Course Outline
 
This course will appeal to experienced recreational divers who are now seeking to bridge the gap between recreational diving and full technical deep decompression diving. This course qualifies students to use stage cylinders and technical equipment configuration in order to complete limited decompression dives to a maximum depth of 40 meters using nitrox mixtures of up to 50 percent in your side slung deco stage.
You’ll plan your dives using deco software and dive computers, and learn how to track oxygen and learn the practical applications such as using twin sets/stage cylinders to execute skills such as gas shut downs, gas sharing ascents, stage cylinder removal, deco gas switching and swim techniques.

Pre-Requisites

• PADI Advanced open water diver (or equivalent)

• Certified in deep diving (40 metres) and a 'nitrox' qualification.

• 18 years of age

• 30 logged dives, 10 made with nitrox and 7 deeper than 30 metres.

• Doctor's certification prior to commencement of training.

Equipment Required

You can complete this course using modified recreational dive gear helping you to transit more easily to the full technical dive set up

• Single cylinder with pony containing at least 850 litres.

• Decompression gas cylinder

• Bottom gas regulators

o 2 x first stages one attached to main cylinder and one to pony cylinder

o 2 x second stages, one per second stage, SPG and alternate air source if required.

• Deco gas regulators

o 1 x o2 cleaned first stage with short (15cm recommended) HP hose mounting second stage and SPG

• Wing and harness/Tec type wing or conventional BCD.

• Appropriate exposure suit, fins and mask

• Reel and SMB

• Compass, SPG and 2 x depth and time devices (multigas computer recommended)

• Writing slates / wet notes and pencil

If diving with full technical dive set up you’ll require:

• Twin-set with isolation manifold

• Decompression gas cylinder

• Bottom gas regulators

o 2 x first stages

o 1 x long (minimum 1.5 metres) low pressure (LP) hose and second stage

o 1 x short LP hose and second stage

o 1 x standard high pressure (HP) hose and submersible pressure gauge (SPG)

• Deco gas regulators

o 1 x o2 cleaned first stage with short (15cm recommended) HP hose mounting second stage and SPG

• Wing and harness

• Appropriate exposure suit, fins and mask

• Reel and SMB

• Compass, SPG and 2 x depth and time devices (multigas computer recommended)

• Writing slates / wet notes and pencil



Knowledge Development

The first day or two evenings will be spent covering three knowledge development sessions using the PADI Tec Deep manual. You’ll cover subjects such as risk and responsibilities regarding technical diving, kit set up and considerations, decompression software, equipment gas planning and the ethos of thinking like a tec diver and acting as a part of a more coherent team. You will also take the Tec 40 exam. Some of these sessions will be conducted at a later stage of the course.

Confined Water Session

This will be conducted in the pool or in confined open water where you’ll dive for the first time with your fully rigged technical dive set up.

Open Water Dives

Three further dives will be conducted where you’ll end up diving to a maximum depth of 40 metres executing a gas switch to your decompression gas on ascent and carry out a decompression stop for no more than ten minutes.

Course Duration

Three days in duration. The first day can be done over two evenings with a two day open water package to complete the course, or over two weekends.



How much is it and what is included?

The course costs £350 and includes:
• Manual
• Slates
• Decompression cylinder and stage regulators
• Certification fee

What is not included?

Travel to and from the training locations and Open Water sites are your responsibility. The training normally culminates at NDAC Chepstow and there is a fee of £15 per student per day payable directly to the centre. You'll need extra equipment, which you can hire from us if you don't have your own -
• Twinset, wing, backplate, harness and tech regs.
• Delayed SMB and reel
• Arm slate
• Decompression cylinder and deco regs

What happens after the Tec 40 Course?

Now you have taken the first step, your next course is the PADI TecRec Tec45 course where you will learn the skills and equipment and planning need to dive to a maximum of 45 metres. The knowledge to plan and execute single and repetitive decompression dives using a single stage cylinder of EANx or oxygen to accelerate or add conservatism to the decompression stops with no time limit to the amount of decompression. You’ll also learn to master the basic skills and procedures required to move into deeper technical diving.
Alternatively, you can progress in other systems such as IANTD.