NITROX PLUS… COME ON IN, THE WATER’S LOVELY
So, this is a good time for us to admit that our NITROX PLUS course is not really a technical diving program. That’s one reason it carries the #0 designation. That and because there are zero reasons NOT to add this course to every recreational diver’s bucket list.
NITROX PLUS is not about decompression or diving deeper or loading up on masses of extra gear. It is simply about keeping the adventure real and diving with an extra layer of safety. We feel comfortable including it in our new tech pathway because the focus of the course is to carry backup gas available via a redundant delivery system. This additional gas is not decompression gas, and certainly not gas that’s part of the dive’s overall gas management plan, and it’s not to gain more bottom time.
The redundant gas that’s there in case your “primary” system fails at depth.
If there is anything a recreational diver can take from technical diving practices, it’s redundancy, and diving with a backup gas supply available via an independent source fits the bill perfectly.
NITROX PLUS is a two-tank course, in which students learn how best to manage a second cylinder and how to plan around primary “life-support system” failure. Highly recommended for any recreational level diver diving below 25 – 30 metres. This is also the perfect first step for someone interested in broadening their skills and moving into technical diving.
Next Step in the New Tech Pathway #1 DECOMPRESSION
OVERVIEW OF COURSE STANDARDS
NITROX PLUS
I. Purpose
This course is designed to train Students to safely:
Complete all the skill requirements as outlined in the manuals for in-water training.
o Pre-dive safety checks.
o Buoyancy check.
o Stage remove and replace on the surface.
o Descents.
o Buoyancy and trim.
o Long hose recovery.
o Frog kick.
o Back fin.
o SAC rate calculations.
o Bailout remove and replace underwater.
o Gas sharing stationary.
o Gas sharing swim.
o Back-up mask deployment.
o SMB deployment.
o Ascent.
Dive to a maximum depth of 40 meters /130 feet.
Use air and nitrox mixes up to 50% oxygen.
Complete a maximum of 10 minutes of decompression while using a single bottom mix and single bailout cylinder for
safety.
o Bailout must be breathable at the maximum dive depth.
o Bailout must have sufficient volume to complete a safe ascent, including the required decompression within the
RAID recommended contingency gas volume guidelines.
NOTE: The Nitrox Plus course is not an optimized decompression course, but rather an introduction to decompression for
recreational divers who wish to conduct deep dives using a superior risk management strategy. It may also be considered
a good first step in a structured technical diving education.
II. Student Prerequisites
A Student taking this course must:
Be a minimum of 18 years old.
Be certified as a RAID Open Water 20 and RAID Deep 40 diver or equivalent, or be certified as a RAID Explorer 30 or
RAID Advanced 35 diver or equivalent.
Be certified as a RAID Nitrox diver or equivalent.
Have a minimum of 10 logged hours underwater or 20 dives using open circuit.
Complete the registration process, including all mandatory online documentation.
Be certified as a RAID Sidemount or RAID Twinset Diver if doing the course using either configuration.
o Students wanting to add an additional bailout cylinder must have a minimum of 5 dives on either system before
adding a third cylinder.
III. Course Requirements
To obtain certification, the Student must meet the following requirements.
Complete the online academic modules, quizzes, and exam.
o Equipment.
o Physics.
o Physiology.
o Management.
o Confined Water.
o Open Water.