Rebreather courses

STDA provides 6 levels of training, three basic levels and three advanced levels, considering the diver level that enroll the course. There is also the Refresh CCR program, a workshop in half day or whole day with 1 or 2 in water sessions to restart diving after a period of inactivity. 2021 Flow chart REB senza Logo

Divers, already certified in R2 Deep in OC (or equivalent), can attend directly the 'Intro to Rebreather - Adv' , the fundamentals CCR training program of STDA.

The continuation is the 'Intro to Reb - Deep' course for recreational divers and the 'CCR 1' and 'CCR 2' courses for OC certified technical divers.

For all the courses it's possible to attend the theory sessions through the web. In this way you can use your time at the best. Same thing if you want to come in Italy to attend your courses. You can do the theory lessons before your coming. Contact us for more info: info@stdahq.com

Currently 'STDA' considers as rebreather of reference the followings:

 

Why CCR rebreathers?

Theoretically talking, the Closed Circuit Rebreathers are considered the 'state of the art' of scuba diving. In the past, the development of these systems, faced many stops but in the new millenium, in particular with the huge improvement of electronics technology, the closed circuit rebreathers started to have a wide diffusion. The reasons were quite obvious from long time: using for deep and/or long dives a rare, strategic and always more expensive gas as helium, the most efficient system was and is without any doubt the CCR system. CCR have also an other big advantage: a CCR is really lighter (26-36kg) than OC double tanks (>40kg minimum) or a pSCR (>45kg minimum). Your back will thank you.

Moreover, during the years STDA has acquired evidence that CCR diving decrease the risk of DCS in divers affected by PFO.


Marco Valenti, STDA founder, believes in this system for many years. He's a CCR user since 2004. He's a CCR Instructor Trainer, developer and tester.

Keeping always in mind that is a different way of diving, generally more complex, CCR needs a different appproach than the open circuit. This means that it is not obvious that an experienced open circuit diver is automatically suitable for the use of a CCR. The history and the direct experience in training have brought out it clearly.

For these reasons, STDA stares at the technical training mainly on rebreather diving, with the goal to develop the use of rebreather also in recreational diving. What it's needed, it's the 'right' rebreather and training.

 

It's scheduled a x-over program for XCCR rebreather. The course will be customized according to the experience of the diver and the rebreather type used.
L'attività subcquea prevede un impegno cardio-respiratorio di un certo livello ma tutto il sistema fisiologico viene 'stressato' per le condizioni in cui viene svolta. Il carico di peso...
Congratulations to Menon M., already recreational instructor and course director that concluded his first rebreather course, receving the 'Intro to Rebreather ADV' certification STDA. Menon got a...
 

CCR 3 - CCR 3 Explorer courses

Targets

The 'CCR 3' and 'CCR 3 Explorer' courses aims to complete the training of the rebreather diver, following the STDA standards. The structure of the program is the same of the previous courses: theory, confined water sessions and open water dives. 'CCR 3' and 'CCR 3 Explorer' programs are mainly focused on decompression theory and procedures (applying the Mnemonic Dive Planing STDA), rebreather failures and managements, bail-out procedures. With the positively conclusion of the course the diver will be able to plan and dive till 80 meters depth and with no depth limitations for Explorer program (the limit, if declared, is the one fixed by the rebreather manufacturer) considering the diver esperience and dive logistic. The 'Explorer' program is an extension of 'CCR 3', that can be done extending the CCR 3 progam if the instructor evaluates the candidate suitable for this extension.

Prerequisites ('CCR 3')

  • be certified 'CCR 2' or equivalent
  • for CCR3 DPV Tech certification
  • for CCR 3 Explorer, DPV Tech and Overhead Environment Fundamentals STDA certifications (or equivalent) are requested
  • medical certificate not older than one year; recommended PFO examination (Patent foramen ovale); for C19 'vaccinated' blood tests
  • non smoker
  • minimum age: 21 years old
  • documented experience of at least 100 hours of dives with rebreather

Before the course start, the instructor could ask to do a rebreather dive to evaluate the level of training of the candidate.

Program and duration of the course with 2 students ('CCR 3')

Diver without Open Circuit Tri-mix 80mts certification

Diver with Open Circuit Tri-mix 80mts certification or above

minimum days: on-line theory + 6 days

minimum days: on-line theory + 4 days

theory, including 'dry' labs: minimum 12 hours

theory, including 'dry' labs: minimum 10 hours

Theory sessions: 5

Theory sessions: 4

Final assessment: quizzes with multiple choice

Final assessment: quizzes with multiple choice

Maximum percentage of allowed wrong answer: 20%

Maximum percentage of allowed wrong answer: 20%

Exceeding the maximum allowable percentage leads to the conclusion of the course

Exceeding the maximum allowable percentage leads to the conclusion of the course

Confined water sessions: minimum 2

Confined water sessions: minimum 1

Open water dives: minimum 5 with a cumulated run time of minimum 340 minutes

Open water dives: minimum 3 with a cumulated run time of minimum 240 minutes

The maximum time for completion of the course: 6 months;if exceeded, the course must be repeated entirely

The maximum time for completion of the course: 6 months; if exceeded, the course must be repeated entirely

Certification limits ('CCR 3')

  • Max depth: -80 meters with mandatory out-board bail-out bottles with adequate mixtures and volumes (liters of the mix)
  • Max pO2, set point: 1,2 ata
  • Diluent allowed: Tri-Mix - Max fHe 0,70 - 0,10 ≤ f O2 ≤ 0,13

The certification doesn't allow to dive in overhead environment (cavern, cave, wreck, underice etc) and 'SOLO' diving

 

Certification limits 'CCR 3' Explorer'

During the course:

  • Max depth: -100 meters limit with mandatory out-board bail-out bottles with adequate mixtures and volumes (liters of the mix)
  • Max pO2, set point: 1,0 ata
  • Diluent allowed: Tri-Mix – 0,70 ≤ fHe ≤ 0,80 - fO2 ≤ 0,10

The certification doesn't allow to dive in overhead environment (cavern, cave, wreck, underice etc) and 'SOLO' diving

Rough prices: on request (info@stdahq.com)

NOT included: mixes, instructor 'room and board' for other locations, boats if needed and extra days for training or delays due to adverse weather conditions.

Extra training day cost: 200€/day

 

Marco Valenti
38122 Trento (TN) - Italy
t. +39 347 5041939
info@bluedge.it
Copyright © 2025 Marco Valenti