Boat Diver Course

Expand your diving. Explore beyond the shore. Dive with confidence from any boat.

Imagine stepping onto a dive boat…
Feeling prepared… confident… completely in control…

The Boat Diver Course opens the door to a whole new world of diving—where the best dive sites are often found away from shore, waiting to be explored.

From calm inland lakes to ocean adventures in the Caribbean, South Pacific, or beyond…
This course prepares you to dive safely and comfortably from any type of vessel.

 Why Take This Course?

When you know exactly what to do on a dive boat… everything changes.

You feel:

• More relaxed
• More confident
• More aware of your surroundings
• More ready for new dive adventures

This is your opportunity to move beyond shore diving and unlock new experiences.

 What You’ll Learn

This course is designed to give you practical, real-world skills so you can dive safely and efficiently from any boat.

 Boat Knowledge & Etiquette

Understand key terms like bow, stern, port, and starboard…
and learn how to move, prepare, and organize your gear without stress.

 Entries & Exits

Master safe and confident water entries like the giant stride…
and learn how to exit using different ladder systems.

 Boating Safety

Know exactly where to find and how to use:

• Life-saving equipment
• Oxygen kits
• Radios and emergency tools

 Line Handling & Surface Skills

Practice using:

• Anchor lines
• Surface lines
• Surface Marker Buoys (SMB)

So you always stay visible, safe, and in control.

 Dive Planning

Learn how to prepare for a successful boat dive by considering:

• Weather conditions
• Air management
• Dive logistics
• Even seasickness prevention

 What This Means for You

Once you complete this course…

You won’t just be “another diver on the boat.”

You’ll be the diver who:

• Knows what to do
• Moves with confidence
• Stays safe and prepared
• Enjoys every moment of the dive

 Your Next Step

If you’re ready to:

• Explore new dive locations
• Travel and dive from boats
• Feel more confident in any environment

Then this is your course.

Step onboard. Gear up. Dive smarter.

Who this course is for:

• The certified diver looking for more information to maximize the use of boats for scuba diving

Course prerequisites:

• SDI Open Water Scuba Diver, SDI Junior Open Water Diver, or equivalent
• Minimum age 18, 10 with parental consent

What you can expect to learn:

The SDI Boat Diver Course takes an in-depth look at all of the following and more:

• Types of boats and features of those boats
  • Live-aboard
  • Charter boat
  • Private boat
• Safety features
  • Life preservers
  • Life boats
  • Flares SDI Instructor Manual
  • Radio
  • Throw rings
  • US Coast Guard requirements
  • First aid kit
  • Oxygen kit
• Exiting and boarding the boat
  • Type of ladder
  • How to use ladder
  • Entries
• Planning boat trips
  • Types and sizes of boats
  • Location
  • Degree of difficulty of dives
  • Air availability on boat
  • Food/beverages available
  • Sleeping equipment necessary?
  • Weather
  • Dive planning
• Determining necessary equipment
  • Use of a checklist
  • C-card and log book
  • Extra cylinder
  • All open water equipment
  • Spare parts kit
  • Camera/photo equipment
  • Game equipment
• Boat procedures
  • Loading
  • Captain and crew briefs of special procedures
  • Special rules
  • Crowded area procedures
• Lines
  • Anchor line
  • Descent lines
  • Tag line
  • Stern safety line
  • Decompression bar
• Underwater navigation from a boat
  • Natural navigation
  • Anchored
    • No current
    • Current
  • Drift diving

Some of the required skills you will have to demonstrate include:

• Plan a boat dive
• Briefing on dock before departure
• Review of boat diving procedures
• Captain’s brief and travel to dive destination
• Entry
• Exit
• Log dive
• Care of equipment
• Attempt to use a different types of boat s or, at least, use a different entry point from the boat during the course

What’s in it for you?

Upon successful completion of this course, graduates may engage in diving activities without direct supervision of the SDI Instructor* so long as the following limits are adhered to:

• The diving activities approximate those of training
• The areas of activities approximate those of training
• Environmental conditions approximate those of training

*Note: Junior divers (ages 10-14) must participate in boat diving activities with a parent, guardian, or dive professional.

Also, the SDI Boat Diver Certification counts towards a single specialty rating to achieve the SDI Advanced Diver Development program.

SDI Boat Diver minimum requirements:

• Satisfactorily complete the SDI Boat Diver Knowledge Quests with a passing score of 80%, followed by 100% remediation by the Instructor
• Complete all open water requirements efficiently
• Demonstrate mature and sound judgment concerning dive planning and execution