PADI recreational rebreather courses will cover semi-closed (SCR) and closed-circuit rebreathers (CCR) which are fully electronically controlled, known as eSCR and eCCR.
Third party testing for all units will be required. There will also be a list of features rebreathers should have for recreational diving (and a different list for the Tec courses) and manufacturers will need to ensure their units have these before applying for them to be used during PADI Rebreather Courses.
Rebreathers that meet the requirements for PADI recreational rebreather courses will be called Type R Rebreathers. These could be eSCRs, eCCRs or hybrids of both.
The courses will be generic but due to differences between rebreathers the qualifications will be unit specific. Divers and instructors will use manufacturer user manuals in addition to PADI materials to cover both information that applies to all rebreathers and that which applies to the specific unit being taught.
PADI Rebreather Diver
- Aimed at qualified entry level divers and above who have some open circuit scuba diving experience.
- Teach divers to use Type R rebreathers to a maximum of 18m/60 feet depth within no-decompression limits.
- Responses to problems will be simple. In most cases this means switching the mouthpiece to open circuit mode and ascending.
PADI Advanced Rebreather Diver
- With a pre-requisite of PADI Rebreather Diver (on the same Type R rebreather) this course expands on the basic knowledge they have already learned to teach divers to carry a bailout cylinder and dive to 30m/100 feet max (40m/130 feet max with PADI Deep Diver).
- Responses to problems will be very similar – bailout to open circuit – the main difference is that they will have a bailout cylinder to enable them to bailout from greater depth.
PADI Rebreather Qualifier program
- Divers wishing to cross-over to another Type R rebreather will need to do the Rebreather Qualifier program which covers unit specific skills and knowledge.
- Additional modules for divers with PADI Advanced Rebreather Diver.
- Divers will be certified at their current level on the new unit.
PADI Rebreather Refresher
- Similar to a Scuba Review this program refreshes rebreather divers’ skills if they have not dived on a rebreather for a while.