Max depth for OWD?

[13psi]

I'm sure this has been coverd numerous times before but I couldn't find the anwser when doing a search. What is the max depth for a Open water diver?

 

[Arcaporale]

depends on the agency, usually 60 ft

 

[13psi]

depends on the agency, usually 60 ft

Thanks, it's through PADI.

 

[daniel f aleman]

250 feet

 

[Arcaporale]

i think it is 60 for padi, however on my first open water dives through padi i went much deeper w/ my instructor, this "rule" is seldom followed after the class. Its really what you feel comfortable doing. the recreational diving limit for all agencies is 130, usually after an advanced class. however i would only suggest breaking the 60' barrier with a buddy who was been deep before and has some experience, not a fellow open water student

 

[Arcaporale]

250 is the absolute deepest you can be trainned to dive at on air and thats only by one or two agencies, not sure which ones. but this is technical decompression diving, not to mention extremely dangerous. for an open water student it be would suicidal.

 

[Dive-aholic]

13psi, work up your experience level. How deep did you go on your OW dives? If you went to 20', then start out with 25-30' dives. After a few of those, take it to 40'. After a few of those, then 50'. It's a slow progression based on experience and comfort level.

It's good to get training to dive deeper than 60'. It's not so much the experience of it as it is learning things you may not have been taught in OW that are definite considerations.


Arcaporale, Daniel was being sarcastic...

 

[Tonio Anastasi]

60ft is right.
Though, as mentioned above, if you continue diving you can gradually in crease your depths.
I know of one diving instructor/guide that would not take an owd with some 5 years experience with her log book showing over 200 dives, many to 100ft and a few to 116ft.So it depends very much on who you'll be diving with. That I think was over cautious.
However I do recommend that you take the Advanced course too to understand better the problems related to deeper dives. Or make sure that apart from working up to deeper dives you get extened breifings.
250 ft is to the extreme levels of deep air diving, and has unwarranted risks. As also mentioned above is more in the realm of technical diving.

 

[ams511]

250 is the absolute deepest you can be trainned to dive at on air and thats only by one or two agencies, not sure which ones. but this is technical decompression diving, not to mention extremely dangerous. for an open water student it be would suicidal.

Sometimes you can go too deep. Then you get the bends and just die :14:

 

[garyfotodiver]

This comes from page 24 of the 2007 SSI Standards:

9. Adult: The depth of open water scuba diving is not to exceed 130 feet (39 meters). The open water scuba dives of Specialty Diving courses are to expose students to depths of at least 20 feet (6 meters).
Junior: The maximum depth of open water training dives is not to exceed 60 feet (18 meters). The open water scuba dives of the Junior Specialty Diving course are to expose students to depths of at least 20 feet (6 meters).

There are no SCUBA police to revoke your c-card if you violate these recommedations. Read the book SHADOW DIVERS if you want to find out what can happen to a diver.