PADI Open Water Diver
We are often asked what makes up a PADI Open Water course, so here is a long list containing details of the theory, Confined Water and Open Water skills contained in the course. The theory and the practical sessions are structured by PADI who enforce standards on course content and methods that all PADI centres and instructors have to follow. Unfortunately not all PADI Open Water courses are created equal.....! Feel free to print this page to make sure that, wherever you complete your PADI Open Water course on your travels, you aren't short-changed.
Knowledge Development - 5 modules (Standard option)
For the 5 modules of theory, you'll read the PADI Open Water Diver manual in conjunction with watching the PADI Open Water diver video and complete the associated knowledge review questions at the end of each chapter. After we have made sure you understand everything you have incorrect in the knowledge review questions, you'll be given a quiz of ten questions for that module. Again, don't worry we go over any questions that you get wrong. At the end of the 5th module and knowledge review you'll be given the PADI Open Water diver exam. Just like the quizzes this is multiple choice and, again, just like the quizzes we'll teach anything you get wrong. Hopefully by then you'll pass with 100%. But all is not lost if not - as long as you score 75% or over you have passed! And we'll go over any questions you've got wrong so you are completely happy and understand them all. Easy heh!!!
It is a PADI standard that students must view the video, or the PADI Open water diver multimedia. And it is a PADI requirement that students must own the PADI Open Water diver manual and RDP with associated manual. We have always provided the manuals and RDP as we believe that having your own manual is pretty essential as reference after the course. After all, how many people can remember 260 pages of information!!
Knowledge Development - 5 modules (E-Learning option)
PADI offer the knowledge development online too, so if you don't want to spend the time in the classroom you can sign up for the theory part of the course on-line. The content is the same and at the end of the online section your manual is avaliable on-line
Below is a list of the skills, for further reference and details of the skills you will complete please use the PADI Open Water Diver manual.
Water confidence - Skills
You must complete the following skills before the end of the course.
- 200m/yard continuous swim (or 300m snorkel swim)
- 10 minute swim/float - (must be completed before OW dive 2)
Confined Water - Dive 1 Skills
Prior to completing Open Water dive 1 you must practice and master the following skills in confined water dive 1.
Note: Confined water for the following 5 dives is defined by PADI as a: 1) swimming pool or 2) confined open water which is an open water site that offers swimming-pool-like conditions with respect to clarity, calmness and depth.
- Equipment donning and adjustment
- BCD inflation and deflation at the surface - low pressure inflation
- Regulator clearing (blast and purge methods)
- Regulator recovery
- Mask clear partial)
- Underwater swimming
- Submersible pressure gauge use
- Alternate air source use stationary for 30 seconds
- Hand signal recognition
- Ascent
Confined Water - Dives 2 & 3 Skills
Prior to completing Open Water dive 2 you must practice and master the following skills in confined water dives 2 & 3.
Note:To complete CW dive 2 you must complete a deep water entry into confined water. This should be conducted from the pool edge or from a floating platform or jetty.
- Equipment assembly and disassembly
- Pre-dive safety check - BWRAF
- Deep water entry
- Snorkel clearing - blast method
- Snorkel/regulator exchange
- Descent - 5 point
- Surface swimming with scuba
- Mask removal, replacement and clearing
- No mask breathing
- Disconnect low pressure inflator
- BCD Oral inflation and deflation at the surface
- Proper weighting at the surface
- Air depletion exercise
- Weight removal at the surface
- Deep water exit - remove equipment
- Fin pivot (both methods) - low pressure inflation & oral inflation
- Neutral buoyancy swim for 10m
- Cramp removal - self and buddy
- Tired diver tow - 25m
- Air depletion exercise with 1 min alternate air source swim
- Free flow regulator breathing - 30secs
- Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent - horizontal for 9m
Confined Water - Dives 4 & 5 Skills
Prior to completing Open Water dives 3 & 4 you must practice and master the following skills in confined water dives 4 & 5
- Equipment assembly and disassembly
- Equipment donning and adjustment
- Proper hyperventilation
- Headfirst surface dive
- Skin dive ascent and snorkel clearing
- No mask swim - 15m
- Hovering - 30 secs
- Scuba unit removal and replacement - underwater
- Scuba unit removal and replacement - surface
- Weight removal and replacement - underwater
- Weight removal and replacement - surface
Open Water Dive - Skills
For Open Water Dive 1 of the course a PADI instructor must lead the entire dive. For dives 2-4 however, a PADI Divemaster may lead the underwater exploration part. With adult student divers, dives 1 & 2 are completed to a maximum depth of 12m and dives 3 & 4 are to a maximum depth of 18m.
Open Water Dive - 1
- Briefing
- Equipment preparation, donning and adjustment
- Predive safety check
- Entry
- Buoyancy check/weight check
- Controlled descent
- Underwater exploration
- Ascent
- Exit
Open Water Dive - 2
- Briefing
- Equipment preparation, donning and adjustment
- Predive safety check
- Entry and weight check
- Controlled descent
- Buoyancy control (fin pivot or hover - with low pressure inflation)
- Mask clearing (both partial & full flood)
- Alternate air source use (donor & receiver + oral inflation on surface)
- Regulator recovery/clear
- Underwater exploration
- Ascent and exit
- Weight removal at the surface
Open Water Dive - 3
- Briefing
- Equipment preparation, donning and adjustment
- Predive safety check
- Entry and weight check
- Free Descent with visual reference
- Buoyancy control fin pivot or hover- with oral inflation)
- Mask clearing (full flood)
- Underwater exploration
- Ascent and exit
Open Water Dive - 4
- Briefing
- Equipment preparation, donning and adjustment
- Predive safety check
- Entry and weight check
- Free Descent (no visual reference)
- Buoyancy control (hover)
- Mask removal, replacement and clear
- Underwater exploration
- Ascent and exit
Open Water Dive - Dive Flexible Skills
These dive flexible skills must be completed. Surface skills may be completed on any dive, but underwater skills may only be completed on Open Water Dives 2-4.
- Cramp removal self and buddy at the surface
- Tired diver tow - 25m
- Straight line surface swim with compass - 50m
- Snorkel/regulator exchange
- Remove/replace scuba (surface)
- Remove/replace weights (surface)
- Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA) + (oral inflation on surface) (This must be conducted with a vertical line for safety from 6-9m depth)
- Underwater compass navigation and reciprocal
