Open Water Diver

The Autonomous Diver (English for Autonomous diver ) describes the minimum requirements for basic training and certification for scuba divers that are defined in the international standard ISO 24801-2 and the relevant European standard EN 14153-2. Various diving organizations offer a dive training that meet the requirements of the Autonomous Diver. A certification ( certified diver ), which corresponds to the Autonomous Diver, the right to self- diving with a buddy in the open water. Most diving organizations recommend not to fall below a depth of 18 or 20 meters. After the successful completion of an equivalent to the Autonomous Diver training, the learned in specialized courses, one with the Dive Leader equivalent ( ISO 24801-3 ) Education or one of the non-normalized intermediate can be deepened and expanded.

Before a basic scuba training for divers and at regular intervals thereafter, a diver a diving medical examination should undergo in a diving physician. In some countries, such testing is required by law and applicable in many dive schools as a prerequisite for any training. Since it is not to official documents in the popular certifications for scuba divers, they are only recommendations. Nevertheless, a certification that corresponds to the Autonomous Diver and a medical certificate on many dive centers, the minimum requirement in order to borrow diving equipment can and on guided dives is to be taken. In some countries (eg in Australia) is required by law when evidence of a completed basic dive training by each diver.

Some dive organizations offer a Supervised Diver Additional Services the corresponding ( according to ISO 24801-2 ) training and Brevertierungs stage, which are usually set only the contents of the Autonomous Diver training over two courses and not allowed for independent diving.

Training in accordance with ISO 24801-2

Worldwide, about 1.7 million people a year are trained in accordance with ISO 24801. Despite the common normalizing the individual diving courses diving organizations in content, development and philosophy differ sometimes considerably. The minimum requirements that are defined in the ISO standard, however, guarantee that a diver can easily change the training organization.

The following courses meet the requirements of the Autonomous Diver:

CMAS *

The CMAS * (one star) training goes far beyond the requirements of the Autonomous Diver defined addition. CMAS first required to pass the theory test before it may be submerged in the lake or in the sea. Therefore, first, at about 6 theory lessons that built the basic understanding of the student diver and after successfully pass a theory test, in water for at least 6 pool sessions - which can take place in the open water also flow-free, shallow places - and 5 open water dives learned diving practice, practiced and tested. Part of the course are also apnea exercises. Upon successful completion of the learning with specialized courses or the CMAS ** ( two star ) can be deepened and expanded. CMAS recommends to dive a one-star diver and his buddy to a maximum depth of 20 meters. For divers aged between 8 to 14 years, a maximum depth of 5 meters is recommended.

The following topics are covered * Course in the CMAS:

• Buoyancy
• Diving characters
• Blow diving mask
• Alternating respiration
• Diving equipment
• Calculations with a decompression table
• Diving accidents
• First aid
• Safety rules

The CMAS * Course can be started without any prior knowledge of diving. Normal physical health and fitness are required. Immersion students who want to attend a CMAS * Course must be at least 14 years old. A CMAS Bronze education can be visited from the age of 8 years. These children diving courses differ only by a child-friendly teaching the same content.

The basic training of the individual CMAS member organizations (eg: VDST, TSVÖ or SUSV ) may differ from the rules and terms of CMAS.

NAUI Scuba Diver

The NAUI Scuba Diver Course (SD ) is a basic scuba training, the normalized Autonomous Diver entspricht.Die training includes 2 free-diving and scuba diving 4. NAUI recommends SD divers to dive to a maximum depth of 18 meters. Upon successful completion of the acquired knowledge can be deepened with so-called Specialties or the Advanced Scuba Diver course and expanded. The NAUI SD course can be started without any prior knowledge of diving. Normal physical health and fitness are required. Immersion students who want to attend a SD course must be at least 15 years old. A NAUI Junior Scuba Diver training can be visited from the age of 12 years. These children diving courses differ only by a child-friendly teaching the same content.

PADI Open Water Diver

The PADI Open Water Diver Course ( OWD ) is a basic dive training, in which a diver can learn all the content required by the ISO standard for an Autonomous Diver. Open Water Diver means freely translated to German open water diver. PADI OWD allows divers to dive to a depth of 18 meters. Upon successful completion of the learning can be deepened and expanded Diver course with so-called Specialties or the Advanced Open Water.

The PADI Open Water Diver course consists of five theory lessons, five pool dives and at least four open water dives with compressed air diving apparatus. Recommended ever an optional snorkel dive and / or " adventure dive " in addition. PADI followed in training the " now dip " concept. Therefore, the dives are for a theory lessons usually take place on the same day. The water dives - which can take place in the open water also flow-free, shallow places that serve learning the basic techniques and safety. This includes getting into a water breathing under water with compressed air diving apparatus, use of fins, simple tare, mask clearing, regaining the regulator or the emergency ascent. In the open water dives some of the same exercises are repeated in greater depth. There are also techniques to solve cramps, open water descent and ascent, buddy breathing or underwater navigation. The PADI Open Water Diver course consists of the following theory content:

The OWD course can be started without any prior knowledge of diving. Normal physical health and fitness are required. Immersion students who want to attend a PADI OWD course must be at least 15 years old. A PADI Junior Open Water Diver Course ( JOWD ) can be visited from the age of 10 years. These children diving courses differ only by a child-friendly teaching the same content.

SSI Open Water Diver

The SSI Open Water Diver Course ( OWD ) is a basic dive training which is normalized to the Autonomous Diver equivalent. The training includes at least 4 open water dives, which may be carried out only after the successful completion of the theoretical training. SSI OWD allows divers to dive to a maximum depth of 18 meters. Upon successful completion of the learning can be deepened and expanded Adventurer Course with so-called Specialties or Advanced. The SSI OWD course can be started without any prior knowledge of diving. Normal physical health and fitness are necessary and submit a Medical Statement SSI. The exchange student must able to swim without a tool to be 180 meters. Immersion students who want to visit an OWD course must be at least 15 years old. An SSI Junior OWD training may be completed already from the age of 10 years. These children diving courses differ only by a child-friendly teaching the same content.

Further education

In addition to those mentioned above correspond to the following types of training the Autonomous Diver according to ISO 24801-2:

Criticism

Critics particularly the commercial diver training organizations (eg PADI or SSI) before it would the diving students taught in the basic training the illusion that he could already appear good, by the importance of the courses and the exams over the diving practice and consistent practice is overemphasized. Going through a division of immersion education in as many non, partial Brevetierungstufen, at the expense of safety, the profits of the organizations trying to optimize ..

Commercial training organizations hold countered that it all came down to making the experience of the underwater world widely accessible to strengthen, inter alia, the interest in the environmental and species protection under water. A lower inhibition threshold for entry into the sport of diving will realized that, particularly in the basic training only the bare minimum is taught to dive safely under appropriate conditions. Due to the modular arrangement will always only one material taught that is important for beginners to dive safely. It will be noted that student divers should not dive under conditions that are more challenging than those for which they were trained in the basic course.

This logic is ultimately include many non- commercially oriented organizations (eg VDST and other members of the CMAS ) in parts to by offering specialized courses that deal intensively with a subspecialty of diving.