Qualifying dives

[stu_boat]

Earlier this year I did my Dive Leader training, passed the exams etc, but there was confusion, sometimes verging on raised voice disagreements about the qualifying dives and when they should be done.

Should they be done pre or post exam? Noone I spoke to seemed to have the definitive answer, especially about the deeper dives. Some said it was build up training before leading a dive "officially", ie with a novice/ newly qualified ocean diver, while others said that leading a dive with a novice could be signed off as one of the qualifying dives.

Can anyone shed some light on which is the right opinion, would like to clear it up before next years dive leader trainees start the discussion/argument all over again.

Cheers, Stu.

[Hamish]

Earlier this year I did my Dive Leader training, passed the exams etc, but there was confusion, sometimes verging on raised voice disagreements about the qualifying dives and when they should be done.

Should they be done pre or post exam? Noone I spoke to seemed to have the definitive answer, especially about the deeper dives. Some said it was build up training before leading a dive "officially", ie with a novice/ newly qualified ocean diver, while others said that leading a dive with a novice could be signed off as one of the qualifying dives.

Can anyone shed some light on which is the right opinion, would like to clear it up before next years dive leader trainees start the discussion/argument all over again.

Cheers, Stu.

Stu,

The advice that should be given is that the qualifying experience dives should be caried out in small progressive steps which build on your existing experience. Also that they should where posssible be done whilst accompanied by an appropriate buddy who is more experienced.

The only stipulation is that these dives must be post Sport Diver qualification.

Neither post nor pre exam come into the equation.

Hope this helps.

Hamish

[Mike Halligan]

Earlier this year I did my Dive Leader training, passed the exams etc, but there was confusion, sometimes verging on raised voice disagreements about the qualifying dives and when they should be done.

Should they be done pre or post exam? Noone I spoke to seemed to have the definitive answer, especially about the deeper dives. Some said it was build up training before leading a dive "officially", ie with a novice/ newly qualified ocean diver, while others said that leading a dive with a novice could be signed off as one of the qualifying dives.

Can anyone shed some light on which is the right opinion, would like to clear it up before next years dive leader trainees start the discussion/argument all over again.

Cheers, Stu.

Stu,

Congrats on completing your DL Theory. I'm afraid this argument is not uncommon. The answer lies as it always has in the preamble to the course, which is found in the Instructor Resource (pages 1 to 4 of Dive Leader dated 2006). There, the experience dives are described in the following terms:
The DL syllabus includes OW lessons and experience dives which should total a minimum of 20 dives and 600 minutes underwater time since qualifying as a SD.
To ensure that students receive experience in a range of conditions, the OW dives must include at least 5 conditions from the following ........ Only 1 of the above conditions may be logged per dive. Of the 20 dives, at least 6 should be from boats, on at least 8 the student should act as dive leader, at least 10 should show depth experience > 25m.

This tells me that page 19 of your QRB is to be completed after qualifying as SD and before you can be qualified as DL. In effect it may be written upon at any time after your SD qual is signed and must be completed before your DL qual is signed.

Depth progression dives (page 20 of QRB) are definitely POST-Qualification and not part of the course per se. "Safe Diving" and "OW Conditions" at page 2 of the preamble to DL both dictate that you should not exceed 35m until qualified as a DL. I'm sure the owner of the DL course will be along to correct me if I'm wrong, but having just read the gospel on the subject from the relevant document, I'm about as certain as I can be.

Hope this helps, if only as you say for next year.