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GUE Fundamentals - Part 2

Course Outcomes

The GUE Fundamentals Part 2 course is designed to continue to cultivate the essential skills required by all sound diving practice. Included among its course outcomes are: to provide the recreational diver, who does not desire further diver training, with an opportunity to advance his/her basic diving skills; to train divers in the theory and practice of Nitrox; to provide those divers who aspire to more advanced diver training with the tools that will contribute to a greater likelihood of success; and to provide divers with a gateway into advanced GUE training.

 

Prerequisites

Applicants for Fundamentals Part 2 must:

  1. Submit a completed registration form, a medical history, and a liability release to GUE Headquarters.
  2. Be physically and mentally fit.
  3. Hold insurance that will cover diving emergencies such as hyperbaric treatment, e.g. DAN Master-level insurance or equivalent.
  4. Be a nonsmoker.
  5. Obtain a physician’s prior written authorization for the use of prescription drugs, except for birth control, or for any prior medical condition that may pose a risk while diving.
  6. Be a minimum of 16 years of age.
  7. Be a certified as a GUE Fundamentals Part 1, GUE Rec 1 or GUE Rec 2 diver.

 

Course Content

The Fundamentals Part 2 course is normally conducted over 3 days, and requires a minimum of 4 dives and at least 20 hours of instruction encompassing classroom, land drills and in-water work.

 

GUE Fundamentals Part 2 Specific Training Standards

  1. Student-to-instructor ratio is not to exceed 8:1 during land drill or surface exercises; it cannot exceed 4:1 during any in-water training.
  2. Critical skills may only be performed up to a maximum depth of 30 feet/9 meters
  3. Two dives must be at a depth of at least 25 feet/8 meters
  4. Maximum depth 60 feet/18 meters
  5. No overhead diving
  6. No decompression

 

Required Training Materials

GUE training materials and recommended reading as determined by the course study packet received via online download after GUE course registration.

 

Academic Topics

  1. Introduction: GUE organization and course overview (objectives, limits, expectations)
  2. Situational awareness
  3. Dive planning and gas management
  4. Breathing gas overview
  5. Nitrox
  6. Decompression overview and minimum decompression procedures
  7. Diving safety and accident prevention
  8. The GUE system

 

Land Drills and Topics

  1. Dive team protocols
  2. S-drill and valve-drill
  3. Surface marker buoy deployment
  4. Diver rescue techniques (Fundamentals Tech)

 

Required Dive Skills and Drills for Fundamentals Rating

(A) Required Dive Skills and Drills for a Fundamentals-Recreational Rating

  1. Must be able to swim at least 300 yards/275 meters in less than 14 minutes without stopping. This test should be conducted in a swimsuit and, where necessary, appropriate thermal protection.
  2. Must be able to swim a distance of at least 50 feet/15 meters on a breath hold while submerged.
  3. Demonstrate proficiency in safe diving practices; this would include pre-dive preparation, in-water activity, and post-dive assessment.
  4. Demonstrate awareness of team member location and a concern for safety, responding quickly to visual indications and dive partner requirements.
  5. Demonstrate good buoyancy and trim, i.e., approximate reference is a maximum of 30 degrees off horizontal while remaining within 5 feet/1.5 meters of a target depth.
  6. Demonstrate proficiency in lift bag/surface marker buoy deployment while using a spool.
  7. Efficiently and comfortably demonstrate how to donate gas to an out-of-gas diver in multiple gas-sharing scenarios.
  8. Efficiently and comfortably demonstrate how to donate gas to an out-of-gas diver followed by an ascent to the surface, utilizing minimum decompression.
  9. Demonstrate a safe and responsible demeanor throughout all training.
  10. Demonstrate proficiency in underwater communication.
  11. Demonstrate a comfortable demeanor while swimming without a mask, in touch contact.
  12. Demonstrate aptitude in the following open water skills: mask clearing, mask removal and replacement, regulator removal and exchange, long-hose deployment.
  13. Demonstrate safe ascent and descent procedures.
  14. Demonstrate proficiency in executing a valve drill.
  15. Demonstrate basic equipment proficiency and an understanding of the GUE equipment configuration.
  16. Demonstrate three propulsion techniques. Students should demonstrate comprehension of the components necessary for a successful backward kick.

(B) Required Dive Skills and Drills for a Fundamentals-Technical Rating

This rating is required for those trainees seeking entry into GUE’s Cave and Technical courses. Skills 14-18 must be graded as a 3 or higher.

  1. Must be able to swim at least 300 yards/275 meters in less than 14 minutes without stopping. This test should be conducted in a swimsuit and, where necessary, appropriate thermal protection.
  2. Must be able to swim a distance of at least 50 feet/15 meters on a breath hold while submerged.
  3. Demonstrate proficiency in safe diving practices; this would include pre-dive preparation, in-water activity, and post-dive assessment.
  4. Demonstrate awareness of team member location and a concern for safety, responding quickly to visual indications and dive partner requirements.
  5. Demonstrate good buoyancy and trim, i.e., approximate reference is a maximum of 20 degrees off horizontal while remaining within 3 feet/1 meter of a target depth.
  6. Demonstrate proficiency in the ability to deploy a surface marker buoy while using a spool.
  7. Efficiently and comfortably demonstrate how to donate gas to an out-of-gas diver in multiple gas-sharing episodes.
  8. Efficiently and comfortably demonstrate how to donate gas to an out-of-gas diver followed by an ascent to the surface, utilizing minimum decompression.
  9. Demonstrate a safe and responsible demeanor throughout all training.
  10. Demonstrate proficiency in underwater communication.
  11. Demonstrate a comfortable demeanor while swimming without a mask, in touch contact.
  12. Demonstrate aptitude in the following open water skills: mask clearing, mask removal and replacement, regulator removal and exchange, long-hose deployment.
  13. Demonstrate safe ascent and descent procedures.
  14. Demonstrate an efficient valve drill with double tanks.
  15. Demonstrate basic equipment proficiency and an understanding of the GUE equipment configuration.
  16. Demonstrate proficiency in four propulsion techniques that would be appropriate in delicate and/or silty environments; students should also demonstrate competence in the backward kick and helicopter turns.
  17. Demonstrate proficiency with a primary light by using it during all skills except SMB deployment.
  18. Demonstrate diver rescue techniques, including effective management of an unconscious diver underwater.

Equipment Requirements
(A) Required Equipment for a Fundamentals-Recreational Rating

GUE base configuration as outlined in Appendix A.

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GUE Standards and Procedures, Version 7.4

Prior to the commencement of class, students should consult with their GUE instructor to verify equipment requirements and appropriateness of any selected equipment.

2.2.2.9 (B) Required Equipment for a Fundamentals-Technical Rating

GUE base Configuration as outlined in Appendix A, plus:

  1. GUE double tank configuration
  2. Primary and back-up lights
  3. Back-up mask

Prior to the commencement of class, students should consult with a GUE representative to verify equipment requirements and appropriateness of any selected equipment. 

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