SDI Advanced Diver requirements

[Youssef ElNahas]

From what I've read this is not a course in and of itself but rather is automatically gained by taking any 4 specialty courses (correct me if I'm wrong). I have a couple of questions though :blinking:


- Are there one or two specific specialties you need to take? (Like Deep Diver and UW Navigation in PADI's program)
- Do ALL SDI/TDI specialities count towards the 4 specialties?
- Do specialities from other certification agencies cross over?

And finally, what specialities would you recommend for me in terms of improving my diving skills as well as fun specialities to learn?
P.s: I dive mainly in the Red Sea

 

[Scott]

Since you mentioned PADI, I'll compare the two. There is always some confusion with how agencies name their courses.

SDI Advanced Adventure diver is the equivalent rating to the PADI Advanced Open Water
SDI Advanced Diver (Advanced Diver Development Program) is the equivalent of PADI Master Scuba Diver

The SDI AA and PADI AOW both require a deep and navigation adventure dive as well a three additional
adventure dives.
In both programs the adventure dive is the first dive their respective specialties.

The SDI AD requires four specialties where the PADI MSD requires five specialties.
SDI will accept other agencies specialties toward the SDI AD rating. PADI does not.

What to take?
What really interests you? Buoyancy is always a good course or adventure dive. Night, Search and Recovery
Best to really talk with your instructor. Conditions and location may dictate what could be offered.

 

[Youssef ElNahas]

Thanks for your reply Scott!

I'm only more confused now.
According to SDI's website they do have a Master Scuba Diver program, I would assume that's the equivalent of PADI's MSD....

Both the Master Diver and Divemaster require the completion of Advanced Diver and not Adventure diver, does that mean taking the advanced adventure diver course would be redundant (if I plan on doing Advanced Diver)?

I do want to take the buoyancy course since I need to work on that, as well as the deep diver course. I'm open to suggestions for the other two though!

 

[sheeper]

the standards for SDI Advanced Adventure are:

The purpose of this course is to give the diver an overview of 5 different specialties, 2 core, and 3additional SDI Specialties. The two core specialties are, SDI Deep and Navigation. One dive, from each of thespecialties, may apply toward a complete specialty certification. Overhead environments and non-diving specialtiesare not allowed, and do not count toward the 3 chosen specialties. If computer nitrox is to be used as one of the​

elected specialties, the instructor must be an SDI Computer Nitrox Instructor.


The SDI Advanced Diver goes beyond the Advanced Adventure to create truly more advanced divers:

"The SDI Advanced Diver Development Program was created to make true advanced divers. Under the old way of training a student could take an advanced course immediately following an open water course, and only have a total of 9 dives, all under the direct training of an instructor. The SDI Advanced Diver Development program requires a new open water student to complete 4 SDI Specialties or equivalent, combined with 25 logged dives. SDI feels a diver will truly be advanced after this is accomplished."

The SDI Master Scuba Diver program requires more dives and Rescue.
"The SDI Master Scuba Diver Development Program was created to make true master divers. The SDIMaster Scuba Diver Development program requires a new open water diver to complete 4 SDI Specialties, the SDI Rescue Diver Course, and logged 50 dives. SDI feels a diver will be a true master scuba diver after this is​

accomplished."

this all works out to more training and specialties than some other programs but in the hands of good instructors really creates some outstanding divers.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

[RJP]

According to SDI's website they do have a Master Scuba Diver program, I would assume that's the equivalent of PADI's MSD....

You'll learn very quickly that it's a bad idea to assume ANYTHING about any scuba course based on it's name alone, much less draw any equivalency between two courses from two different agencies based on the names of the courses alone.

You're also hearing that the exact same course - irrespective of agency - in the hands of two different instructors can vary widely in terms of quality and content.

Apropos of any AOW/Adventure Diver course I would look at any instructor's experience - and dive passions - when evaluating taking any particular specialty dives. Any instructor is authorized to teach almost any adventure dive in the AOW course for most agencies... but that doesn't mean they have any experience, proficiency, or even interest in that particular specialty.

For instance if you took AOW with me, I could certainly offer the Diver Propulsion Vehicle dive as one of your options. However, I've never used a DPV myself... so if you really wanted to scooter, I'd be a poor choice as your instructor.

On the other hand, I'm a fairly experienced wreck-diver having probably done 300-400 wreck dives all over the world in a wide variety of environments, depths, states of decay, etc. I love wreck diving. If you wanted to do the wreck specialty... I think I'd be a good choice as your AOW instructor.

"It's the instructor... not the agency/course."

 

[Sieg@VU]

A couple of additional comments based on the above:

1) SDI Advanced diver is NOT the equivalent of PADI Master Diver, PADI (like SDI) also requires Rescue to achieve this rating
2) SDI Advanced Adventure Diver would be meaningless if you have your SDI Advanced Diver Cert (SDI AA is effectively the same as PADI AOW - they give you some additional experience, but SDI Advanced Diver will provide deeper knowledge & dive experience)
3) When choosing 4 specialties for SDI Advanced Diver, only one can be a non-diving course like Nitrox or CPR1st, etc.
4) My personal suggestion to my students is that they consider these as their 4 specialties: Deep, Navigation, Night, Nitrox

 

[RJP]

4) My personal suggestion to my students is that they consider these as their 4 specialties: Deep, Navigation, Night, Nitrox

What is this suggestion based on?

 

[Youssef ElNahas]

Thanks for everyone's replies!

The one course I'm 100% sure of taking is the deep diver course, although I want to take the buoyancy course as well since I need improvement in that area.

If I take Nitrox I'll probably take it as a 5th course, as I need the dive experience from the others.

RJP, provided I find an instructor with the experience and interest in such courses; what are the other specialties you'd recommend I take? (to improve my over all diving abilities)

 

[RJP]

RDI, provided I find an instructor with the experience and interest in such courses; what are the other specialties you'd recommend I take? (to improve my over all diving abilities)

Since you're asking about "improving abilities" rather than "trying different things" In addition to Deep and Buoyancy I would consider:

• Navigation; obviously a key skill that has some level of value on any dive you'll ever do
• Search & Recovery; skills you might never need, but unlike something such as Wreck or Photography, you will likely never be able to "plan" when and where you need to search for something and/or recover it. It's one thing to see a clownfish and think "gee, I wish I had taken an underwater photography class" but another thing entirely to say "gee, I just dropped my underwater camera off the boat... I wish I had taken S&R"
• Night: useful skills. Some are obvious, some are not, most apply to diving during the day in many environments

 

[Youssef ElNahas]

Thanks RJP!

I think I'm going to go with Deep, Advanced Buoyancy and either Night or Navigation along with a "fun" speciality like underwater photography. That's the plan at least, very likely would change once I actually talk to the people teaching the course!