ADVANCED OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE POLICY

RUI DIVING CENTRE

PADI ADVANCED OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE POLICY

Training, Equipment, Rescheduling, Reevaluation and Certification Policy

1. Course Validity

The course is valid for one year from registration. The Student must complete online theory and all open-water training dives within that period. Incomplete portions expire after one year and fees already paid are non-refundable.

To continue after expiry, the Student must re-register under the pricing, standards, and requirements then in effect.

2. Eligibility and Recent Logged-Dive Requirement

The Student must:

  • Hold a PADI Open Water Diver certification or an accepted equivalent;
  • Meet the applicable minimum-age requirement;
  • Have a written record of diving within the six months before the course;
  • Provide a logbook, electronic dive log, or other verifiable dive record;
  • Have the basic diving ability needed for the scheduled training;
  • Truthfully complete required medical and course documents;
  • Obtain written medical clearance when required; and
  • Bring equipment suitable for local water temperature and conditions.

If the Student has no written dive record within the preceding six months, RDC or the instructor may require a Scuba Refresher, PADI ReActivate, or other review training at additional cost. A recent log does not prevent the instructor from requiring review training based on actual skill, safety awareness, or in-water performance.

3. Refunds, Transfers and Exchanges

Once registration and payment are completed, all fees are non-refundable, non-transferable, and non-exchangeable. Fees cannot be transferred to another person, applied to another course, or redeemed for merchandise, gift cards, store credit, or account credit. The Student must confirm eligibility, health, equipment, and availability before enrolling.

4. Course Content

The PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course consists of five Adventure Dives. Deep and Underwater Navigation are mandatory.

The other three dives are selected according to scheduling, site conditions, season, weather, student experience, and instructor qualifications. Options may include:

  • Peak Performance Buoyancy;
  • Night;
  • Search and Recovery;
  • Drysuit;
  • Wreck;
  • Drift;
  • Underwater Imaging;
  • Fish Identification;
  • Delayed Surface Marker Buoy; or
  • Another Adventure Dive permitted by PADI standards.

A particular Adventure Dive is not guaranteed. RDC and the instructor determine the final combination, sites, sequence, and content based on safety, environment, and teaching conditions.

5. Online Theory

The Student must complete required PADI online learning, knowledge reviews, and preparation before each applicable training dive. If incomplete, the instructor may refuse participation and a $99 plus HST rescheduling fee applies. The Student must access the account in advance and promptly report technical or material issues.

6. Course Fees and Equipment Rental

The course fee does not include any equipment rental. RDC may rent the following equipment for an additional fee:

  • BCD;
  • Regulator;
  • Scuba cylinder;
  • Weights; and
  • Drysuit.

All rentals require advance reservation and are subject to inventory, sizing, duration, and applicable charges. RDC cannot guarantee suitable availability.

RDC does not rent other personal equipment. The Student must purchase and bring a mask, snorkel, fins, wetsuit, boots, dive computer, compass, SMB, reel or spool, and all other required personal equipment.

Renting a drysuit does not establish qualification to use it. The Student must hold a recognized drysuit certification or complete required drysuit training under the applicable standards.

7. Rental Equipment Use and Responsibility

A Student renting a BCD, regulator, cylinder, weights, or drysuit must confirm availability, fit, collection and return times, and fees in advance. The Student must:

  • Collect the equipment;
  • Transport it to the dive site;
  • Use and safeguard it properly; and
  • Return it by the required deadline.

Course and rental fees exclude delivery, pickup, handling, and transportation. Late return, loss, damage, or misuse may result in late, inspection, repair, or replacement charges.

8. Equipment Required for Specific Adventure Dives

Certain Adventure Dives require additional equipment, including:

  • Underwater Navigation: compass;
  • Drysuit: drysuit and suitable undergarments;
  • Night: primary and backup lights;
  • Search and Recovery: compass, search line, lift bag, and suitable reel;
  • DSMB training: SMB and reel or spool;
  • Underwater Imaging: appropriate underwater camera equipment; and
  • Other activities: equipment designated in advance by the instructor.

If required equipment is missing or unsafe, the instructor may substitute the activity, refuse participation, or require rescheduling. Related costs are the Student’s responsibility.

9. Equipment Collection, Transportation and Return

The Student is responsible for collecting, transporting, safeguarding, and returning all personal and rental equipment. Delivery, pickup, handling, and transportation are excluded. Rental equipment must be returned on time; late return, loss, or damage may result in additional charges.

10. Confirmed Course Dates

Once confirmed, course dates generally cannot be changed. The Student must review work, school, travel, transportation, and personal commitments beforehand. Instructors, sites, cylinders, and course spaces are arranged in advance, so approval of a rescheduling request is not guaranteed.

11. Complimentary Rescheduling

Rescheduling without a fee is available only when:

  • The Student cannot safely participate for a medical reason and supplies supporting documentation if requested;
  • RDC cancels or postpones because of extreme weather, thunderstorms, strong wind, hazardous water, or site closure; or
  • RDC or the instructor determines that another safety issue prevents the course from proceeding.

Complimentary rescheduling does not create a right to a refund. Replacement dates depend on instructor, site, weather, seasonal, and space availability.

12. Rescheduling Fee

A $99 plus HST rescheduling fee applies when:

  • Required online theory is incomplete;
  • A change is requested within 48 hours;
  • The Student is late or absent without sufficient notice;
  • The Student cannot attend for work, transportation, travel, or another non-emergency personal reason;
  • Required equipment is missing or unsafe;
  • Required medical, liability, or course documents are incomplete;
  • Required written medical clearance has not been obtained; or
  • The Student is not prepared for the scheduled dive.

Payment does not guarantee a particular date and does not extend the one-year validity period.

13. Late Arrival, Absence and Dive Participation

The Student must arrive on time and allow enough time for check-in, assembly, pre-dive checks, and briefing. Lateness may affect safety, the dive plan, and buddy arrangements; the instructor may refuse participation.

A missed dive is not automatically replaced. Rescheduling may require the applicable fee, rental charges, site fees, boat fees, and other actual costs.

14. Medical Statement and Physician’s Clearance

The Student must truthfully complete all required medical and course documents. Where physician’s clearance is required, valid written clearance must be provided before any in-water training. Material health changes must be reported to RDC and the instructor before continuing.

15. Alcohol, Drugs and Physical Condition

The Student must not dive while affected by alcohol, recreational drugs, or any substance impairing judgment, awareness, reaction, or coordination. The instructor may refuse or stop participation because of fatigue, dehydration, illness, fever, respiratory infection, equalization problems, or another unsafe condition. A personal health condition is not grounds for a refund; complimentary rescheduling is governed by Section 11.

16. Diving Safety and Conduct

The Student must follow all instructor safety directions, including:

  • Use the buddy system and complete pre-dive checks;
  • Follow depth, time, and gas limits;
  • Monitor gas, depth, no-decompression time, and dive-computer information;
  • Maintain appropriate buoyancy and environmental awareness;
  • Do not leave the buddy or training group without permission;
  • Do not enter a wreck, cave, or other overhead environment without permission;
  • Do not change the dive plan without permission;
  • Immediately report discomfort, equipment problems, low gas, or other abnormalities; and
  • Follow dive-site, vessel, and local rules.

The instructor may immediately stop a dive and refuse further participation for failure to follow safety requirements. Resulting retraining, rescheduling, or reevaluation costs are the Student’s responsibility, and fees paid remain non-refundable.

17. Weather, Dive Site and Course Adjustments

Diving is affected by weather, temperature, visibility, thunderstorms, wind, waves, current, vessel schedules, and site access. For safety and instruction, RDC may change the time or site, substitute an Adventure Dive, adjust content or sequence, postpone or cancel training, or limit depth, duration, or activities. An RDC-initiated safety adjustment does not incur a rescheduling fee but is not grounds for a refund.

18. Deep Dive and Other Activity Restrictions

Deep training must comply with applicable PADI standards and age limits. Even when Deep is scheduled, the instructor may limit maximum depth or cancel the dive based on buoyancy, gas management, dive-computer use, environmental awareness, or the Student’s condition.

If the Student is not ready to safely participate in an Adventure Dive, the instructor may substitute the activity, require additional practice, or pause the course. A safety restriction is not grounds for a refund.

19. Performance and Certification Standards

Attendance or completion of five Adventure Dives does not automatically guarantee PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification. The Student must:

  • Complete required theory and knowledge reviews;
  • Complete Deep and Underwater Navigation;
  • Complete three other qualifying Adventure Dives;
  • Demonstrate the skills and safety awareness required for each dive;
  • Follow the buddy system and dive plan;
  • Demonstrate reasonable buoyancy, gas management, and environmental awareness; and
  • Complete all assigned training tasks.

The teaching instructor makes the final certification decision under the applicable standards and the Student’s demonstrated performance.

20. Unmet Performance Requirements and Reevaluation Fee

If the Student does not complete required skills, tasks, or safety standards, the instructor may decline to sign the applicable Adventure Dive or postpone certification. To continue, the Student must take additional open-water training and reevaluation:

  • Fee: $299 plus HST;
  • The fee excludes all equipment rental;
  • BCD, regulator, cylinder, weights, and drysuit rental must be separately reserved and paid;
  • Site, boat, parking, and third-party fees, if any, are additional;
  • Date and site depend on instructor, weather, water, and space availability; and
  • Reevaluation does not guarantee certification; all performance and safety requirements must still be met.

If requirements remain unmet, further reevaluation may be required at $299 plus HST per attempt. All reevaluations must be completed within the original one-year validity period; after expiry, re-registration may be required.

21. Instructor’s Safety and Certification Decisions

Safety is the primary consideration. Based on health, theory preparation, experience, buoyancy, gas management, equipment use, judgment, safety awareness, buddy cooperation, and conditions, the instructor may determine whether the Student may participate or continue, undertake Deep or another Adventure Dive, progress through the course, attend reevaluation, or receive certification. The instructor may stop any dive or training considered unsafe.

22. Acceptance of Policy

By registering for or paying for the course, the Student confirms that this policy has been read, understood, and accepted. If the Student is under the age of majority, a parent or legal guardian must review the applicable course documents. RDC may reasonably update schedules, arrangements, fees, and policies; the version accepted at registration applies to the Student’s course.

 

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