PADI TecRec Courses

What is technical diving?

Technical scuba diving involves going beyond recreational scuba diving limits and includes one or more of the following:

• Diving beyond 40 meters

• Required stage decompression

• Diving in an overhead environment beyond 40 linear meters of the surface

• Accelerated decompression and/or the use of variable gas mixtures during the dive

• Use of extensive equipment and technologies

 

In technical diving the surface is often inaccessible in an emergency, so tec divers use extensive procedures, equipment and training to manage the added risks and potential hazards.

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The PADI TecRec Difference

PADI TecRec courses are the quality benchmarks in the tec diving world due to their rigorous, yet logical, training sequence and the PADI educational materials that support them. TecRec courses are instructionally valid and have a seamless course flow that takes you from a new tec diver to one qualified to dive to the outer reaches of sport diving. Each level introduces you to new gear and procedures to extend your dive limits.

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PADI TecRec Courses

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PADI Tec 40 Course:

The PADI Tec 40 course is where you transition from recreational scuba diving to technical diving. It’s a great place to start because it’s the first subdivision of the full PADI Tec Diver course and bridges the gap between no stop diving and full technical deep decompression diving. You gain experience and begin building the knowledge and skills you need to continue your tec diver training. You will qualify to make limited decompression dives to 40 meters.

To enroll in the Tec 40 course, you must be:

• A PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent certification)

• A PADI Enriched Air Diver (or equivalent certification) with at least 10 dives using enriched air deeper than 18 meters

• A PADI Deep Diver (or equivalent certification)

• At least 18 years old and have a minimum of 30 logged dives

• Have a Medical Statement signed by a physician within the last 12 months.

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PADI Tec 45 Course:

The PADI Tec 45 course is the second part of the full PADI Tec Deep Diver program. You’ll extend your depth limit to 45 meters and learn to plan and execute repetitive decompression dives using a single stage/decompression cylinder. It puts you in a complete tec diving rig, which can be either backmount or sidemount. You’ll also make accelerated decompression dives using Enriched Air Nitrox or pure oxygen. This is a course where you’ll rise to the challenge and make the commitment to become a technical diver.

To enroll in the Tec 45 course, you must:

• Be a PADI Tec 40 diver (or equivalent certification)

• Be a PADI Rescue Diver (or equivalent certification)

• Have a minimum of 50 logged dives, with at least 12 dives on enriched air nitrox deeper than 18 meters and 10 dives deeper than 30 meters

• Be at least 18 years old

• Have a Medical Statement signed by a physician within the last 12 months

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PADI Tec 50 Course:

The third part of the full PADI Tec Deep Diver program is Tec 50. As a Tec 50 diver, you show that you’ve developed competency as a tec diver and have the skills to dive to a maximum of 50 meters. You know how to make extended, accelerated decompression stops using up to two gases. It’s not easy to reach this level and earning your Tec 50 certification opens the door to deeper diving expeditions.

To enroll in the Tec 50 course, you must:

• Be a PADI Tec 45 diver

• Have a minimum of 100 logged dives, with at least 20 dives on enriched air nitrox deeper than 18 meters and 15 dives deeper than 30 meters

• Be at least 18 years old

• Have a Medical Statement signed by a physician within the last 12 months