PADI Tec 50 Course Options
The PADI Tec 50 course follows on from Tec 45 and teaches you to plan and execute decompression dives to a maximum depth of 50 meters on air, plus one cylinder of nitrox and one cylinder of up to 100% oxygen for better accelerated decompression.
At this stage of technical diving, it may well be worth opting for the Trimix version of the Tec 50 course. You will learn to analyse and plan at least two dives using Trimix (helium, oxygen, and nitrogen) instead of air. Trimix reduces the risk of nitrogen narcosis and is significantly easier to breathe at 50m. (See further down the page.)
There's also the option to use a different technical configuration by first taking either the PADI Sidemount course or PADI Tec Basics course (backmount). I'd recommend taking an extra 2 days for one of these courses but you may combine one of these with PADI Tec 50 for a reduced course fee and only one extra day.
PADI Tec 50 Course
By the time you begin your PADI Tec 50 course, you should already have mastered the technical dive planning, skills and procedures required for decompression diving. With Tec 50, you'll need to adapt to diving with a second deco cylinder and learn the extra planning, contingency and emergency procedures required for 50m dives.
There's a short recap of knowledge and skills from Tec 45 before progessing with Tec 50 elements. Practical training focuses on executing ascents with longer decompression times and managing multiple gas switches. While the comprehensive eLearning covers some new topics, it is somewhat shorter than that of Tec 40 and Tec 45.
PADI Tec 50 Course Details
Duration: 1 Day class/pool + 2
Days boat
Price: 25,900 Baht
(Love Diving Phuket)
Course dives: 6 (minimum 4)
Minimum Requirements:
• Age 18
• PADI Rescue Diver / equivalent
• PADI Tec 45 / equivalent
• 100 open water dives logged
Doctor's certificate required for PADI Tec courses
PADI Tec 50 Skills
Pre-dive / Surface Skills Include:
- Gas choice & cylinder analysis
- Main & deco cylinders setup & labeling
- Technical Equipment Preparation
- Detailed decompression dive planning
- Predive checks / procedures
- Entries & exits in technical gear
- Surface buoyancy & weight checks
- Don & remove deco cylinders
- BCD failure / alternative buoyancy
- Assist & provide buoyancy for buddy
Underwater Skills / Procedures Include:
- Safety drills & visual checks
- Hovering & refining buoyancy / trim
- Use multiple finning techniques
- Establish working gas usage rate
- Manage multiple cylinders & gases
- Stage & redon deco cylinders
- Don, swim with & pass 2 deco tanks
- Valve shutdown procedures / drills
- Out of gas / gas sharing procedures
- BCD failure / alternative buoyancy
- DSMB & backup DSMB deployment
- Staged DSMB & staged free ascents
- Respond to buddy breathing wrong gas
- Gas & computer switching
- Establish deco gas usage rate
- Deco reg free-flow & feathering
- Lost deco gas Procedures
- Good buoyancy & trim throughout
- Problem management & contingency
- Buddy/team awareness & communication
Please Note:
Although
you'll receive rigorous specialized training and follow strict
safety protocols during technical diver courses, decompression
diving incurs more inherent risk than recreational diving.
Therefore, securing personal dive insurance is essential before
any technical diving.
