PADI Tec 50

Course Prerequisites

Student divers must meet the following training prerequisites before starting the PADI Tec 50 course:

1. Certified as a Tec 45 diver or provide a qualifying certification from another training organization. For the purpose of this level, a qualifying technical certification is one that qualifies the student to make limited decompression dives to 45 meters/145 feet using air and EANx using open circuit, double cylinder scuba equipment.
2. Certified as a PADI Rescue Diver or provide a qualifying certification from another training organization. For this course, a qualifying certification is proof of training in diver rescue. Students who meet this prerequisite through a qualifying certification must provide proof of training in CPR and First Aid within the previous two years.
3. Minimum age: 18 years
4. Have minimum of 100 logged dives, of which at least 20 dives were made with enriched air nitrox deeper than 18 meters/60 feet, and at least 15 dives (with or without EANx) dives that were deeper than 30 meters/100 feet.

Tec 50 Equipment Requirements

• Double cylinder of at least 12 liter/70 cubic feet each, with isolator manifold. The isolator manifold is not required for divers using sidemount configuration. Divers known to have a very low gas consumption rate may, at the instructor’s discretion, use lower capacity cylinders than specified here, provided the diver will have ample gas to assist a team mate in a gas sharing emergency.
• Primary and secondary regulators for back mounted double manifolds, one with two meter/seven foot hose for air sharing and one with SPG. Note: In sidemount configuration, one regulator must have the two meter/seven foot hose, and both regulators must have an SPG.
• Stage/decompression cylinder(s) (1 for Tec 45, 2 for Tec 50) with regulator and SPG, with proper labels/markings.
• Tec diving BCD(s) and harness (backmount or sidemount)
• Two multigas enriched air capable dive computers, or one multigas enriched air computer and a back up single gas computer with dive tables, or one single gas enriched air computer and a backup timer and depth gauge with dive tables.
• Exposure suit appropriate for environment and dive duration (if students will use dry suits, they should be trained/experienced in their use in recreational diving prior to using them for Tec training or diving).
• Argon dry suit inflation system (as needed for environment)
• Weight system (if needed). Note: Students and staff should weight for the contingency of decompressing with near-empty primary cylinders and empty or absent stage/deco cylinders.
• Jon line (as needed for environment)
• Inflatable signal tube, whistle and/or other visual and audible surface signaling devices. Note that a sausage type DSMB may double for the inflatable signal tube.
• Reel and lift bag (bright yellow preferred) or DSMB. A suitable DSMB has sufficient buoyancy to help steady a diver during drifting decompression, and is unlikely to spill when deployed from the underwater.
• Knife/cutting device and back up
• Slate
• Backup mask (optional)
• Compass
• Lights (optional-as required for dive environment)
• Backup buoyancy control. The student must have a reliable means for controlling buoyancy and maintaining decompression stops in midwater with a failed primary BCD. This is usually accomplished with a backup BCD (double wings) or, when using light weight cylinders, the use of a dry suit is permitted. Note: A lift bag/DSMB is not considered a reliable method of backup buoyancy control.

Required Paperwork

• Liability Release and Assumption of Risk for Technical Diving
• Standard Safe Technical Diving Practices Statement of Understanding
• Technical Diver Statement of Understanding and Learning Agreement
• PADI Medical Statement (must be completed by your physician)

Course Material

• PADI Tec Deep Crewpak

Training Dives

Tec 50 Training Dive 1

• Environment: Confined water or limited open water with ready access to water
  shallow enough in which to stand
• Minimum Depth: 2.4 meters
• Maximum Depth: 10 meters
• Decompression: No stop only, five stop simulated decompression
• Gases: Air or EANx, recommended that all blends be breathable at maximum dive depth

Tec 50 Training Dive 2

• Environment: Open water
• Minimum Depth: 12 meters
• Maximum Depth: No stop only, 30 minutes simulated decompression
• Decompression: No stop only
• Gases: Air or EANx, recommended that all blends be breathable to maximum dive depth

Tec 50 Training Dive 3

• Environment: Open Water
• Minimum Depth: 30 meters
• Maximum Depth: 50 meters
• Decompression: Decompression dive with two decompression gases
• Gases: Air, Air, EANx or oxygen

Tec 50 Training Dive 4

• Environment: Open water
• Minimum Depth: Minimum: 40 meters
• Maximum Depth: 50 meters
• Decompression: Decompression dive with two decompression gases
• Gases: Air, EANx or oxygen. Trimix permitted within limited conditions.