1.1 INTRODUCTION
Wreck diving can be one of the most exciting aspects of sport diving, however every effort should be made to maximize safe diving techniques. In this course, we will discuss and use equipment and techniques commonly employed while wreck diving. This course may be taught as a 1) non-penetration (2 total dives) or 2) limited-penetration (3 total dives) course. In the event of “Limited Penetration Training”, limited penetration is defined as “swim through or within the ambient light of entry point”.

1.2 WHO MAY TEACH
Who may teach this course?
1. An active SDI Instructor that has been certified to teach this specialty.

1.3 STUDENT – INSTRUCTOR RATIO
Academic:
2. Unlimited, so long as adequate facility, supplies and time are provided to insure comprehensive and complete training.
Confined Water (Swimming pool-like conditions):
3. N/A.
Open Water (Ocean, lake, quarry, spring, river or estuary):
4. A maximum of eight (8) students per Instructor. However, it is the instructor’s discretion to reduce this number as conditions dictate.
5. During the penetration portion of the course, the student-instructor ratio drops to two (2) to one (1).

1.4 STUDENT PRE-REQUISITES
6. Open Water Diver and fifteen (15) years old for limited penetration course.
7. Ten (10) to fourteen (14) years old for a Non-penetration course with parental consent.
8. Junior Open Water Divers may not participate in any penetration activities or dives greater than sixty (60) foot of depth.
9. Divers must have taken a Deep diver specialty course or be able to provide proof of experience in order to dive deeper than sixty (60) feet in this course.

1.5 COURSE STRUCTURE AND DURATION
Open Water execution:
10. Two (2) dives are required for the non-penetration course with complete briefs and debrief by the Instructor.
11. Dive plan must include surface interval, max no-deco time, etc will be figured and logged.
12. One (1) additional dive must be conducted for a limited penetration certification.
Course Structure:
13. SDI allows instructors to structure courses according to the number of students participating and their skill level.

1.6 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS
Administrative Tasks:
14. Collect the course fees from all the students.
15. Ensure that the students have the required equipment.
16. Communicate the schedule to the students.
17. Have the students complete the Liability Release and Medical history forms.
18. The Instructor should review the Liability Release and Medical Forms before starting on the course.
Upon successful completion of this specialty the instructor must issue the SDI Wreck Diver specialty experience card. The Instructor must:
19. Use either a SDI diver registration form or a Pre-paid Diver certification form to file for the specialty certification card if a SDI certification card is requested.
Award card and certificate.

1.7 REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
20. Basic SDI Open Water SCUBA equipment as prescribed earlier in this manual.
21. Reel.
22. Audible and one (1) visual signaling device.

1.8 APPROVED OUTLINE
Instructors may use any additional text or materials that they feel help present these topics. The following topics must be covered:
23. Motivating Statements
A. Why wreck dive?
B. Potential benefits.
C. Beauty.
D. Mysteriousness.
E. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
F. It’s fun!
24. Down lines and surface supports
A. Size.
B. Material.
C. Surface supports
I. Communications (when and if necessary).
II. Back-up Procedures.
25. The Buddy System
A. Buddy contact.
B. Contact with varied visibility.
C. Buddy lines.
D. Line signals.
E. Buddy positioning in close proximity.
26. Navigation/Charting
A. Usage of the slate
I. Larger than normal.
II. Pre-dive marking.
B. Pre-planning the dive using charts, other information.
C. Directional determination.
27. Disorientation
A. With/without buddy.
B. Lost buddy.
C. Light failure.
D. Emergency Procedures.
28. Special Equipment
A. Lights
I. Primary and backup.
II. Size.
III. Burn time
IV. Usage.
B. Knifes and cutting devices.
29. Limited Visibility Diving
A. Silt-out.
B. Psychological considerations.
30. Light usage
A. Importance of light and backup.
B. Dark Vision, don’t shine light in buddy’s eyes!
31. Life Lines and Reels
A. Type of line.
B. Tie-offs.
C. Directional markers.
D. Line handling and reeling must be practiced on land prior to performing this skill underwater.
32. Special Emergency Procedures
A. “Safe” Wreck
I. As normal, but with considerations for lack of free access to the surface in some cases.
B. “Hazardous” or otherwise unsafe wrecks
I. Should AVOID.
II. Don’t enter doors blocked.
III. Entrance restrictions.
33. Mapping the Wreck
A. Vertical.
B. Horizontal.
C. Feature Identification.

1.9 REQUIRED SKILL PERFORMANCE AND GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Students are required to successfully complete the following. Dives one (1) and two (2) is for the Non-penetration certification. Dives three (3) and four (4) is for limited penetration certification
34. Open Water – Dive one (1)
A. Pre-dive review of Dive Computers.
B. Plan Dive.
C. Test lights.
D. Familiarization with areas.
E. Basic Charting outside wreck.
F. Usage of lines outside wreck.(optional)
G. Surface and Log dive.
35. Open Water – Dive two (2)
A. Plan Dive.
B. Figure surface interval.
C. Descend.
D. Team complete mapping.
E. Usage of lines outside wreck.(optional)
F. Surface and Log dive.
36. Open Water – Dive three (3)
A. Plan Dive.
B. Descend.
C. Usage of lines inside wreck.(optional)
D. Surface and Log dive.
37. Open Water – Dive four (4) (Optional)
A. Plan dive.
B. Planned dive explained.
C. Dive/explore as determined.
D. Surface and Log dive.