Open Water Scuba Diver Course

This scuba diving course consists of basic instruction in the principles of scuba diving, diving skills, and the operation of scuba equipment. It requires 28 hours of total instruction.  It is comprised of two training sections—the academic and confined-water skills section and the open-water skills section.

Section One: Academic and Confined Water Skills

Contents:

Academic (lecture) instruction will cover the following subjects:

1. Scuba diving equipment—basic types, characteristics, functions, maintenance, and storage
2. Standard shore and boat diving procedures
3. Underwater communications
4. General diving areas and conditions
5. Marine life
6. Diving physics
7. Diving physiology and medical aspects of diving
8. Decompression tables
9. Diving first aid and emergency procedures
10. Local dive sites, scuba clubs, and dive charter boats

Confined water (pool) instruction will cover the following subjects:

1. Proper operation of scuba equipment
2. Standard shore and boat diving skills
3. Emergency underwater breathing skills
4. Basic diving rescue and emergency skills

Times:

The course provides six 3½-hour lessons, each with 1½ hours of classroom lecture, ½ hour to move students and equipment to pool, and 1½ hours of pool scuba exercises.

Required Materials:

Lectures require a notebook and pen while pool time requires a bathing suit and towel.

Fee:

$195 includes $45 registration fee for the first lesson to reserve a seat in the course and to pay for the first lesson and textbook. The remaining $150 can be paid all at once at the first lesson or in $30 installments for each of the five remaining lessons. Fee covers 18 hours of instruction, textbook, workbook, decompression tables, handouts, and all pool diving equipment (including tank, regulator, compensator, weight belt,  mask, snorkel, and fins) required for the pool exercises. Cash or checks accepted.

Section Two: Open Water Skills

Contents:

Open water (ocean) instruction will provide the student with a guided transition period for knowledge and skills learned in lectures and pools and apply them to open-water diving.

Dates:

Certification dive weekends are scheduled twice per month from April through November. Choose the weekend convenient to your schedule or receive a "Universal Referral Form" to do dives on your vacation trip. A free "Pool Refresher Lesson" is available anytime to update skill level prior to any delayed dive weekend.

Times:

This training section is comprised of 2-4 hour morning lessons conducted on a weekend at ocean dive sites. Saturday will consist of lectures along with one snorkel dive and two scuba dives. Sunday will consist of lectures along with two scuba dives.

Required Materials:

A complete diving outfit can be rented through the Academy for $65 for the two days of training dives. The student can lessen or eliminate the rental fee by borrowing as much scuba equipment as possible from relatives or friends.

Fee:

$65 is paid the weekend of the open-water training dives. It includes 2 mornings of dive site instruction, five ocean dives, logbook, wall certificate, scuba diver jacket emblem, wall certificate and certification card. Cash or checks accepted.

Certification:

The internationally recognized YMCA Open Water Scuba Diver certification is issued upon successful completion of the course. The student will be awarded a YMCA Open Water Scuba Diver wallet certification card, wall certificate, and a jacket emblem. This lifetime certification does not have to be renewed. A free pool refresher lesson is available anytime a former student needs to renew skill level in the future.

Please call us at 781-444-DIVE (3483) for a course outline and registration application for specific course dates and times, or to ask us any questions you might have.