3. Boat dives
    4. Dealing with Problems - Preventing and Detecting
    5. General open water techniques
  4. Lesson four
    1. special diving equipment
    2. health
    3. Breathe air in the deep
    4. Diving table
  5. Lesson five
    1. Dive planning
    2. Application of the diving table
    3. Basics of underwater navigation
    4. Training opportunities

The OWD course can be started without prior knowledge of diving. Normal physical health and fitness are required. Student divers wishing to attend a PADI OWD course must be at least 15 years old. A PADI Junior OWD course (JOWD) can be attended from the age of 10. These children's diving courses only differ in that they convey the same content in a way that is suitable for children.

SSI Open Water Diver

Overview of the SSI training system

The SSI Open Water Diver course ( OWD ) is a basic diving training that is equivalent to the standardized Autonomous Diver. The training includes at least 4 open water dives, which may only be carried out after successfully completing the theoretical training. SSI allows OWD divers to dive to a maximum depth of 18 meters. After successful completion, what you have learned can be deepened and expanded with so-called specialties or the Advanced Adventurer course. The SSI OWD course can be started without previous knowledge of diving. Normal physical health and fitness are required and an SSI Medical Statement is required . The student must be able to swim 180 meters without an aid. Student divers wishing to attend an OWD course must be at least 15 years old. An SSI Junior OWD -Training can already be concluded from the age of 10 years. These children's diving courses only differ in that they convey the same content in a way that is suitable for children.

Further training

In addition to the above, the following training courses correspond to the Autonomous Diver according to ISO 24801-2:

Diving organization Training / certification
American Nitrox Divers International AND I Open Sport Diver OSD
British Sub-Aqua Club BSAC Ocean Diver OD
Disabled Divers International DDI Autonomous Diver AD
Global Underwater Explorers GUE Recreational Diver Level 1 Rec 1
International Association for Handicapped Divers IAHD One Star Diver *
International Scuba Diving Academy ISDA Open Water Diver OWD
National Academy of Scuba Educators NOSE Open Water Diver OWD
National Diving League NDL Diver
Association of German diving instructors VDTL bronze
Worldwide Academy of Scuba Educators WASE Open Water Diver OWD
World Organization of Scuba Diving WOSD Autonomous Diver AD

criticism

Critics particularly accuse the commercial diving training organizations (e.g. PADI or SSI) that the basic training gives the student the illusion that he is already good at diving by overemphasizing the importance of the course and the exams compared to diving practice and constant practice . By dividing diving training into as many small, incomplete certification levels as possible, the organizations try to optimize their profits at the expense of safety.

Commercial training organizations counter that it is primarily a matter of making the experience of the underwater world accessible to a broad mass, in order to u. a. also to strengthen interest in the protection of the environment and species under water. A lower inhibition threshold for entering the diving sport is realized by the fact that, especially in the basic training, only the essentials are taught in order to be able to dive safely under the appropriate conditions. Due to the modular orientation, only that material is taught that is important for beginners to dive safely. It is important to note that student divers should not dive in conditions more challenging than those in which they were trained in the basic course.

Ultimately, many non-commercial associations (e.g. VDST and other members of the CMAS) follow this logic in part by offering special courses that deal more intensively with a sub-area of ​​diving.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Recreational diving services - Requirements for the training of recreational scuba divers - Part 2: Level 2 - Autonomous diver (ISO 24801-2). ISO , accessed April 29, 2015 .
  2. ↑ Recreational Scuba Diving & Snorkelling Safety in Australia. (PDF) An identification, summary and analysis of policies, legislation and standards relevant to recreational scuba diving and snorkelling. DAN Asia, Pacific Head Office, Ashburton and Royal Life Saving Society Australia (RLSSA), 2008, accessed March 4, 2014 .
  3. ↑ 945,000 certifications ( Worldwide Corporate Statistics 2013 (PDF;. 232 kB) Data for 2007-2012 PADI February 2013 filed by the original on November 2, 2013 ; accessed on November 1, 2013 (English). ) At a market share of 56%, ( Greg: . 2013 market Share of Scuba Certification Agencies (PADI, NAUI, SSI) DiveBuddy.com, July 25, 2013, accessed November 1, 2013 (English). ) result in a market of about 1.7 million .
  4. ↑ Learn to dive. CMAS * (1 star). Dortmund idiving.de, accessed on February 24, 2014 .
  5. ↑ Single star diver D1 CMAS.CH. CMAS.CH, accessed on February 24, 2014 .
  6. ^ Standards Children's Diving ,. (PDF) Version 2008. CMAS , accessed on March 6, 2014 (English).
  7. ↑ Certificate. (PDF) No. EUF - CB 2007 004. European Underwater Federation (EUF), accessed on December 2, 2013 .
  8. ↑ NAUI Scuba Diver (Open Water). (PDF) (No longer available online.) Northern Atlantic Dive Expeditions, Inc. and R / V Gauntlet, March 1, 2008, archived from the original on March 23, 2013 ; accessed on February 24, 2014 .
  9. ↑ a b PADI Open Water Diver Theory ( Memento from September 14, 2012 in the Internet Archive ), Wolfgang Exler
  10. ↑ PADI: PADI Open Water Diver Manual Version 2.5 Rev. 11/04. International PADI Inc, Rancho Santa Margarita, 2004, ISBN 1-878663-16-X
  11. ↑ a b START DIVING COURSE. In: divessi.com. Retrieved February 13, 2019 .
  12. ↑ EUF Certified Training Systems / Training Organizations. European Underwater Federation (EUF), accessed April 21, 2017 .
  13. ↑ Shane E. Paterson: SCUBA Diving. Agencies. University of Georgia , Athens, archived from the original on October 28, 2006 ; accessed on April 3, 2014 .