To start technical diving training with the DSAT courses it is enough to have the Advance, Rescue, Nitrox and Deep levels (or their equivalents) of any recreational diving system, plus 100 dives experience. In any case before you start your technical course a good instructor will first do a check dive to see your skills and level, in some cases a person may be refused due to lack of experience. Technical courses presume serious stress resistance under water training, emergency situations management training and a huge amount of theoretic knowledge. New possibilities that the technical certification opens to you carry new risks that is why it is important to understand that your future life will depend on the way you are being taught.

As the demand on courses that leave the non-decompression limits behind is constantly growing Diving Science and Technology organization, the PADI child business unit, has developed the DSAT TecRec program.

For the courses within the TecRec program materials developed by DSAT are used. To master technical diving, it is necessary to study the educational materials, attend theory studies and to do a number of dives in confined and open water. Though to achieve the result you will have to work quite intensively the process itself is engrossing. It’s important to understand that technical diving is not for everyone. But if you like this type of diving and are ready to take the risk and take certain responsibilities, as a result your effort will be   rewarded.

The TecRec embodies the following courses:

DSAT Tec Deep Diver

Within the Tec Deep Diver course divers learn to conduct gas-switch extended no-decompression dives, decompression dives and accelerated decompression dives using air and enriched air to a depth of 50 metres/165 feet. Besides to understand the hazards and risks involved in technical diving, as well as how to prepare for and handle reasonable foreseeable technical diving emergencies.

The duration of the course is 9 days including 12 dives.

To apply for the Tec Deep Diver course you need:

-     PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification from another organization)

-     PADI Rescue Diver (or qualifying certification from another organization)

-     PADI Enriched Air Diver (or qualifying certification from another organization)

-     PADI Deep Diver (or qualifying certification from another organization)

-     minimum 100 logged dives of which 20 must be enriched air dives, 25 dives must be deeper than 18 metres/60 feet and at least 15 dives must be deeper than 30 metres/100 feet

-     Minimum age: 18 years old

DSAT Tec Deep Diver Level 1.

If you're interested in technical diving, but haven't yet met the prerequisites for the DSAT Tec Deep Diver course, you can consider enrolling in the DSAT Apprentice Tec Diver course. It is also a sub-course of the full DSAT Tec Deep Diver course. You'll learn to make gas switch, extended no-decompression dives using air and enriched air to 40 metres/130 feet. You'll also prepare for and respond to foreseeable technical diving emergencies. Since it's a part of the Tec Deep Diver course, your DSAT Apprentice Tec Dive course training credits toward the DSAT Tec Deep Diver course.

Duration of the course is 5 days including 7 dives.

To apply for the Tec Deep Diver Level 1 course the requirements are:

-     PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification from another organization)

-     PADI Enriched Air Diver (or qualifying certification from another organization)

-     PADI Deep Diver (or qualifying certification from another organization)

-     minimum 50 logged dives, of which at least 10 must be enriched air dives, 12 must be deeper than 18 metres/60 feet and at least six must be deeper than 30 metres/100 feet

-     Minimum age: 18 years old

DSAT Tec Deep Diver Level 2

The second level of Tec Deep Diver course gives the divers the possibility to upgrade their level in technical diving to the Tec Deep Diver doing decompression dives and accelerated decompression dives using air and enriched air to a depth of 50 metres/165 feet.

Course duration: 5 days including 5 dives.

DSAT Tec Trimix Diver

For the extreme diver ready to further explore the world of technical deep diving, the gas of choice is trimix. The DSAT Tec Trimix Diver course takes you to the outer edges of technical deep diving, opening the door to pristine dive sites few divers – if any – ever see

The DSAT Tec Trimix Diver course is intended to

-      teach you to plan and conduct dives using open circuit equipment  with trimix, air, enriched air and oxygen, using technical diving equipment and procedures requiring the ability to manage possible risks.

-     Train your skills required for technical diving

-     Provide you with the understanding of technical diving in common and dives on trimix risks.

-     prepare for and respond to foreseeable technical diving emergencies

To apply for the course you need:

-     minimum age: 18 year old

-     to be certified as a PADI Rescue Diver or have a qualifying certification in diver rescue and accident management from another organization *. Students who meet this through a qualifying non-PADI certification need to provide proof of CPR and first aid training within the previous two years.

-     To be certified as a DSAT Tec Deep Diver or have a qualifying certification in deep decompression diving using air/enriched air from another organization *. Students who qualify through a qualifying certification other than DSAT Tec Deep Diver must read the entire DSAT Tec Deep Diver Manual and complete the Knowledge Reviews prior to beginning the Tec Trimix Diver course.

-     Minimum 150 logged dives

The duration of the course is 6 days including 8 dives.