DPV Cave

This course is designed to teach trained cave divers how to utilize Diver Propulsion Vehicles (DPVs) in the cave environment. Divers will learn about safe DPV use, DPV components, and care and maintenance. Students will learn to plan dives that may incorporate extended penetration, longer bottom times, complex dive planning, and proper methods of gas management. 

Who this course is for: The certified TDI Full Cave Diver or equivalent with a minimum of 25 logged cave dives, The certified cave diver looking to expand their diving range, abilities, and skills.

Course prerequisites:

• Minimum age 18
• Certified as a TDI Full Cave Diver or equivalent
• Provide proof of at least 25 non-training full cave dives

What you can expect to learn:

• Advantages of DPV use.
• Equipment considerations: DPV options, DPV components, Rated burn time. Care and Maintenance, DPV rigging, Helmets
• Problem solving procedures: DPV malfunction or failure, Towing, Gas sharing with DPVs, Light failure, Entanglement, Collision avoidance, Team separation
• Environmental considerations: Appropriate vs. inappropriate passages, Suitable cave conditions
• DPV diving techniques; Buoyancy and trim with DPV. Dropping, securing, and retrieving a DPV, Installing guidelines with a DPV, Instigating directional and depth changes, DPV courtesy and etiquette
• Dive planning and gas management: Turn time, turn distance, and turn pressure, Gas mix(es) and NDLs or decompression obligations

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

• Demonstrate specialized propulsion techniques in varying types of flow
• Demonstrate proper buoyancy control and proper body posture
• Demonstrate proper stress analysis (detection and management)
• Share gas with DPVs while maintaining visual contact with the guideline.
• Simulate primary light failure and exit utilizing the DPV and the smallest backup light
• Simulate exiting the cave with disabled DPV
• Exit while towing a team member and his disabled DPV

What’s in it for you?

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

• If each diver utilizes a single DPV, each diver must turn the dive with no less than twice the amount of gas required to exit the cave while swimming.
• If each diver utilizes multiple DPVs, each diver must turn the dive with no less than twice the amount of gas required to exit the cave while utilizing the DPV.
• No equipment removal in cave with exception of stage bottles if utilized 39 metres maximum depth.
• Students are encouraged to gain experience before attempting to plan and execute complex DPV cave dives.

How to take this course: Book a course from BaikalTek instructor Gennady Misan - IT Full Cave Evaluator TDI. Spare 2-3 days for diving under the instructor supervision. Academic classes, land training, shallow diving for skills and cave dives.

For professionals: you can get TDI DPV Cave Instructor qualifications. Please, contact us for more detail.

The cost of the courses TDI DPV Cave Diver is 31000 rubles.

The price includes: theory in the classroom, open water dives on Lake Baikal, certification for TDI DPV Cave Diver. Not included: cave diving (paid for the services of the local diving center), rental of personal equipment.