Recreational Foundations

Description

The SDI Recreational Foundations Development course refines student skills in order to advance student diving abilities. The objective of this course is to develop and refine student skills with recreational diving equipment configurations, and to expand on gas planning techniques within a no-decompression context. This course is strictly a no-decompression course; students are permitted to use enriched air nitrox (EAN) mixes, provided the gas mix is within their current level of certification.

Student Prerequisites

• Minimum age 18, 15 with parental consent
• Minimum certification an SDI Open Water Scuba Diver or equivalent
• Provide proof of 10 logged open water dives

Required Recreational Foundation Subject Areas

• Physics
  • Pressure review
  • Gas laws review
• Physiology
  • Ascent/descent rates
  • Psychological aspects
    •  Task loading
    • Stress
    • Panic
    • Time management
    • Equipment
• Equipment Considerations
  • Cylinders
  • Regulator options
  • Harness/BCD options
  • Computer, bottom timer, depth gauge options
  • Reels/spools options
  • Lift bag/surface marker bag options
  • Exposure protection options
  • Minimum equipment, bring only what is needed
  • Stream lining and stowing equipment
• Dive Planning
  • Tables/computer dive planning and execution
  • Surface air consumption (SAC) rate calculations
  • Environmental considerations
• Procedures
  • Entry/exit strategies
  • Emergency strategies in case of gas failure/loss
  • Ascent/descent strategies

The following equipment is required for this course:

• Primary cylinder(s), cylinder volume appropriate for planned dive and student gas consumption
  • Note: Independent and isolated back-mounted doubles, or sidemount cylinders, are allowed to be used.
• Dive computer
• Regulator(s)
• Primary and alternate 2nd stage required on all primary cylinders
• Submersible pressure gauges or transmitters are required on all primary cylinders
• Buoyancy compensator device(s) (BCD) adequate for equipment configuration
• Primary Mask
• Primary Light
• Line cutting device
• Jon-line and other rigging lines as dictated by site conditions
• Ascent reel with surface marker buoy
  • Adequate for maximum planned depth
  • Adequate lift and size for the dive environment
• Exposure suit adequate for the open water environment
• Slates / wet-notes

In order to complete the Recreational Foundations Diver course, students must:

• Complete all open water requirements safely and comfortably
• Demonstrate mature judgement and decision-making skills

The five (5) required Open Water Dives may be conducted in any order, but each dive should have a singular focus as outlined below. Dives are encouraged to be repeated as necessary for remediation and competency. Proposed order:

• Kit Perfection Dive: Buoyancy / Trim / Streamlining / Rigging Adjustments.
• Team Communication Dive. A full Briefing in depth lead by the teams, not instructor (can be modeled on previous dives). In water communication emphasis and full awareness of team including light signals. Debrief using a planned format similar to Gareth Lock’s DEBRIEF Model.
• Propulsion: Perfect and demonstrate the following kicks: Frog Kick, Modified Frog Kick, Modified Flutter (Optional Helicopter Kick, Back Kick).
• Emergency Procedures: Buddy out of air, Free flows, Stuck Inflators (Drysuit and BCD), optional but encouraged – Pony Bottle Use for single tank divers.
• Complete any needed drills and assess refinement of the team and have the team prove their final skills.
• Complete all open water requirements safely and efficiently.
• Demonstrate mature, sound judgment concerning dive planning and execution.

Recommended class hours is 6.