About the Course
If you’re new to boat diving or want to learn more about diving from different types of boats, enroll in the PADI® Boat Diver course.
During two dives with an instructor you’ll learn nautical terminology, boat diving etiquette and may practice using lines and/or deploy a surface marker buoy (SMB).
- Learn boat diving etiquette
- Understand boat terminology
- Pack for a boat trip
- Properly stow your gear
- Manage seasickness
Why Take the PADI Boat Diver Course?
If you love to travel, the PADI Boat Diver Specialty course will prepare you to dive from small inflatables all the way up to large liveaboards. Learn how to enter and exit the water, use current lines and manage seasickness.
PADI eLearning
PADI eLearning makes it easy to fit scuba lessons into a busy schedule. Complete the independent study part of your course whenever, wherever it’s convenient for you.
Work at your own pace, online or offline, using a computer or mobile device. Connect with your instructor for inwater training, or whenever you have a question.
- eLearning time commitment : 2-4 hours
With Your Instructor
You'll make two dives from a boat where you’ll practice entering and exiting the water and properly stowing your gear. Your instructor will also teach you about local boat diving etiquette and safety procedures.
- Prerequisites : PADI (Junior) Open Water Diver (or qualifying entry-level-certification)
- Total time commitment: 1-2 days
- Minimum age: 10 years or older
More Info
Scuba diving requires a minimum level of health and fitness. Chronic health conditions, certain medications and/or recent surgery may require you to get written approval from a physician before diving.
Avoid disappointment, download and review the Diver Medical form to ensure you won’t need a physician’s approval to dive before enrolling in a scuba course. Instructors, divemasters and dive shop staff are not physicians and should not be asked for medical advice; only medical professionals can give medical clearance to dive.
If you (or your physician) have questions about medical fitness to dive, contact the experts at Divers Alert Network (DAN).
Minimum Age: 10
Course prerequisites: (Jr.) Open Water Diver or equivalent entry-level certification
Choosing a Dive Shop
You can complete this course locally or while travelling.
Choose a dive shop close to home to:
- Support your local diving community
- Meet dive buddies in your local area
- Learn about your local ecosystem
This course requires both knowledge development and inwater training for certification. When you purchase PADI eLearning from our website, the cost covers the knowledge development portion only.
There is an additional cost to complete your certification with a PADI Instructor. The cost depends on class size, environment, and whether or not you need to rent equipment. Contact a PADI Dive Center or Resort for more information and pricing.
In addition to basic scuba gear, you will need a surface signaling device, such as an inflatable signal tube also known as a surface marker buoy or SMB. A spare parts kit is also a good idea. Your PADI Instructor or local dive center staff may suggest additional equipment depending on where your boat diving adventures take you.
PADI eLearning: 2-4 hours
Entire course: 1-2 days
English.
For information on other available languages please contact your PADI Dive Center.
PADI’s online courses are designed to work on the browsers listed below. For the best experience, make sure your browser is up-to-date.
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If you plan to be somewhere without internet access, use the PADI Training app to download course content and study offline. Content can be downloaded in small sections with a total file size of approximately 182 MB. When you get back online, upload your progress so you can resume your training right where you left off.
The PADI Training app is available for Android™ and Apple® iOS devices. For the ideal experience, devices should be no more than three models old and running with the most current OS (operating system).
The first dive of your Boat Diver Specialty course may count toward your Advanced Open Water Diver certification – ask your instructor about earning credit.
Every PADI Specialty certification you earn gets you one step closer to becoming a Master Scuba Diver™. This elite rating is achieved by only two percent of divers.