Rebreather Exploration Diver

Prerequisites

1. Must be a minimum of 21 years of age
2. Must have passed ISE Exploration Diver II, Wreckexploration Diver Level II or Caveexploration Diver Level II
3. Must have at least 500 scuba dives beyond open-water qualification. Fifty must have been in doubles, with twenty-five involving stage decompression.
4. Must be able to swim a distance of at least 25 meters on a breath hold
5. Must be able to swim at least 600 in under 15 minutes without stopping.

600 meters swimming in less than 15 min. & free dive a distance of 20 meters
or alternatively
Snorkel 800 meters (with fins) in less than 16 min. & free dive a distance of 30 meters
or alternatively
Run 1000 Meters in less than 4 min.
additionally
10 pushups & 6 pull-ups & 30 sit-ups in 40 sec

Purpose

1. educate individuals in basic rebreather technologies and
2. cultivate diver proficiency in the use of Rebreather technology. The course assumes that divers are not experienced in the use of rebreather technology but are very capable open-circuit divers.

Duration

Limits

1. Student-to-instructor ratio is not to exceed 3:1 during any in-water training
2. Maximum depth 80 meters
3. Certification expires after 3 years. Student has to requalify

Price

1500 Euro € + Travel and Expenses of the Instructor

1. Purpose • Risk • Benefit • Advantages • Disadvantages
2. Common components of the Halcyon RB80 and how they function • Mouthpiece & hoses • Counter lung • CO2 canister & chemical removal by the scrubber • Gas-addition system • Gas-management & information system
3. Inherent risks of Rebreathers • Hypoxia • Hyperoxia • Hypercapnia • Hyperventilation
4. Introduction to the Halcyon Rebreather • Halcyon design • Gas circulation during inhalation • Gas circulation during exhalation • Gas changes • Passive gas addition • Diving logistics
5. Halcyon Rebreather alarms and warnings • Intrusion • Failure susceptibility • Information content • Verification • Physiological monitoring
6. The physics behind a Halcyon Rebreather • O2 toxicity • Decompression • Theory & review • Rebreather vs. open circuit • Oxygen consumption (RMV)
7. Configuration • DIR foundation • Halcyon configuration • Rebreather configured DIR style
8. Halcyon Rebreather physical design • Components, functions, failures, problem recognition & alarms, problem solving • Mouthpiece, double hoses, check valves & bailout regulators • CO2 canister and scrubber bed • Inner bellows & overpressure dump valve • Counter lung actuated gas addition regulators
9. Problem recognition & management • Scrubber flooded leading to Hypercapnia • CO2 absorbent failures leading to Hypercapnia • Check-valve failure leading to Hypercapnia • Addition failures leading Hypoxia • Mechanical failure leading to Hyperoxia • Gas-supply failures • Diving conditions leading to Hypoxia • Bailout scenarios • Physiological monitoring
10. The Importance of instinctive physiological monitoring • Pre-dive planning & preparation • Gas duration • Gas choice • CO2 absorbent management • Pre-dive checks
11. Pre-dive planning • Gas choice • Gas duration • Gas management scenarios • Decompression procedures • CO2 absorbent management & duration • Pre-dive checks/vacuum test • Open circuit bailouts
12. Diving the Halcyon Rebreather • Initial in-water verification • Descents/ascents on OC • Flow-checks • Buoyancy control • Breathing characteristics • Monitoring the unit & alarms • Flooding & failures • Monitoring the gas • Loop purging with mask • Gas switches
13. Post-dive procedure • Rinse hoses between dives on same day • Rinse unit after 1 day's use • Disinfect and dry hoses and unit after 5 day's use
14. Need for continuing education and skill reinforcement

1. Flow-checks
2. Manifold failures
3. Gas-addition failures
4. Gas-sharing
5. Rebreather functions

1. Rebreather
2. Tanks/Cylinders: Students are required to use dual tanks/cylinders connected with a dual outlet isolator manifold, which allows for the use of two first-stages. The double cylinders must be accessible by both the rebreather and the open circuit regulators. Two aluminum cylinders of 30 cubic feet/840 liters or greater are required for deco gases.
3. Regulators: Two first-stages, each supplying a single second-stage. One of the second-stages must be on a 7 foot/2 meter hose. One of the first-stages must supply a pressure gauge and provide inflation for a dry suit (where applicable). One first-stage regulator for shallow decompression gas and one first-stage regulator for travel/decompression gas; each one is to supply a single second-stage and a single pressure gauge.
4. Backplate System: A rigid and flat platform, of metal construction with minimal padding, held to a diver by one continuous piece of nylon webbing. This webbing should be adjustable through the plate and should use a buckle to secure the system at the waist. A crotch strap attached to the lower end of this platform and looped through the waistband would prevent the system from riding up a diver's back. A knife should be secured to the waist on the left webbing tab. This webbing should support five D-rings; the first should be placed at the left hip, the second should be placed in line with a diver's right collarbone, the third should be placed in line with the diver's left collarbone, the fourth and fifth should be affixed to the crotch strap to use while scootering or towing/stowing gear. The harness below the diver's arms should have small restrictive bands to allow for the placement of reserve light powered by three in-line c-cell batteries (where necessary). The system should retain a minimalist approach with no unnecessary components.
5. Buoyancy Compensation Device: A diver's buoyancy compensation device should be back-mounted and minimalist in nature. It should come free of extraneous strings, tabs or other material. There should be no restrictive bands or "bungee" of any sort affixed to the buoyancy cell. In addition, diver lift should not exceed 80lbs. Wing size and shape should be appropriate to the cylinder size(s) employed for training.
6. At least one time/depth-measuring device
7. Decompression tables
8. Mask and fins: Mask should be low volume; fins should be rigid, non-split
9. At least one cutting device
10. Wet Notes
11. One spool with 100 feet/30 meters of line per diver
12. One primary reel per team, with a minimum of 300 feet/90 meters of line
13. One primary light: A primary light should be minimalist in design; its power source should consist of a rechargeable battery pack residing in a canister powering an external light head via a light cord. Primary lights should produce the equivalent output of 50 watt halogen/10 watt HID lighting or greater.
14. Two reserve lights: Reserve lights should be non-rechargeable with a minimum of protrusions and a single attachment at its rear. The light should be activated by twisting the front bezel towards the body, deactivated by turning it away from the body.
15. Exposure suit appropriate for the duration of exposure
16. At least one surface marker buoy per diver
17. Divers breathing Helium mixtures and utilizing a dry suit must have a separate (from the back gas) dry suit inflation source, such as an Argon/air bottle. Divers may not inflate the dry suit from the back gas.