NAUI DIVEMASTER

The NAUI Divemaster rating is the highest NAUI leadership-level certification with the exception of Instructor. The program is designed to train experienced and knowledgeable divers to organise and conduct enjoyable open water dives for certified divers, and also to assist a NAUI Instructor in some training classes.

QUALIFICATIONS OF GRADUATES

• An active-status NAUI Divemaster is qualified to organise 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 organise highly specialised activities, such as wreck penetration, cavern or ice dives or enter a new locale.



• An active-status NAUI Divemaster is qualified to organise and conduct NAUI Recognition (such as International Diver) and Experience Programs (such as Stingray Experience) and award appropriate recognition materials to participants.



• An active-status NAUI Divemaster is qualified to assist an active-status NAUI Instructor in diving courses.



• If all other prerequisites are met, a current NAUI Divemaster is qualified to enter a NAUI Instructor Training Course (ITC).

PREREQUISITES FOR ATTENDING COURSE

• Diver Certification. The preferred minimum certification level is NAUI Assistant Instructor. Individuals not possessing the preferred certification may be accepted for training only if they meet the following criteria:


• Certification: Certification as NAUI Master Scuba Diver and NAUI Scuba Rescue Diver or their equivalent. Divers with evidence of equivalent training and experience may be enrolled provided they pass the NAUI Master Scuba Diver written examination with a minimum score of 75%.



• Experience: Documentation of diving experience with a minimum of 25 logged open water dives. Dives shall be varied in environment, depth and activities.



• Waterskills: Ability equivalent to that of a NAUI Assistant Instructor. Skills from the Assistant Instructors standards shall be evaluated if the candidate is not already certified as a NAUI Assistant Instructor.

THE COURSE

• Hours.

• Open Water Dives. A combination of diving and divemastering for a total of 10 open water dives is required involving on-site instruction, demonstrations by the course director and student divemaster performance. "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.

SKILL REQUIREMENTS

• Rescue another diver in open water during a skin dive.



• Perform scuba diving skills as listed below during an open water dive. The staff is also to use this dive to demonstrate the organisation 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 front dive area, and exit.
• Distance swim - 880 yards (805 m) total during the dive.
• Descents, underwater swimming, and ascents.
• Weight belt removal and replacement on surface and bottom.
• Scuba unit removal and replacement on surface.
• Recover and bring to the surface from at least 6,1 m of water a ditched weight belt of at least 4,5 kg.
• Make a simulated decompression stop at 4,6 m for five minutes
• Clear mask and regulator
• Retrieve regulator
• Buddy breathe on the bottom not using alternate breathing source.
• Perform a relaxed, controlled emergency swimming ascent from a minimum depth of 4,6 m in open water.
• Maintain proper buoyancy using weights, breathing and BC.



• Complete a night dive as a diver. During this dive the staff will demonstrate the organisation 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 organising a search, transporting 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 depth of coverage as well as safety and control measures. Evaluators are to remember the student is not an instructor and may not possess polished instructional skills.



• Performing as a Divemaster, assisting an Active-Status NAUI Instructor, organise, and assist during an early open water experience for a class of student divers. This may be accomplished by having the Divemaster class act as entry level student divers and individually rotating through the Divemaster role during a single dive.



• Performing as a Divemaster, organise and conduct a beach dive for certified divers. To be evaluated for the record. The student Divemasters should, if at all possible, also organise and conduct their own evaluated boat dive with a minimum of direction from the staff. If this is impossible, a new setting may be substituted.



• Performing as a Divemaster, organise and conduct a dive for certified divers in a significantly different setting from that of the previous dives, e.g. (boat vs. beach).



• Organise and conduct a night or limited visibility dive for certified divers. The student Divemasters are to organise and conduct their own night or limited visibility dive with the staff evaluating. If night diving is not possible, a simulation should be utilised.



• 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 dives 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.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO LEARN ABOUT?

• NAUI - Introduction to NAUI, NAUI programs, standards, statuses, NAUI products, services, NAUI procedures.



• Divemaster Duties - Techniques involved in planning, organising 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.



• Divemaster Legal Responsibilities - Legal concepts such as negligence, standard of care, the necessity for liability insurance, waivers and indemnity agreements, taking of artefacts and game, and the legal relationship between boat owner, Captain, instructor and divemaster. NAUI-specific information shall be included.



• Shore Diving - Organisational problems of shore diving in salt and fresh water environments, including problems of entry and exit point selection, hazards, signals, flags, floats, surface support stations, current, tides, wind, sunburn, chilling, crowd control, small boat and other aquatic traffic.



• Emergency Procedures - 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 Find handling, emergency and first aid equipment, accessing emergency systems, and accident reports.



• 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, refuelling, 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 emphasised, 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.



• Open Water Rescue - 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.



• Deep and Decompression Diving - The problems a Divemaster must avoid or deal with in an emergency decompression situation. It is to be emphasised that the need for decompression diving should be avoided in recreational diving. 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 to 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 will be covered.



• Underwater Environment - The physical and biological aspects of the diving environment with 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.



• Equipment - Common equipment problems, recognition of unsafe or improperly assembled equipment variations in types of gear, incorrect wear and handling, pre-dive equipment checks.

If you need more information about the course or better yet you want to sign up, please call Aron or send us an e mail message. Telephone numbers, are: 083-731-8235 or 0283-62362, if outside South Africa delete the 0 and add 0027 from Europe and 01127 from America. Our e mail address is divetime@itec.co.za or press the icon below: