What is a PADI Equipment Specialist Course?
Are you a diver who is unfamiliar with how Scuba Equipment works? If there are minor equipment-related problems, are you able to correctly identify the cause of the problem and perform minor repairs? If the answer to the above questions is no, then this course is for you. The PADI Equipment Specialist program helps you familiarize yourself with operating and maintaining your own Scuba equipment and review new or unfamiliar dive equipment. The program is not designed to be an extensive equipment-repair program. However, it provides you with the basic knowledge to identify problems and perform necessary repairs.
Why do a PADI Equipment Specialist Course?
Compared to the other PADI Specialty courses, such as Wreck Diver and Cavern Diver, the Equipment Specialist course doesn’t sound fun. However, this is one worthwhile course. For starters, this course will give you the foundation of how to take care of your scuba gear properly and to take care of minor problems. In scuba diving, any additional knowledge is worthwhile. It can potentially go a long way to add to dive safety. How do you deal with a wetsuit tear, a free-flowing regulator, or a cracked o-ring? What about faulty piston regs, diaphragm regs, tank valves, inflators, gauges, and drysuit valves?
Divers need to be able to spot equipment problems before they happen. The course enables divers to conduct more effective serviceability checks on their gear and preempt problems. It also recognizes the causes of equipment failure during a dive, which will prevent them from panicking underwater and dealing with the situation more effectively. Since divers spend a lot of money on scuba diving equipment, it is prudent to learn to properly take care of it and repair minor issues without incurring additional repair costs.
What does the course cover?
This course is intended to familiarize divers with the operation and maintenance of equipment. It is not an equipment repair course. Training relative to repairing and overhauling equipment, except for minor servicing, is not to be part of the curriculum.
- The theory, principles, and operation of diving equipment
- routine recommended care and maintenance procedures, and equipment storage
- common problems with equipment and recommended professional maintenance procedures
- demonstration of repair procedures
- suggestions for comfortable equipment configurations
- An introduction to new equipment
The entire course comprises roughly 6 hrs of knowledge development sessions and demonstrations and does not cover any open water dives as a part of the course.
Prerequisites to do the Course
To qualify for the Equipment Specialist course, an individual must:
- Be certified as a PADI Scuba Diver, Junior Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, or Junior Open Water Diver, or have qualifying certifications from another training organization.
- Be 10 years of age or older.
Scuba.com‘s Top Tip:
When opting to do the PADI equipment specialist course, Check out the instructor’s qualifications, as the course is only as good as the person teaching it. Look for an instructor who preferably does his repairs and maintenance to get the best exposure to first-hand knowledge. Go with someone who is used to servicing equipment and has manufacturer’s qualifications.
Secondly, taking your equipment with you when you sign up for the equipment specialist course is a good idea to understand better how your gear works. Spot signs of failure and perform quick fixes as necessary.
