IANTD Open Water Nitrox Diver Course

Purpose

This Program is designed to provide comprehensive training to those who wish to become SCUBA divers.
This Program emphasizes the skills and knowledge needed to develop a safer novice diver and to develop a sense of confidence and responsibility in those joining the adventures of underwater discovery.
This Program qualifies a diver to dive to a maximum depth of 70 fsw (21 msw) in open water, accompanied by other divers of at least the same level, without supervision of a Divemaster, Assistant Instructor or Instructor. The diver can dive to a maximum depth of 100 fsw (30 msw) if they are guided or supervised dive by a dive master or instructor.
This program qualifies a diver to participate in diving activities where Appropriate Diver Support is always available at the surface, where in-water decompression stops are not required, and under conditions that are equal or better than the conditions where they were trained. If diving in conditions significantly different from those previously experienced the diver shall require an appropriate orientation.
Upon completion of the Open Water Nitrox Diver Program, the diver may dive any EANx mixture from Air to EAN 40.
If accompanied by an Instructor, an OW Diver or OWND may gain progressive experience beyond these parameters and develop competency in managing more challenging diving conditions designed to lead to higher qualifications. Where further instruction is required, this can only be provided by an Instructor.

Prerequisites

Must be a minimum of 15 years of age with a parent or guardian authorization, or a minimum of 12 years of age for Junior Diver qualification, or a minimum of 18 years of age without guardian approval.

For Open Water Nitrox Diver:

IANTD Nitrox Diver Student Manual and Student Kit or equivalent text(s) approved in writing by the Board of Directors (written approval will be issued by IAND, Inc./IANTD World Headquarters).

Program Content

Include all material in the IANTD Open Water Student Kit or IANTD Open Water Nitrox Diver Student Kit.and meet all minimum performance skills.
At least one general lecture must be included addressing the psychological aspects of SCUBA diving. This must include responsible diver attributes, and risk awareness and management for Sport diving.
All lectures completed with IANTD Course-specific Slides pertaining to the theory in the IANTD Open Water Diver OR IANTD Open Water EANx Diver Student Kit. All the watermanship skills must be practiced until the student is proficient in each skill.
Demonstrate the ability to configure equipment neatly.
Plan dives and demonstrate ability to act as a responsible diver.
All skills in the Open Water (or OWND) Diver course are to be taught and practiced in a pool or confined water before moving into the OW dives.
The Program must include a minimum of 80 minutes of OW bottom time completed within at least 4 SCUBA dives and, even if the time requirements are exceeded, a minimum of 4 SCUBA dives must be made. The bottom time on each dive shall not be less than 15 minutes. For qualification as OWND Diver, two dives must be on EANx.
A snorkel dive is recommended.
Complete a written exam with a minimum score of 80%. The OWND must also complete the EANx Diver written exam with a minimum score of 80%.

Equipment Requirements

IANTD Open Water Diver Student Kit or IANTD Open Water Nitrox Diver Student Kit.
Fulfill all Equipment Requirements as specified in the general Sport Diver Programs overview.

Program Limits

There may be no more than 8 students per Instructor. This ratio may be increased by 2 students for each assisting IANTD Divemaster or Assistant Instructor, up to a maximum of 12 students with 2 IANTD

Divemasters or Assistant Instructors, per class session, or may be decreased according to instructor’s discretion taking into consideration environmental conditions or other relevant factors, so as to allow adequate class control and supervision, or local legislation. Physical contact with every student shall be always possible.
OW dives 1 and 2 must be conducted to depths between 20 fsw (6 msw) and 30 fsw (9 msw). At least one of dives 3 or 4 must be conducted to a depth between 30 fsw (9 msw) and 60 fsw (18 msw). No training dives may exceed 70 fsw (21 msw).
Appropriate safety decompression stops must be performed.
No more than 3 OW dives shall be conducted on a given day.
All dives must be conducted within no decompression time limits, and according to IANTD approved dive tables.
All open water dives shall be conducted in environments that will allow at all times a direct vertical access to the surface, with an instructor directly supervising, teaching and evaluating the students.
On all dives, ascend at a rate of 30 feet (9 meters) per minute or slower.

Water Skills Development

Swim 600 feet (200 meters) required in Australia only
Swim 165 feet (50 meters) without the use of mask, fins, snorkel or other swimming aids. This skill to be conducted prior to any OW dives.
Remain afloat with a minimum of effort for 10 minutes without the use of mask, fins, snorkel or other swimming aids. This skill to be conducted prior to any OW dives.
Mask clearing and use.
Snorkel clearing and use.
Surface entries and exit.
Demonstrate and perform at least two finning techniques.
Practice hand signal communication and general buddy system techniques.
Simulate a tired diver situation. Assist him/her to reach the surface and tow him/her for a distance of 30 feet (9 meters) with both the upper body method and again by the fin push method.
With mask, fins and snorkel swim a distance of 1,200 feet (360 meters) on the surface.
Swim a distance of 10 feet (3 meters) underwater, recover and clear mask and partially clear snorkel.
Swim using mask, snorkel and fins for a distance of 33 feet (10 meters) underwater without surfacing.
Achieve proper weighting.
Demonstrate proper descent and ascent procedures.
Use SCUBA at rest, then perform mask clearing, regulator clearing and regulator recovery.
Use SCUBA at rest, then perform mask removal, controlled breathing without mask and mask replacement.
Practice buoyancy control and body posture on the surface and underwater.
Use SCUBA at rest, then remove and replace weight ballast system.
Demonstrate instrument monitoring.
Swim underwater using SCUBA without mask for 30 feet (9 meters).
Swim on surface while wearing full SCUBA gear and switch from the regulator to snorkel and back at least 3 times for a distance of 135 feet (40 meters).
Swim on back (face up) on the surface while wearing full SCUBA gear for a distance of 100 feet (30 meters).
Swim on the surface using SCUBA and BCD as a front-oriented surface float for a distance of 100 feet (30 meters).
Do a lateral Emergency Swimming Ascent (ESA).
Simulate a vertical ESA while free-diving from the deep end of a pool.
Recommended: (not required) Simulate or perform (Instructor’s option) manual gas sharing emergency. The simulation is accomplished by the gas-donor diver handing regulator off as in actual gas sharing, but gas-recipient diver breathes two breaths from his/her own regulator, then returns the regulator back to the gas-donor diver. At this time, the gas-recipient diver regulator is removed from the mouth until the simulated regulator is handed back. The gas-recipient diver must swim a distance of at least 25 feet (8 meters) (without breathing, and exhaling slowly) and commence simulated gas sharing. At least three breaths are taken at rest, followed by a 10-minute swim at a normal swim rate or equivalent method.
Perform alternate gas source (octopus, secondary regulator, alternate air, etc.) gas sharing drill both as receiver and donor. The gas-recipient diver must swim a distance of at least 30 feet (9 meters) (without breathing, and exhaling slowly) to the gas-donor diver and commence gas sharing on the alternate second stage. Remain at rest for three breaths and then swim, sharing gas, at a normal swim pace.
Demonstrate the ability to perform simple underwater navigation without the use of a compass.
On the surface practice the quick release of the weight ballast system.
On the surface, remove and replace SCUBA gear. Repeat underwater on the bottom, at a depth no greater than 20 fsw (6 msw).

Recommended watermanship evaluation, to be completed in the last confined water session (80%=passing (80 / 100 Points))

Skill One (25 points)
Swim a distance of 30 feet (9 meters) underwater with mask, snorkel and fins, then don SCUBA gear. Score 25 points if completed successfully on the first attempt, and subtract 5 points for each additional attempt required to successfully complete skill.

Skill Two (25 points)
Swim with SCUBA gear at the surface breathing through a snorkel for a distance of 300 feet (90 meters).

Skill Three (25 points)
While wearing SCUBA gear, take one breath at the surface and swim for a distance of 30 feet (9 meters) underwater without breathing to another diver (regulator is kept in mouth during swim). Upon reaching the other diver, commence gas sharing and continue swimming at rate of approximately 60 feet (18 meters) per minute for a distance of 400 feet (120 meters).

Skill Four (25 points)
Swim with SCUBA gear underwater for a distance of 1,500 feet (450 meters) while maintaining good buoyancy control.