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Courses in Tasmania
Dry Suit Diver
Course code: SDI-09
Stay warmer, dive longer, and control the suit rather than allowing the suit to control the dive.
The SDI Dry Suit Diver course develops the knowledge, fitting awareness, weighting, buoyancy control, valve management, emergency procedures, and maintenance habits required to use a dry suit safely. Training covers suit types, seals, zips, valves, undergarments, inflation and venting, controlled descents and ascents, hovering, inversion recovery, excess-gas management, stuck-inflator and valve problems, thermal protection, post-dive care, and basic repairs. The objective is not simply to remain dry, but to establish calm, repeatable suit control for cold-water diving and real Tasmanian conditions.
Standards verification note: Standards verification note: This section has been checked against the current 2026 SDI Standards and Procedures, Part 3, Section 14 — Dry Suit Diver, and the official SDI Dry Suit Diver course page. A single pool, confined-water, or shallow open-water session covering weighting, buoyancy control, ascents, descents, and emergency procedures must be completed before the two required open-water dives. Maximum ratios are 6 students per instructor in pool or confined water and 4 in open water. One active Assistant Instructor or Divemaster permits two additional open-water students, with an absolute maximum of 8 when two active assistants are used. If any student is under 15, the maximum open-water ratio is 4 divers per instructor with no more than two under 15. Minimum prerequisites are SDI Open Water Scuba Diver, SDI Junior Open Water Scuba Diver, or equivalent, and age 18 or 12 with parental consent. Certification requires completion of the academic work, preliminary-water session, two open-water dives, dry-suit preparation and use, weighting and buoyancy control, inversion recovery, malfunction procedures, safety stops, exits, logging, and mature judgment.
Quick Course Overview
• Certification scope
Use a dry suit without direct instructor supervision in activities, areas, and environmental conditions similar to training.
• Required preparation
One pool, confined-water, or shallow open-water session before the open-water dives.
• Required open-water training
Two dives with complete instructor briefings and debriefings.
• Core focus
Suit selection, fitting, valves, undergarments, weighting, buoyancy, descents, ascents, inversion recovery, malfunction procedures, care, and basic repairs.
• Maximum ratios
6 students per instructor in pool or confined water and 4 in open water, with permitted active-assistant increases.
• Cold-water outcome
Develop safer, more comfortable thermal protection and suit control for Tasmanian and other cold-water environments.
Training Options
Standard small-group training
Scheduled once the three-participant minimum is reached. Final group size remains subject to suit types, age, site, temperature, visibility, conditions, logistics, and instructor discretion. Premium one-on-one training Private delivery provides focused fitting, weighting, buoyancy, valve, emergency-procedure, and equipment-care coaching using the diver’s own dry-suit system.
Standard Cost*
$650 AUD
Note* *Standard training requires a minimum of 3 (three) participants. Date options will be provided once the course is filled.
Private 1 on 1 Cost
Private 1 on 1 Cost
$1,499 AUD
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Prerequisites
• SDI Open Water Scuba Diver, SDI Junior Open Water Scuba Diver, or equivalent.
• Minimum age 18, or 12 with parental consent.
• Required administrative and medical documentation completed before in-water training.
• A correctly fitting, serviceable dry suit and suitable undergarments approved for training. The centre’s course is taught using the diver’s own suit system.
Course Format
Learning materials
SDI Dry Suit Diver Manual and Knowledge Quest or current eLearning, completed before or alongside instructor-led training.
Knowledge development
Shell, crushed-neoprene and neoprene suits; seals; entry systems; boots and socks; undergarments; valves; inflation gas; fitting; weighting; buoyancy; maintenance; cleaning; zip and seal care; basic repairs; and dry-suit emergencies.
Suit preparation
Inspect the suit, seals, zip, valves, inflator hose, undergarments and accessories; review donning, venting, movement, thermal needs, correct fit, and pre-dive checks.
Preliminary-water session
Complete one pool, confined-water, or shallow open-water session covering weighting, buoyancy control, controlled ascents and descents, hovering, inversion recovery, gas venting, and emergency procedures before the open-water dives.
Two open-water dives
Plan and complete controlled entries, descents, dry-suit inflation and venting, neutral buoyancy, hovering, propulsion, inversion recovery, malfunction responses, ascents, safety stops, exits, and post-dive care.
Dive planning
Plan and log surface interval, maximum no-decompression time, thermal protection, weighting, suit gas, ascent and venting strategy, emergency actions, and exit considerations.
Assessment
Complete all academic, preliminary-water, open-water, maintenance, logging, awareness, and judgment requirements safely and effectively.
What You Will Learn
Select an appropriate dry-suit type, seal, entry style, boot or sock system, undergarment, and accessory combination for the planned environment.
Don, inspect, connect, inflate, vent, and remove a dry suit without damaging seals, valves, or the waterproof zip.
Determine suitable weighting and use breathing, BCD, suit gas, body position, and exhaust-valve management to control buoyancy and trim.
Descend, hover, move, ascend, hold a safety stop, and exit while maintaining controlled suit-gas distribution.
Recover from an inverted position and respond to excess gas, rapid ascent, stuck inflator, loss of inflation, valve or seal failure, flooding, and other foreseeable malfunctions.
Clean, dry, lubricate where appropriate, store, inspect, and maintain the suit and recognise when specialist repair or servicing is required.
What's Included
- Required learning materials | SDI Dry Suit Diver eLearning or current academic materials, as confirmed at booking.
- Instructor-led development | Knowledge review, suit inspection, fitting and weighting discussion, dive planning, complete briefings and debriefings, direct coaching, and performance evaluation.
- Preliminary-water session | One pool, confined-water, or shallow open-water session covering the required weighting, buoyancy, ascent, descent, and emergency procedures.
- Two open-water dives | Required dry-suit training focused on real use, buoyancy, trim, valve management, emergency procedures, safety stops, exits, and post-dive care.
- Core dive support | Use of tanks, air fills, weights, and specifically confirmed centre equipment where required and available.
- Suit-system coaching | Guidance on the diver’s own dry suit, undergarments, valve setup, inflator connection, weighting, maintenance, and suitable configuration improvements.
- Certification | Assessment, remediation where required, dive logging, and SDI Dry Suit Diver certification processing after successful completion.
What's Not Included
- A dry suit and undergarments. This course is taught using the diver’s own correctly fitting, serviceable suit system; specialist and fully custom dry suits are available for purchase.
- Personal equipment including mask, snorkel, fins, boots where required, BCD, regulators, dive computer, cutting device, DSMB, reel or spool, and preferred accessories unless specifically confirmed.
- Dry-suit measuring, alterations, seal or zip replacement, valve servicing, pressure or leak testing, leak repair, replacement parts, cleaning products, lubricants, suspenders, gloves, hood, or additional undergarments unless included in the booking confirmation.
- Equipment hire, non-standard gases, additional cylinders, optional additional dives, pool or facility charges, boat fees, site fees, permits, or third-party charges unless confirmed.
- Travel, accommodation, meals, hard-copy materials where digital materials are supplied, and anything not listed in the final booking confirmation.
Why Train With Us
Dry-suit coaching built on thousands of cold-water recreational and technical dives—not simply recovering from one inversion and receiving a card. • Thousands of cold-water dives behind our coaching | Our team brings substantial recreational and technical experience with suit selection, thermal systems, weighting, buoyancy, valve management, failure procedures, and long cold-water exposures. • Your own suit, properly understood | Train in the dry suit and undergarment system you will actually use so fitting, weighting, valve setup, venting, movement, care, and emergency procedures transfer directly to future dives. • Tasmanian conditions are the context, not an afterthought | Learn how cold water, layered insulation, thermal stress, changing cylinder buoyancy, shore entries, visibility, surge, and longer surface intervals affect dry-suit decisions. • Control before depth or task loading | We prioritise calm, repeatable buoyancy and ascent control before adding photography, deep, wreck, rescue, sidemount, or technical complexity. • Suit selection and after-course support | Access specialist advice on stock and fully custom dry suits, undergarments, valves, seals, gloves, maintenance, and configuration through our SDI/TDI 5-Star Dive Centre. • Small groups and precise feedback | Receive direct coaching on fit, weighting, gas distribution, posture, exhaust-valve use, inversion recovery, malfunction response, and post-dive care.
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