IANTD ART (Advanced recreational trimix) course

Course Outline

This course is available for divers diving in the 30-50m range where air would usually be used but in order to reduce the effects of narcosis, weak trimix mixes can be used. This promotes the IANTD philosophy of using the best gas for the depth of the dive. This program must include a minimum of 120 minutes of open water bottom time completed within 4 dives, 2 of which must be made to depths between 30m and 48m. All dives deeper than 24m must be made on Recreational trimix mixtures. Students are taught the use of recreational trimix mixtures from 28% to a maximum of 40% oxygen and with the helium content having an equivalent narcotic depth no greater than 24m for diving. EaNx mixtures of 1.5 ppo2 (1.5 partial pressure for oxygen) should be used for safety on decompression stops. Mandatory decompression stops are limited to a maximum of 15 minutes.

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

•Twin-set with isolation manifold

•Decompression gas cylinder

•Bottom gas regulators

o2 x first stages

o1 x long (minimum 1.5 metres) low pressure (LP) hose and second stage

o1 x short LP hose and second stage

o1 x standard high pressure (HP) hose and submersible pressure gauge (SPG)

•Deco gas regulators

o1 x long (minimum 1 metre) LP hose and second stage

o1 x short (15cm recommended) HP hose and SPG

•Wing and harness

•Appropriate exposure suit, fins and mask

•Reel and SMB

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

•Writing slates / wet notes and pencil

Course Outline

Four days, normally spread over two weekends

Knowledge Development

Day one is spent covering the theory as outlined in the IANTD Advanced Recreational Trimix Diver Manual:
•Technical and decompression diving – what is it?
•The psychology of a technical diver
•Risk
•A deeper look into decompression illness (DCI)
•Diving physiology recap
•The art of breathing
•Diving physics recap
•History of decompression theory - where do our tables come from?
•Equipment
•Dive Planning
 
We will also construct/improve your technical dive equipment using wing, backplate, harness & twinset.

Open Water Training

Your four open water dives will cover the following:

• Gear configuration
• Safety Drill
• Watermanship and stamina
• Buoyancy skills
• No-mask skills
• Gas emergencies and shut downs
• Deployable surface marker buoy (SMB) use
• Decompression stops and gas usage

How much is it and what is included?

The course costs £400 and includes:
•Advanced Recreational trimix crewpack
•Tek Lite manual
•IANTD dive tables
•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, backplate and harness
•Delayed SMB and reel

What happens after the IANTD ART Course?

As an entry level tec diver you can now progress, after experience onto 60 metre capable tech diving courses, commonly known as ‘Mod2’ using two decompression cylinders and a hypoxic trimix gas mix as your backgas.