What Is PADI DSAT?
The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (or PADI) DSAT is a series of training courses that will take the student beyond the limits of normal recreational diving. The acronym DSAT stands for Diving Science and Technology. DSAT is an affiliate of PADI, and is responsible for running the PADI technical diving courses. Completion of the DSAT Tec qualifications will enable students to become technical divers, with skills that will allow them use new equipment and pursue more extreme diving experiences.
Technical diving is a riskier and more extreme form of diving. It requires more equipment and training to be a Tec diver than to qualify as a normal scuba diver. Technical divers must be disciplined and hardworking. They must also be very committed to becoming a Tec Diver. Technical diving does not appeal to every diver, but to those of an adventurous mindset, the idea that they will see parts of the ocean that remain inaccessible to most divers can be a huge draw. Others become interested in technical diving because they are intrigued by the equipment and technology that is involved in keeping them alive in such extreme conditions.
Technical diving often involves diving deeper than 40 meters or 130 feet, or beyond the same distances in linear feet of the surface in an overhead environment. It may also involve required stage decompression, accelerated decompression or using variable gas mixtures while diving.
Thorough training is essential for Tec divers since it will be essentially impossible for them to return to the surface if an emergency arises during a dive. Technical divers must therefore understand the risks that they are taking and be trained in how to manage any problems that do arise.
PADI offers a selection of different technical diving TecRec courses for divers of different abilities and interests. Divers can progress through the DSAT courses along a variety of routes, learning more about Tec diving or even becoming a qualified Tec diving instructor.
The most basic Tec diving course offered by PADI is the Discover Tec course, which is an introduction to the equipment and theory involved in technical diving. Students who have successfully completed this course, or who have entered through another route, may go on to qualify fully as Tec Deep Divers. The PADI courses required to become a Tec Deep Diver may be taken together or separately. The sub courses are known as the Tec 40, 45 and 50 courses.
In order to begin the PADI Tec courses, divers must already have qualified as PADI Enriched Air Divers and PADI Deep Divers, or be able to show equivalent qualifications or experience.