NZQA registered unit standard
28407 version 1
Page 1 of 4
Title
Complete SCUBA dives off a boat in open water
Level
3
Credits
3
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to: demonstrate
knowledge of boat diving; and plan and perform SCUBA dives
off a boat in open water.
Classification
Diving > Diving - Recreational
Available grade
Achieved
Entry information
Critical health and
safety prerequisites
Hold a current fit to dive medical clearance signed by a
physician.
People seeking credit for this unit standard must hold either the
PADI or SSI Open Water certification, or Unit 28392, SCUBA
dive in open water to maximum depth of 18 metres, or
demonstrate equivalent knowledge and skills.
Explanatory notes
1
Industry technical and safety criteria refer to dive instruction, supervision and
performance being carried out in accordance with the standards, procedures and
training materials of the respective dive training agency. The agency must meet or
exceed the World Recreational Scuba Training Council training standards.
2
All dive operations must comply with the requirements of the Health and Safety in
Employment Act 1992, the Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995, the
Accident Compensation Act 2001, AS/NZS 2299.3:2003 Occupational diving
operations – Recreational industry diving and snorkelling operations and the
Guidelines for Occupational Diving 2004.
3
Sufficiency for this unit standard requires a minimum of two open water dives.
4
Definitions
Dive plan refers to the procedures by which the accredited dive provider’s diving
operations are implemented for all dives required to meet this standard.
Open water is any natural body of water realistic of local diving conditions in terms of
water movement, temperature, visibility, depth and aquatic life.
PADI refers to the Professional Association of Diving Instructors.
SCUBA refers to Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.
SSI refers to Scuba Schools International.
Skills Active Aotearoa Limited
SSB Code 101576
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
28407 version 1
Page 2 of 4
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Demonstrate knowledge of boat diving.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Types, features and selection of dive boats are described in accordance with
industry technical and safety criteria.
Range
types may include but are not limited to – liveaboards, day boats,
personal;
a minimum of one is required;
features may include but are not limited to – length, speed, diver
capacity, on board compressor, facilities, hospitality, comfort and
design, entry and exit points, electronics, safety equipment,
exposure protection, accommodation, cooking facilities, gear
stowage, tank racks;
a minimum of ten is required;
selection may include but is not limited to – determining needs,
type of diving, prices and value, skipper and crew experience,
length of trip;
a minimum of three is required.
1.2
Common boat terminology is described in accordance with industry technical
and safety criteria.
Range
nautical terms to orientate oneself on a boat may include but are
not limited to – bow, stern, starboard, port, windward, leeward,
aloft, below deck, above deck, amidships;
a minimum of six is required.
terms to identify an area on a boat may include but are not limited
to – head, galley, bridge, wheelhouse, transom, rail, gunwale;
a minimum of four is required.
1.3
Potential boat diving hazards are described in accordance with industry
technical and safety criteria.
Range
1.4
may include but is not limited to – motion and seasickness,
propellers, movement of the boat, rough seas and boat movement,
losing the boat, inability to anchor, surfacing under the boat,
environmental factors, unrestrained objects, boat traffic,
entanglement;
a minimum of five is required.
Boat diving procedures are described in accordance with industry technical and
safety criteria.
Skills Active Aotearoa Limited
SSB Code 101576
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
Range
1.5
28407 version 1
Page 3 of 4
may include but is not limited to – equipment preparation,
boarding, boat etiquette, boat briefings, pre dive briefings, dive
flags, role of supervisory staff, entry and exits, diver recall, surface
communication, stowing equipment, safety equipment, emergency
procedures, seafood gathering, motion or seasickness prevention,
out of bounds areas, anchoring, logging divers in and out of the
water, post dive;
a minimum of ten is required.
Boat diving techniques are described in accordance with industry technical and
safety criteria.
Range
entry and exits, use of anchor line, trip lines, tag lines, drop lines,
drop bars, current lines, platforms, ladders, navigation, drift diving,
safety stops, diving from an un anchored boat;
a minimum of six is required.
Outcome 2
Plan and perform SCUBA dives off a boat in open water.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Dive planning and preparation is conducted and parameters established for
dives off a boat in accordance with industry technical and safety criteria.
Range
2.2
boat dive objectives, assessment of dive site and environmental
conditions, hazard identification, emergency procedures including
lost buddy, maximum depth and bottom time, returning air
pressure, repetitive dives, entry and exit procedures, descent and
ascent procedures, direction, communication, safety and specialist
equipment setup, personal dive equipment selection, assembly
and checks, buddy team selection and checks, roles and
responsibilities including that of topside personnel.
Boat dives are performed in accordance with the dive plan and industry
technical and safety criteria.
Range
may include but is not limited to – dives from an anchored boat,
dives from an unanchored boat, entry, descent or ascent using a
reference line as a tactile guide, free descent or ascent,
navigation, maintaining buddy contact, underwater and surface
communication, exit;
a minimum of eight is required.
Replacement information
Skills Active Aotearoa Limited
SSB Code 101576
This unit standard replaced unit standard 4402.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
Planned review date
28407 version 1
Page 4 of 4
31 December 2019
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
20 November 2014
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0099
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA,
before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses
of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies
to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact Skills Active Aotearoa Limited info@skillsactive.org.nz if you wish to
suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Skills Active Aotearoa Limited
SSB Code 101576
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016