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Technical Wreck Diver
Objective
- This Program is designed to
train divers in safe wreck penetration diving and the technical utilization
of EANx for wreck exploration and the use of EANx and oxygen for
decompression.
Prerequisites
Must be qualified as an IANTD
Deep Diver or equivalent. For Technical Wreck Diver Program, must also be
qualified as an IANTD Technical Diver.
Must provide proof of a minimum
of 70 logged dives, or a minimum of 40 logged dives with qualification as
IANTD Overhead Environment Diver.
Must be a minimum of 18 years of
age.
Requisites
- Texts
IANTD Wreck Diver Student
Manual & Workbook, or equivalent text(s) approved in writing by
the Board of Directors (written approval will be issued by IAND, Inc./IANTD
World Headquarters).
Additionally, if Technical
Wreck Diver Program is taken concurrently:
IANTD Technical Student
Workbook.
IANTD Technical Diving
Encyclopedia.
Program Content
This course may be taught in
conjunction with a Normoxic Trimix or Trimix Diver course.
This Program must include a
minimum of 150 minutes of bottom time completed within at least 6 wreck
penetration dives. At the Instructor’s discretion, dives may be credited
as specified in the standards. With maximum crediting of dives from other
Technical Diver Programs (Cave, Technical Diver and Trimix) or experience,
a minimum additional 100 minutes of bottom time must be completed on wreck
dives.
To complete the course
within the minimum specified dives students must have an average of 8
points (out of 10) on the watermanship evaluations. With 2 or more
additional dives the student may graduate from the course with an overall
average score of 6 points.
Land Drills:
- Basic use of safety
lines and reels will be performed on land and
- Simulation of wire
entanglement will be practiced.
Equipment Requirements
All students must be taught
the concept of gas matching.
All bottom mix tanks must be
equipped with dual-outlet manifold valves. Independent cylinders may not
be used. If a rebreather is used, it must be equipped with adequate
bailout.
A stage decompression
cylinder containing oxygen or an EAN mixture with at least 50% oxygen, and
appropriately labeled. (Technical Wreck Diver Program only).
Two Primary regulators must
provide ample gas flow. One second-stage hose must be at least 5 feet (1.5
meters) in length; longer hoses are recommended.
A primary BCD is required
and a backup BCD is recommended. Back flotation is recommended. If a dry
suit is used, it may serve as the backup BCD.
Submersible dive tables as a
backup to a dive computer or for control of the dive at the Instructor’s
discretion. If computers are used, it is recommended that two computers be
used on planned decompression dives.
Two reels: one for
penetration and one for decompression / lift bag deployment.
A lift bag of at least 50-lb
(22.5-kg) lift capacity for a decompression marker.
Two lights: one primary
light (minimum 20 watts) and one backup safety light.
Compass.
Bolt snap hooks are
recommended for all equipment attached to divers, as they are less prone
to entanglement.
A backup cutting tool is
recommended.
Program Limits
No dives may be conducted to
depths greater than the qualification of the student, or 170 fsw (51 msw),
whichever is shallower.
Oxygen partial pressure may
not exceed 1.40 ATA during the working portion of the dives, nor exceed
1.60 ATA during the decompression portion of the dives. For the Technical
Wreck Diver Program, a minimum of 6 dives must be completed using EANx
with at least 23% oxygen.
Decompression Gas mixtures:
- Air-qualified divers may
breathe EAN 32 during decompression, if briefed on its use.
- EANx-qualified divers
may breathe up to EAN 40 during decompression.
- Advanced EANx-qualified
divers may breathe up to EAN 50 during decompression.
- Technical Divers or
students enrolled in the Technical Wreck Program may breathe any EANx
mixture or oxygen during decompression and use accelerated
decompression schedules accordingly.
All dives must be completed
within both the IANTD oxygen CNS% and OTU limits (Technical Wreck Diver
Program only).
The Rule of Thirds must be
applied from the point of entering the overhead environment until safe
exit from the overhead environment portion of the dive.
All appropriate safety or
required decompression stops must be performed.
Waterskills Development
A confined water session
must be completed before conducting any wreck penetration dives.
Perform a pre-dive
"S" (safety) drill prior to starting dive. Check all equipment
for proper function, check equipment of each dive buddy. Ascertain each
team member is familiar with use and location of dive system components.
Perform an in-water
"S" (safety) drill (on surface or sub-surface if sea conditions
permit, or immediately when reaching the bottom).
- Leak-check each team
member’s equipment.
- Breathe underwater from
both / all regulators to ensure proper functioning.
- Perform light checks.
- Perform valve shutdowns
combined with regulator switches including shutting both regulators.
- If isolator valves are
used, these are also to be closed and then re-opened.
- Buddies should check
that all valves are back in proper position at end of drill.
- On first dive with new
partner, perform a gas sharing drill.
Communicate the gas turn
around point in psig and if the divers are wearing different cylinder
sizes, match gas per the SRF tables or per dissimilar tank volumes. This
can be divided between on board the boat and upon first arrival on the
bottom.
Confined or OW: Swim 60 feet
(18 meters) while simulating an out-of-gas situation, then commence gas
sharing via the long hose, remain at rest for three breaths, and swim for
10 minutes at a normal swim rate of 75 feet (23 meters) a minute (static
water swim rate).
Confined or OW: Two divers
50 feet (15 meters) apart must swim along a line circuit with eyes closed
not taking a breath, while slowly exhaling until they meet. Upon meeting
gas sharing via the long hose combined with touch contact is to be
performed until the line circuit is completed.
Develop proficiency in a
variety of propulsion techniques including cave frog kick, modified
flutter kick, shuffle kick, and pull and glide technique.
Demonstrate proficiency in
use of reels and lines.
During a wreck dive, at a
point after turning the dive, perform a gas sharing drill exiting the
wreck for a reasonable distance / time. Exercise is to commence with
Instructor at some point randomly selecting the out of air diver, who must
then go to the buddy and share gas. The out-of-gas diver is to keep the
regulator in his or her mouth (leaving airway open) but not breathe from
it if at all possible. This drill is to be repeated on different dives
until all students have been both a donor and a recipient of gas.
On a wreck dive, exit wreck
with eyes closed or lights off maintaining contact with buddy and dive line
using touch communications.
Repeat previous drill,
except at some point the Instructor will choose one of the divers to
simulate being out of gas. The out-of-gas diver must communicate the
problem to a buddy via touch contact, and gas sharing is to be performed
for a reasonable distance. Repeat this skill until all students have been
both a donor and recipient of gas.
Perform lost diver drills.
Demonstrate either on a
wreck dive or in confined water the ability to drop and recover a stage
cylinder. This may be the tank used as a decompression tank or an actual
penetration stage cylinder.
On at least three dives, the
student must simulate a regulator failure and, while swimming, shut off
the valve for the primary regulator and switch to the secondary regulator.
Upon completion, the diver is to turn on the valve for the primary
regulator and switch back to it. A buddy should act as safety diver during
this drill.
If a rebreather is used, the
appropriate modifications to the above skills must be made.
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