Many PADI® Members find it advantageous to act on the enthusiasm created by the Discover Scuba® Diving (DSD®) experience to move participants in to the Open Water Diver course. Here’s how to:

  1. Do it simply and easily
  2. Give participants credit for their accomplishments
  3. Make sure you have the correct documentation

  • Use the Discover Scuba Diving Participant Guide (72200) as designed to handle administrative requirements.

  • Conduct Confined Water Dive 1 briefing and Confined Water Dive 1* as outlined in the PADI Open Water Diver Course Instructor Guide (Section Three/Confined Water, General Confined Water Considerations/Sequencing), and PADI’s Guide to Teaching (Open Water Diver Course/Overview – Confined Water Dives/Sequencing Considerations).

If desired and appropriate to the environment, also conduct the Open Water Dive 1 briefing and Open Water Dive 1* as outlined in the PADI Open Water Diver Course Instructor Guide and PADI’s Guide to Teaching.

*Follow Discover Scuba Diving ratios and supervision requirements.

How to Credit

To receive credit toward the Open Water Diver course, DSD participants must master Open Water Diver course skill performance requirements. As you have participants log the experience using the Discover Scuba Diving Participant Guide log pages, note in the comments section that they completed Confined Water Dive 1 and, if applicable, Open Water Dive 1.

Enrolling in the Open Water Diver Course

If participants enroll in an Open Water Diver course with you, have them complete the three required course administrative documents and ensure they have the required course materials. You may initial that they’ve completed Confined Water Dive 1 and, if applicable, Open Water Dive 1 on the Student Record File (10058) or on the PADI Open Water Diver Course Record and Referral Form (10056).

If participants will finish the remaining portion of their Open Water Diver course elsewhere, follow referral procedures by documenting mastery of Open Water Diver course segments completed on the PADI Open Water Diver Course Record and Referral Form. Give a copy to the participants, explaining the “Important Points for the Diver and Instructor” on page 2 of the referral form.

This originally appeared in the 3rd Quarter 2019 Training Bulletin. You can read a PDF of the full edition here.

Related Articles