Megayacht owners and guests who enjoy diving, or want to learn, now have a new option. The Dive Superyacht program allows your PADI-certified crewmembers to receive special PADI certificates, without the yacht having to become an official PADI Dive Boat or you hiring a dive charter.
Dive Superyacht was created by Blueprint Marine. The UK-based company is a crew- and PADI-training center. Since it regularly teaches yacht crew to become divers, Dive Superyacht was a natural extension of the business. It covers both yacht-specific and dive-specific matters, in recognition that some PADI instructors might not already be in the yachting industry. Therefore, Dive Superyacht teaches emergency marine radio use, knots, and the etiquette of working with superyacht guests, plus advanced dive planning and preparation. The latter includes raising awareness of anomalies in areas that may not be familiar. It also includes risk assessment and emergency-action plans in those same unfamiliar areas.
Regardless, for crewmembers who complete the course, their yacht receives recognition as a PADI Superyacht Center. Guests therefore can get PADI certified during their stay. The certified crewmembers can tap the Dive Superyacht’s staff to arrange recreational guides or receive help with equipment servicing, replacement, and/or leasing. Equally noteworthy, the certified crew get audited. Dive Superyacht staff check that they’re properly maintaining and servicing dive equipment and have the correct safety gear, among other things.
Another notable benefit of enrolling: the option of joining a database. Crewmembers, particularly if they’re freelance, can be listed in the PADI Instructors and Divemasters database. They therefore can fly out to a yacht when needed.
Tim Hughes, Blueprint Marine’s director, says four megayachts have already enrolled crewmembers in the two-day course. Anyone else interested receives a 10-percent discount if they enroll through August.
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