PLEASE TAKE NOTE. THIS SERVES AS ONLY A EVALUATION FORM AND NEED NOT NECESSARY REPRESENT COMPLETELY ON HOW A PADI OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE SHOULD BE CONDUCTED
1) SIGN UP PROCEDURES
This is usually via either email, teleconversation or by visting a PADI Dive Centre
2) CLASS ROOM OR KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS
Note to students : This can be done independently or supervised by a PADI Assistant Instructor or Instructor. In Singapore, it usually takes at least 1 class of 3 hours each
Module 1 to Module 5 , can be done either by Powerpoint presentation or by watching a PADI DVD
Modules 1 to 5 Knowledge Reviews - These can be found at the end of each chapter of your PADI Open Water Manual
4 Quizzes
1 Final Exam
3) CONFINED WATER (OR POOL TRAINING)

Note to students : Confined water is defined as a: 1) swimming pool or 2) confined open water which is an open water site that offers swimming-pool-like conditions with
respect to clarity, calmness, and depth. Confined water is a general term that refers to either a pool or confined open water site.

  1. The depth of the confined water site used for a particular session must allow student divers to meet all performance requirements outlined for that session.
  2. If you conduct confined water training sessions in a confined open water area, the confined water sessions cannot be combined with open water training dives. After a confined water session, student divers must leave the water and remove their equipment before beginning any open water training dive activities.

Singapore dive centre ususal practice is to have either 2 weekday evening pools of 3 hours session or a single pool session on Sunday for 6 hours.

It has come to our attention that certain dive centres in Singapore, in order to cut costs, exercise the below practices which NOT ONLY violate PADI Standards, but more importantly ENDANGER the lives of students.

  1. Using PADI Divemasters to train new students. Only PADI Dive Instructors or PADI Assitant Instructors (under the supervision of a PADI Instructors) are allowed to conduct this portion of training. A PADI Divemaster and a PADI Assistant Instructor can ONLY assist in training and NOT TRAIN the students directly.
  2. Not using proper confined water training sites. Certain dive centres are even skipping the confined water training completely and head straight to the open water sea site conducting the open water skills for the first time.

Session 1

Don and adjust equipment
Inflate/deflate BCD at surface
Breathing underwater
Regulator recovery
Regulator clearing
Clearing a partially flooded mask
Underwater swimming
Submersible pressure gauge use
Alternate air source use
Hand signals
Ascents

Session 2

Predive safety check
Deep water entry(s)
Snorkel clearing – blast method
Snorkel – regulator exchange Descents
Surface swimming with scuba
Mask removal, replacement and clearing
No mask breathing
Disconnect low pressure inflator
BCD oral inflation and deflation at the surface
Proper weighting
Air depletion exercise
Weight removal at the surface (quick release)
Equipment removal at surface and exit

Session 3

Neutral buoyancy, fin pivot, oral and low-pressure inflation
Neutral buoyancy swim
Cramp removal
Tired diver tow
Air depletion/alternate air source combined exercise
Free flow regulator breathing
Controlled emergency swimming ascent (CESA)

Session 4

No mask swim
Neutral buoyancy – hovering
Buddy breathing

Session 5

Scuba unit and weight removal and replacement underwater
Scuba unit and weight removal and replacement at the surface
4) OPEN WATER TRAINING

It has come to our attention that certain dive centres in Singapore, in order to cut costs, exercise the below practices which NOT ONLY violate PADI Standards, but more importantly ENDANGER the lives of students.

  1. Using PADI Divemasters to training new students. Only PADI Dive Instructors are allowed to conduct this portion of training. A PADI Divemaster and PADI Assistant Instructor can ONLY assist in training. PADI Divemasters and PADI Assistant instructors CANNOT EVALUATE the students directly without the supervision of a PADI Instructor
  2. Not using proper confined water training sites. Certain dive centres are even skipping the confined water training completely and head straight to the open water sea site conducting the open water skills for the first time.

Open Water Dive 1

  1. Briefing
  2. Equipment preparation
  3. Don and adjust equipment
  4. Predive safety check
  5. Entry
  6. Buoyancy/weight check
  7. Controlled descent (max 12 m/40 ft)
  8. Underwater exploration
  9. Ascent
  10. Exit
  11. Debrief and log dive

NO SKILLS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED HERE. This dive is meant for students to get accustom to the new environment only

Open Water Dive 2

  1. Briefing
  2. Equipment preparation
  3. Don and adjust equipment
  4. Predive safety check
  5. Entry
  6. Buoyancy/weight check
  7. (Cramp removal self and buddy)*
  8. (25 metre/yard tired diver tow)*
  9. (Snorkel/regulator exchange)*
  10. Controlled descent (maximum 12 metres/40 feet)
  11. Buoyancy control — fin pivot, low pressure inflator
  12. Partial and complete mask flood and clear
  13. Regulator recovery and clearing
  14. Alternate air source use stationary and
  15. AAS assisted ascent
  16. Underwater exploration and buoyancy control
  17. Ascent
  18. Weight removal at the surface
  19. Exit
  20. Debrief and log dive

Open Water Dive 3

  1. Briefing
  2. Equipment preparation
  3. Don and adjust equipment
  4. Predive safety check
  5. Entry
  6. Buoyancy/weight check
  7. (50 metre/yard straight line surface swim with compass)*
  8. Free descent with reference to 6-9 metres/20-30 feet (max dive depth 18 metres/60 feet)
  9. Buoyancy control – neutral buoyancy on bottom,
    fin pivot oral
  10. Complete mask flood and clear
  11. (CESA)*
  12. Buddy breathing – stationary and ascent from 6-9 metres/20-30 feet (optional)
  13. Underwater exploration
  14. Ascent (Remove and replace weight system at the surface)*
  15. (Remove and replace scuba unit at the surface)*
  16. Exit
  17. Debrief and log dive

Open Water Dive 4

  1. Briefing
  2. Equipment preparation
  3. Don and adjust equipment
  4. Predive safety check
  5. Entry
  6. Buoyancy/weight check
  7. Free descent without reference no deeper than 18 metres/60 feet
  8. Buoyancy control — hovering
  9. Mask removal, replacement and clearing
  10. (Underwater navigation with compass)*
  11. Underwater exploration
  12. Ascent
  13. Exit
  14. Debrief and log dive
5) CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES
  1. Students should be made to fill up a PINK Envelope. Or
  2. Students can also be certified using PADI Online System. Please take note, ONLY Authorised PADI Dive Centres are allowed to use the system. A valid PADI Dive centre will have a PADI IRRA Member number.
  3. Students should receive their certification cards within 2 weeks to 2 months. Please contact your respective PADI Dive centres if it takes longer than that.
6) TRAINING EQUIPMENT AND MANUAL
  1. During open water scuba training for the Open Water Diver and Scuba Diver courses, student diver equipment requirements are fins, mask, snorkel, compressed air cylinder with valve, BCD with low pressure inflator, backpack (if not integrated into the BCD), regulator, alternate air source, submersible pressure gauge, where weights are appropriate, a quick release weight system and appropriate exposure protection for the environment. Each diver must have a depth gauge.
  2. Students SHOULD AND MUST have their own personal copy of PADI Open Water Diver Manual and Recreational Dive Planner