A NEW SPECIALTY - LETS DISCUSS

[lowwall]

Sounds interesting. I assume a good chunk is gas planning and then in water hitting ascent rates and holding stop depths? Could be a useful review.

The most interesting part to me would be handling the slung bottle. Any discussion of slung versus pony mounted?

For deep requirement will they accept AOW or some combo of AOW and logged dives?

 

[DiveClimbRide]

No. Advanced adventurer with (1) deep adventure dive only certifies you to 30m which is very different from the 3 dive 40m deep specialty

Sounds interesting. I assume a good chunk is gas planning and then in water hitting ascent rates and holding stop depths? Could be a useful review.

The most interesting part to me would be handling the slung bottle. Any discussion of slung versus pony mounted?

For deep requirement will they accept AOW or some combo of AOW and logged dives?

 

[sabbe]

"using either traditional recreational equipment or introducing them to using a sidemount system"...

So, not back mount doubles? Single tank (unless sidemount) and single gas with DECO on back-gas? Unimpressed with where this could lead to....

Not sure they have the right tools in the toolbox...

Doubles would be covered by the existing Extended Range program. Per the ad this for divers not yet willing to commit to a tec rig.

I can also see the advantage for recreational divers who don't necessarily plan to do deco but want the safety margin if they need to. My 1st deco dive was as a AOW diver trying to find a lost buddy (I hate diving 3-somes!). My only option at the time was trust my computer to figure it out.

Sam

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

No. Advanced adventurer with (1) deep adventure dive only certifies you to 30m which is very different from the 3 dive 40m deep specialty

Sure but going beyond 30 meters on air means going beyond a recommended maximum gas density of 5.2 g/L. I wish WRSTC agencies would address that across the board. But I do accept the reality of income being prioritized over safety.

 

[rick00001967]

HERE ARE THE STANDARDS FOR THIS COURSE:

Dedicated Equipment Specialties
Decompression Diving
I. Intent
The SSI Decompression Diving program provides divers with the training necessary to:
• Independently plan and conduct decompression dives in a recreational or sidemount Total Diving System,
• To a maximum depth of 40 meters,
• Using a breathing gas with a maximum optimized nitrox blend of 40%,
• For a maximum accumulated decompression time of 15 minutes,
• With an equally- or more-qualified dive buddy.
II. Minimum Instructor Rating
• An active status Decompression Diving Instructor may conduct the Decompression Diving Specialty program.
Equipment Configurations
• They may use a Sidemount Total Diving System as outlined in the SSI Training Standards if they have the
Extended Range Sidemount Instructor certification.
III. Student Prerequisites
• Minimum age: 16 years old.
Have logged at least:
• 24 total dives
Have the following SSI certifications or an equivalent from a recognized training agency:
• Deep Diving
• Enriched Air Nitrox 40
For students using a sidemount configuration (in addition to the above):
Have the following SSI certifications or an equivalent from a recognized training agency:
• Recreational Sidemount Diving
NOTE: SSI recommends students earn the Science of Diving certification prior to beginning this program.
IV. Duration
Recommended hours for completion: 15–20.
V. Minimum Equipment
Students participating in this program must use at least one of the following equipment configurations:
• A complete recreational Total Diving System as outlined in the Recreational Scuba General Training Standards
with appropriate D-rings for stage cylinder attachment.
• A complete Sidemount Total Diving System.
Including:
• A single stage cylinder (minimum volume 5.7 liters) with a delivery system and submersible pressure gauge.
VI. Depth Limitations
• Maximum pool/confined water depth limit: 12 meters.
99 © SSI International GmbH, 2021
• Maximum depth limit for Open Water Training Dives 1 through 3: 40 meters.
• At least one (1) dive must be to a depth of at least 30 meters.
VII. Minimum Supervision
• An active status SSI Professional certified to conduct the program must directly supervise all academic and inwater
activities.
If combining Specialty programs:
• All training dives are required as outlined in the Decompression Diving instructor manual.
VIII. In-Water Ratios
• The student-to-instructor ratio is 4:1.
IX. Proximity
• During in-water skill evaluations, the students must remain under direct supervision of the SSI Professional so
that physical contact can be made at any time.
X. Requirements For Completion
• Complete all academic sessions and assessments outlined in the instructor manual for Decompression Diving.
• Complete the program’s final exam.
• Independently create a full dive plan using dive planning software.
• Complete at least one (1) pool/confined water session as outlined in the instructor manual for Decompression
Diving.
• Complete at least three (3) open water training dives as outlined in the instructor manual for Decompression
Diving.
a. Notes
• Open Water Training Dive 1 must be planned within the no-decompression limits of the student’s dive
computer or dive planning software.
• Actual staged decompression training must be conducted on Open Water Training Dives 2 and 3.
• The total time for all required stage stops must not exceed 15 minutes per dive.
• Divers may carry a decompression mixture of up to 40% oxygen.
XI. Sequence
• Pool/Confined Water Session 1 may only be conducted after the student successfully completes the
equipment configuration session.
• Open Water Training Dive 1 may only be conducted after the student successfully completes Pool/Confined
Water Session 1.
• Open Water Training Dives 2 and 3 may only be conducted after the student successfully completes all
academic sessions and Open Water Training Dive 1.
XII. Certification
• Upon completion of all academic and in-water requirements, the SSI Professional may issue the program’s
digital certification card.
• Certified SSI divers can dive with an equally- or more-qualified buddy in environments equivalent to their
training and within the recommended depth limits of their certifications.

 

[RainPilot]

used for redundancy or to accelerate deco

Hmmmm. Ok so EAN40 max avoids the diver needing O2 clean gear, but the thought of the stage being for redundancy AND accelerated deco raises my eyebrow a tiny bit. Either its a bottom gas in case your primary blows out, or its a rich mix to pad or accelerate deco. If the stage has a bottom PO2 of 1.6 as a deco gas and the back gas is 1.2 or 1.4, that stage isn't going to accelerate much of anything.

I am nitpicking though, SSI has some pretty sensible course standards generally and the XR program (aside from the deep air options, which is a personal issue of mine and thus not their problem) has robust standards. I am sure that they will have covered these aspects.

 

[rick00001967]

FOR CONTEXT, HERE ARE THE STANDARDS FOR THE XR NITROX COURSE:

Extended Range Nitrox Diving
I. Intent
The SSI Extended Range Nitrox Diving program provides divers with the training necessary to independently plan and
conduct limited decompression dives to a maximum depth of 40 meters, using nitrox mixtures of up to 50% and Extended
Range Total Diving Systems and procedures with an equally- or more-qualified buddy.
II. Minimum Instructor Rating
An active status Extended Range Nitrox Diving Instructor may conduct the Extended Range Nitrox Diving program.
Equipment Congurations
• They may use a Twinset Total Diving System as outlined in the SSI Training Standards if they have the Extended
Range Instructor certification with the Twinset configuration.
• They may use an Extended Range Sidemount Total Diving System as outlined in the SSI Training Standards if
they have the Extended Range Sidemount Instructor certification.
III. Student Prerequisites
• Minimum age: 16 years old.
Have logged at least:
• 24 total dives
Have the following SSI certications or an equivalent from a recognized training agency:
• Deep Diving
• Enriched Air Nitrox 40
For students using a sidemount conguration (in addition to the above):
Have the following SSI certifications or an equivalent from a recognized training agency:
• Recreational Sidemount Diving
IV. Duration
• Recommended hours for completion: 16.
V. Minimum Equipment
Students participating in this program must use at least one of the following equipment congurations:
• A complete Single-Cylinder Total Diving System as outlined in the XR General Training Standards.
• A complete Twinset Total Diving System.
• A complete Sidemount Total Diving System.
Including:
• One (1) stage cylinder.
VI. In-Water Ratios
• The student-to-instructor ratio is 4:1.
VII. Depth Limitations
50 (C) SSI International GmbH, 2020
• Maximum pool/confined water depth limit: 12 meters.
• Maximum depth limit for Open Water Training Dives 1 and 2: 30 meters.
• Depth range for Open Water Training Dives 3 and 4: 30 to 40 meters.
• At least one (1) dive must be to a depth of 35 meters.
VIII. Requirements For Completion
• Complete all academic sessions and assessments as outlined in the instructor manual for Extended Range.
• Complete the program’s final exam.
• Independently plan a full dive plan using the Extended Range Dive Planning sheets.
• Complete at least one (1) pool/confined water skill development session lasting at least one (1) hour as
outlined in the instructor manual for Extended Range.
• Complete at least four (4) open water training dives as outlined in the instructor manual for Extended Range.
a. Notes
• Open Water Training Dives 1 and 2 must be planned within the no-decompression limits of the student’s dive
computer, dive planning software, or the SSI Combined Air/EAN Tables.
• Actual staged decompression training must be conducted on Open Water Training Dives 3 and 4, and any
remaining training dives.
• The total time for all required stage stops must not exceed 15 minutes per dive, based on back gas
decompression profile.
• Divers are not allowed to accelerate the decompression plan.
• Divers may carry a decompression mixture of up to 50% oxygen.
IX. Sequence
• Open Water Training Dives 1 and 2 may only be conducted after the student successfully completes the
equipment configuration session and all pool/confined water skill development sessions.
• Open Water Training Dives 3 and 4 may only be conducted after the student successfully completes all
academic sessions and Open Water Training Dives 1 and 2.
X. Certication
Extended Range Nitrox Diving certification entitles the holder to dive with an equally- or more-qualified buddy, on dives
using the equipment configuration used during training and extended range procedures to depths of up to 40 meters, and
requiring staged decompression stops of no longer than 15 minutes based on a back gas profile; providing that dives are
conducted in environments similar to those of the diver’s training and experience.
XI. Credit
Extended Range Nitrox Diving students may credit dives in this program to Open Water Training Dives 1 through 4 of the
Extended Range program, providing that the program was successfully completed in a Twinset Total Diving System or
Extended Range Sidemount Total Diving System. If Extended Range Nitrox Diving was completed in a Single-Cylinder Total
Diving System only academic credit for the Extended Range Nitrox Diving portion of the program can be given

 

[Mod63]

well, most of us in Europe that came up in the club system haven been taught decompression diving since day 1

 

[tursiops]

going beyond 30 meters on air means going beyond a recommended maximum gas density of 5.2 g/L

Some might agree with you. Many won't.

 

[Grantt]

IMHO, if you are going into deco, you are entering an overhead and thus tech diving. You should be properly trained and equipped to do so. I think this course kind of muddles the water. If you are purposely diving on a deco schedule, but considering it Rec diving, where does the line for tech diving begin and thus requiring the training?
If equipment is the issue, that is why tech schools have gear for students to use. In my AN/DP class I didn't have a doubles wing or a second first/second stages for a twin set, much less having and entire deco tank rigging kit and there was of course other equipment that we used that the shop provided. That is what that course is there for. My trimix course was different, I had all my own gear by that point, minus tanks.
How far into splitting hairs are we going to go? Yes technically, my dives to 60m are rec dives. I am diving for my own reasons, thus recreational.