Sport Mixed Gas Rebreather Diver

AIM

A BSAC Sport Mixed Gas Rebreather Diver is competent to:

Conduct dives with an open circuit buddy who is a minimum of a Sports Diver (or equivalent), within the restrictions of the lesser, in conditions already encountered by either during their training or previous experience, and under the supervision of a Dive Manager.
Conduct dives with another mixed gas diver or mixed gas rebreather diver, within the restrictions of the lesser, in conditions already encountered by either during their training or previous experience and within Safe Diving practices.
Conduct dives with an appropriately qualified diver to expand their experience, within the limits of their mixed gas certification, beyond that previously encountered. An appropriately qualified diver would normally be a minimum of Dive Leader or equivalent, but may also be a Sports Diver who has additional relevant qualifications (e.g. IANTD Tri-mix Diver, IANTD Tri-mix Rebreather Diver, TDI Tri-mix Diver, etc.) gained through formal training with a BSAC recognised agency. Such dives should be under the supervision of a Dive Marshal who is ideally an experienced mixed gas diver.
Dive, subject to a progressive build up of depth experience beyond that encountered during their training, dependent on the final assessment to a maximum depth limit of:

a) recreational sport mixed gas 50 metres

b) normoxic sport mixed gas 60 metres

Plan and conduct dives requiring mandatory decompression
Rescue another mixed gas diver from depth and hand over to an appropriate in-water dive support team (It is accepted that the students are able to rescue an open circuit diver to the surface by virtue of the course entry requirements)
Conduct dives where other divers, capable of providing assistance and rescue management skills, are available at the surface.

COURSE OUTLINE

The sport mixed gas rebreather diver course consists of the following elements:

Five classroom lessons.
A theory assessment.
A dry practical lesson of 90 minutes.
One or more sheltered water lessons of not less than 90 minutes total in-water.
For recreational mixed gas (50 metres) two open water lessons, dependant on student performance, with a total underwater duration of not less than 120 minutes and an individual lesson duration of not less than 45 minutes.
For normoxic mixed gas (60 metres) three open water lessons, dependant on student performance, with a total underwater duration of not less than 195 minutes and an individual lesson duration of not less than 45 minutes.

All practical training in both sheltered and open water includes the achievement of specific performance standards at appropriate points throughout the lessons.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

In order to attend this course, students must comply with the following:

Be a minimum of 18 years of age.
Be a BSAC air diluent rebreather diver certification (or equivalent).
Be able to demonstrate a high level of proficiency diving on a rebreather unit.

EQUIPMENT CONFIGURATION

For Sheltered Water training, the following student equipment configuration is assumed:

A rebreather specific to the course.
A single stage cylinder of minimum capacity seven litres for the recreational sport mixed gas assessment.
Two stage cylinders of minimum capacity seven litres for the normoxic sport mixed gas assessment.
Access to an alternate source (AS) ‘octopus’ demand valve minimum length 1.5 metres for the stage cylinder.
Mask & fins.
Weight belt or integrated weights where necessary.

When progressing to open water lessons the equipment should also include:

Depth gauge and watch/timer or decompression computer.
Suitable mixed gas for the lesson.
A delayed surface marker buoy and reel.
An emergency delayed surface maker buoy.
An additional surface detection aid (e.g. a folding flag).
A Jon-line.
A run-time slate.
Spare mask.
protective clothing as appropriate.

INSTRUCTOR REQUIREMENTS

BSAC Sport Mixed Gas Rebreather Diver training is required to be carried out by, or supervised by, the minimum standard of an approved BSAC Sport Mixed Gas Rebreather Instructor.

Assistant Sport Mixed Gas Rebreather Instructors are qualified Open Water Instructors with the appropriate level of varied rebreather mixed gas diving experience of a minimum of 100 hours may carry out the instruction of sport mixed gas rebreather divers under the supervision of an approved BSAC Advanced Mixed Gas Rebreather Instructor Trainer (or higher). The following levels of supervision apply:

Classroom and sheltered water lessons under on-site supervision,
Open water lessons under direct (i.e. in-water) supervision

The process and prerequisites to qualify as a BSAC Sport Mixed Gas Rebreather Instructor are defined in the relevant BSAC sport mixed gas rebreather standards and procedures.

INSTRUCTOR RATIOS

Classroom Lessons - theory presentation lessons, the maximum ratio of students per instructor is driven by the logistical size, comfort and media presentation facilities.

Dry practical lessons - To ensure that the student can fully participate in the exercises and receives effective tuition, the lesson contents assume a ratio of six students per instructor.

Practical lessons - student/instructor ratios should comply with the following guidelines:

Sheltered water lessons - As for the Diver Training Programme, the sheltered water lesson notes assume the most likely scenario of lessons being carried out in a controlled environment, where time constraints typically impose a one to two hour limit. In order that all students can receive effective tuition during this time, a maximum ratio of four students per instructor is assumed. In less favourable circumstances, this ratio may need to be reduced appropriate to the water conditions and time available.

Where water conditions allow longer lessons, the above ratios may be increased to a ratio of a maximum of six students per instructor provided that:

All students can receive effective tuition within the time available.
Underwater visibility is a minimum of 5 metres.
The instructor is of a minimum grade of BSAC Sport Mixed Gas Rebreather Instructor.
The instructor has the assistance of another diver, minimum qualification Dive Leader and Sport Mixed Gas Diver or equivalent, to monitor the safety and control of students. This safety diver may not teach unless he/she meets the requirements for an Assistant BSAC Sport Mixed Gas Instructor.
The lesson briefing includes clear directions as to the role of the assisting diver during skills instruction.

Open water lessons - Because of the nature of the exercises being taught, the lesson contents assume a ratio of a maximum of two students per instructor, to ensure that each student receives effective tuition.

FACILITIES

Suitable classroom with teaching aids for formal presentations. Suitable shallow water dive site (10 metres maximum) for skills development. Dive sites with 45 metres maximum for open water dive and 50 metres for the sport mixed gas recreational diver open water assessment. For those opting for the Sport Mixed Gas Normoxic Diver certification are required to undertake a further open water assessment dive to a maximum depth of 60 metres.

APPROVAL

Technical skill development course approval procedure applies.

QUALIFICATION

Course certification will be issued by BSAC HQ after the event.

LESSON SYLLABUS

Day One

Instructor briefing

Course Introduction

Course outline
Assessment
BSAC Sport Mixed Gas Rebreather Diver
Course implementation
Course programme

Theory Lesson Introduction to Mixed Gas Diving

Sport mixed gas diver certification
History of recreational mixed gas diving
What is mixed gas diving?
Why dive mixed gases?
Mixed gases
Issues

Theory Lesson Equipment and Decompression Systems

Personal equipment review
Decompression system types
Team operations

Dry Practical Lesson Equipment Preparation

Open Water Lesson Sheltered Water Skills

Pre-dive
Briefing
Kit configuration and kit up
- Waterside checks
- Buddy checks
Descent phase
- Bubble and equipment check
- Set point change
- Linearity check
Bottom phase
- Weighting, trim & buoyancy
- Hovering in a horizontal position
- Helicopter turns
- One metre incremental ascent
- On-board diluent to off-board bailout stage cylinder gas switch
- Stage cylinder ditch and retrieve
- Bailout gas stage cylinder hand off
Scenarios
- CO2 response
- High PO2 (No alarm)
- High PO2 (Alarm)
- Low PO2 (No alarm)
- Low PO2 (Alarm)
- O2 cells high / 1 cell low
- O2 cells low / 1 cell high
Ascent phase
- Seabed DSMB deployment
- Bailout & hand off ascent
- Simulated decompression stop
Surface phase
- Hand up stages & exit
Post dive actions

Theory Lesson Physiology

Helium
Thermal considerations
Narcosis
Carbon Dioxide Retention
Fitness
Stress management
Oxygen

Theory lesson Dive Planning

The qualification
Dive planning
PC software - dive examples
PC software - bailout dive examples
Oxygen toxicity
Dive computers

Day Two

Open water lesson Open Water Dive

Dive planning
- Decompression dive with maximum of 20 minutes ascent time
- Prepare run time slate
Pre-dive
- Equipment preparation
- Waterside checks
- Briefing
- Pre-dive checks
- Kit configuration and kit up
- Buddy checks
Descent phase
- Bubble and equipment check
- Set point change
- Linearity check
Bottom phase
- Weighting, trim & Buoyancy
- On/off board gas switches
- Run time management
Ascent
- Run time management
- Bailout ascent
- Mid-water DSMB deployment
- Decompression stops
Surface phase
- Hand up stages & exit
Post dive actions

Open water assessment Open Water Dive two

Dive planning
- Decompression dive with maximum of 20 minutes ascent time
- Prepare run time slate
Pre-dive
- Equipment preparation
- Waterside checks
- Briefing
- Pre-dive checks
- Kit configuration and kit up
- Buddy checks
Descent phase
- Bubble and equipment check
- Set point change
- Linearity check
Bottom phase
- Weighting, trim & Buoyancy
- Use of bottom line (optional)
- Run time management
Ascent
- Run time management
- Use of shot line
- Use of decompression station (optional)
- Decompression stops
Surface phase
- Hand up stages & exit
Post dive actions

Day Three (optional day for 60 metre certification)

Open water Assessment Open Water Dive 3

Dive planning
- Decompression dive with maximum of 25 minutes ascent time
- Prepare run time slate
Pre-dive
- Equipment preparation
- Waterside checks
- Briefing
- Pre-dive checks
- Kit configuration and kit up
- Buddy checks
Descent phase
- Bubble and equipment check
- Set point change
- Linearity check
Bottom phase
- Weighting, trim & Buoyancy
- Use of bottom line (optional)
- Run time management
Ascent
- Run time management
- Use of shot line
- Use of decompression station (optional)
- Decompression stops
Surface phase
- Hand up stages & exit
Post dive actions

Knowledge assessment

Open forum and course debrief

Disperse

NOTES

Although this is either a two or three day course depending on depth of certification, it is not necessary to run it over two or three consecutive days. Students may gain the benefit of time to prepare their equipment and to practice their new mixed gas diving skills. Relevant theory should precede practical training.
Instructors should base their teaching on the Sport Mixed Gas Rebreather Diver Instructor manual. A set of MS PowerPoint Visual aids should be delivered for this course, and they are issued with the Sport Mixed Gas Rebreather Diver Instructor pack.
Suitably qualified BSAC Instructors (or equivalent) who wish to gain the Sport Mixed Gas Rebreather Diver Instructor status should apply to the BSAC Technical Chief Examiner via BSAC HQ.

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Page last modified: 29th Dec 2006 - 16:53:22