Divemaster Course
About The Event
The NAUI Divemaster Training Course is professional-level training that prepares the successful graduate for employment as a paid NAUI Divemaster. The course is 7 days long and involves both classroom academics, confined water training, and open water training. The NAUI Divemaster Training Course is conducted under the supervision of our staff Instructor Trainer. Course materials additional.
OVERVIEW AND QUALIFICATIONS
The NAUI Divemaster rating is the highest NAUI leadership-level certification except for an instructor. The program is designed to train experienced and knowledgeable divers to organize and conduct enjoyable open water dives for certified divers. An active-status NAUI Divemaster is qualified to organize and conduct dives for certified divers if the diving activities and locale approximate those in which the divemaster is trained. Additional training, knowledge or experience is necessary for the divemaster who desires to organize highly specialized activities, such as wreck penetration, cavern, ice, or other technical dives or enter a new locale. An active-status NAUI Divemaster is qualified to organize and conduct NAUI recognition programs (such as International Diver) and award appropriate recognition materials to participants. An active-status NAUI Divemaster is qualified to organize and conduct Refresher Scuba training for certified divers. An active-status NAUI Divemaster is qualified to assist an active-status NAUI Instructor in diving courses. An active-status NAUI Divemaster who completes a NAUI-DAN First Aid Instructor orientation, who has completed all required NAUI-DAN orientation modules and is using the NAUI-DAN training and support materials, may teach the NAUI-DAN First Aid programs. If all other prerequisites are met, a current NAUI Divemaster is qualified to enter a NAUI Instructor Training Course (ITC). Leadership members of NAUI are entitled to benefits detailed in the Association Bylaws and these standards.
Location: Roanoke Island Outfitters, 627 US Hwy 64, Manteo, NC 27954
Costs: $895
For more information or to register, Contact Pam Landrum at (252) 473-1356 or by email at riodiving@yahoo.com
PREREQUISITES
- Age. The minimum is 18 years by the water phase of the course.
- Certification/Experience/Knowledge.
- Current certification in NAUI First Aid for Dive Professionals or equivalent.
- Current certification in NAUI Oxygen Provider or equivalent.
- A minimum of 60 logged open water scuba dives with a minimum of 30 hours of bottom time. Dives shall be varied in environment, depth, and activities.
- One open water dive (which does not count toward the minimum number of dives required for the course) may be used as a screening and evaluation dive. This is not required when the student’s diving proficiencies are well known to the instructor.
- Equipment. Candidates shall furnish and be responsible for the care and maintenance of their diving equipment. The instructor shall initially assist candidates in checking all their gear to ensure it is adequate and in proper working order.
- Materials. Contact the Roanoke Island Outfitters and Dive Center for current requirements.
- Medical Approval. Verification of good physical condition as documented by a medical examination and unconditional approval for diving by a licensed physician within the preceding 12 months. In no event will medical approval be accepted wherein the physician signing the certificate is the student.
POLICIES
Academics: 20 hours.
- Practical Application.
MINIMUM REQUIRED HOURS.
- 10 hours. (Also, students may expect to spend time outside of class hours researching dive sites, organizing notes and generally preparing for dive briefings and activities.)
MINIMUM REQUIRED DIVES.
- The minimum number of open water divemaster activities is 10. Activities include on-site instructions, course director demonstrations, and student divemaster performances. “Performing as a divemaster” does not necessarily require that the student divemaster complete a particular dive, as defined in these standards, to meet the learning objective for the activity.
DEPTH.
- The maximum depth for any open water dive during this course is 130 feet. No dives are to require staged decompression. However, simulated staged
- decompression may be added to the ascent of a no-required- stop dive. Any simulated decompression time spent deeper than 25 feet must be included in the
- actual dive time.
- Equipment. Standard scuba diving equipment in good working condition, properly maintained per the manufacturer’s recommendations, and suitable for the course. The RIO staff Instructor Trainer shall have final approval of all student equipment used for the course.
- Materials. Contact the RIO staff for current course materials cost. Training materials are not included in the course training fee.
Course Results.
- MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION.
- Upon completion of all certification requirements, each leadership graduate must complete a NAUI membership application, which the instructor will process.
REQUIREMENTS – ACADEMIC
- General. Students are to be provided with the knowledge needed to organize and conduct minimal risk open water dives as a divemaster.
- Diving Equipment. Common equipment problems, recognition of unsafe or improperly assembled equipment, variations in types of gear, incorrect wear and handling, and pre-dive equipment checks.
- Diving Safety.
- Actions to be taken if an emergency occurs, including effective use of assistants and equipment, underwater communications, diver recall methods, search techniques,
- assists and rescues, victim care and handling, emergency and first aid equipment, accessing emergency systems, and accident reports.
- Techniques and problems associated with open water rescues. Areas to be covered include rough water rescue considerations, conducting search and recovery operations, and treatment, care, and handling of unconscious divers.
- Diving Environment. The physical and biological aspects of the diving environment with an emphasis on the local area, including plant and animal life, the importance of fostering a regard for ecology and conservation, pollution, water movement, and characteristics, tides, currents, waves and surf, shore and bottom conditions, surface hazards and wind effects.
- NAUI Orientation.
- Business of Diving Instruction. Legal concepts such as negligence, the standard of care, the necessity for liability insurance, waivers and indemnity agreements, the taking of artifacts and game, and the legal relationship between boat owner, captain, instructor, and divemaster. NAUI-specific information shall be included.
- Methods of Instruction (teaching techniques and student evaluation)
- Teaching theory.
- Oral communications.
- Teaching Presentations: Classroom (This requirement may be waived if the candidate has completed a NAUI Assistant Instructor course.)
- Each candidate is to present at least four assigned teaching presentations selected from the list of the 10 core diving knowledge topics.
Divemaster Duties
GENERAL
Techniques involved in planning, organizing and controlling a group dive. Included shall be: the analysis, selection and pre-dive evaluation of a dive site, pre-dive
meetings and briefings, debriefing, divemaster checklists and logs, use of safety divers, divemaster responsibilities and dive flag use. Special procedures for working as a
dive guide, leading trips and working with instructors on open water training dives are to be covered in detail.
SHORE DIVING
Organizational problems of shore diving in salt and freshwater environments, including problems of entry and exit point selection, hazards, signals, flags, floats, surface
support stations, currents, tides, wind, sunburn, chilling, crowd control, small boat, and other aquatic traffic.
BOAT DIVING
Techniques involved in small and large boat diving, including required boat equipment and licensing, navigation and rules of the road, boating etiquette and safety, refueling, anchoring, docking, weather conditions, and broadcasts, as well as charts, navigation aids and sources of information. The captain/divemaster relationship, diver management from a boat-based operation, ladders, platforms and safety lines, boat diving etiquette, equipment stowage, safety procedures, and boat rescue techniques. Small boat diving (two to six divers) versus large boat diving operations are to be discussed.
NIGHT AND LIMITED VISIBILITY DIVING
Procedures used and problems that can arise. Daytime reconnaissance of the night dive site is to be emphasized, as well as planning and safety procedures, lights (underwater, surface, shore, and boat), special equipment, typical and local hazards, buddy lines, rope signals, diver recalls, underwater communications, diving limits, lost diver problems, checklists, and problems associated with limited visibility diving both underwater and on the surface.
DEEP & SIMULATED DECOMPRESSION DIVING
The problems a Divemaster must avoid or deal with in an emergency decompression situation. Included are the planning, concepts, methods, and equipment used in such diving. The student divemaster is to have a thorough knowledge of decompression and repetitive dive tables, dive computers and know the first aid, treatment, and transportation techniques for emergencies involving decompression sickness and suspected lung overpressure injuries. Altitude considerations and restrictions on flying after diving are to be covered.
REQUIREMENTS – SKILLS
- Divemaster. Students are to demonstrate satisfactory open water skills and perform in divemaster roles for practice and evaluation during the planning and conducting of the required open water dives. All such activities are to be performed under the direct supervision of an active-status NAUI Instructor. The purpose is to evaluate the candidate in both knowledge and the ability to apply it in the performance of practical work. The evaluated activities also further the student divemaster’s training in dive management.
- Perform scuba diving skills as listed below during an open water dive. The staff is also to use this dive to demonstrate the organization and conduct of a day dive for certified divers.
Skills are to include:
- Pre-dive gear check for self and buddy.
- Entry, buoyancy check, swim to and from dive area, and exit.
- Distance swim – 880 yards total during the dive.
- Descents, underwater swimming, and ascents.
- Make a simulated decompression stop at 15 feet for five minutes.
- Mask clearing, including removal and replacement.
- Remove, replace and clear a regulator.
- Regain primary regulator from behind the shoulder; replace and clear.
- Maintain proper buoyancy using weights, breathing, and BC.
- Complete a night dive as a diver. During this dive, the staff will demonstrate the organization and conduct of a night dive for certified divers. The dive is to be conducted in an area previously dived by the class during daylight.
- Performing as a divemaster using safety divers and assistants, control a satisfactory rescue of a diver simulating an underwater accident in open water, including organizing a
- search, transporting the victim to shore or boat, victim care and accessing emergency systems.
- Prepare and present at least one pre-dive briefing for practice and one for evaluation. The briefing is to be evaluated on the depth of coverage as well as safety and control measures.
- Performing as a divemaster, assisting an active-status NAUI Instructor, organize, and assist during an early open water experience for a class of student divers.
- Performing as a divemaster, organize and conduct a beach dive for certified divers, to be evaluated for the record.
- Performing as a divemaster, organize and conduct a boat dive for certified divers, to be evaluated for the record. If a boat dive is not possible, an alternate beach dive in a significantly different setting from that of the previous dive is allowed.
- Organize and conduct a night or limited visibility dive for certified divers, to be evaluated for the record.
- The student divemasters may run multiple dives on the same day up to a maximum of three scuba dives and one skin dive. The greatest possible variety of diving situations should be used. Open water should follow pre-dive briefings as closely as possible. After each dive, the student divemaster is to conduct a debriefing. All diving activities are to be logged.
REQUIREMENTS – EXAMS
- Completion of Required Training Materials.
- Online training requirements may be completed before attendance or before completion of the course.
- Completion of Required Examinations.
For more information or to register, Contact Pam Landrum at (252) 473-1356 or by email at riodiving@yahoo.com