Dudas Diving Duds

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Scuba Diving Class

  • Scuba Diving Class

    We want to share our love of the underwater world with you!  This entry level certification course will prepare you to begin to experience it with us or on your own.  Classes are taught at several area locations and scheduling is flexible as well.  We teach at locations convenient to West Chester, Media, Exton, Malvern, Frazer, Devon, Paoli, and many other locations!!

    Every Scuba Diver class at Dudas Diving Duds begins with an orientation session. The orientation is a chance for you to meet your dive instructor, and your fellow students. It also gives you a chance to visit our store, if you have not already. We will introduce you to the dive and snorkel equipment, point out what equipment you will need to purchase, and fit you in some Scuba equipment. There is some paperwork to fill out and you can get a jump on things by filling out the appropriate medical form below. If you own some snorkeling equipment please bring it along for the instructor’s evaluation.

    Every Scuba diving Class takes place in two parts. First, skills must be learned in a confined water environment (the pool). After the classroom and pool work is finished, you will need to complete 4 open water dives (In a lake or the ocean). These dives can be done with us or a letter of referral can be written if you wish to complete the dives while you are on vacation elsewhere.

  • Class and Pool Sessions

    Our Scuba Diver classes consists of 6 classroom and 5 pool sessions where students learn about the equipment that is necessary to safely dive, physiological concerns with diving, how to avoid the dangers that can beset scuba divers. Each class consists of a 1.5  hour classroom session. You will need to bring a notebook and pen as well as your textbook packet to class.

    Each classroom period is followed by a pool session. The pool sessions are where students get hands-on learning experience with the Scuba equipment. Each session is designed to familiarize students with equipment for both warm and cold water diving environments, how to cope with minor problems underwater, and how to assist other divers in an emergency. The pool sessions are specifically designed to prepare students for their open water checkout dives. You will need to bring a bathing suit and towel as well as your snorkeling equipment to each pool session.

    The age requirement for diving is age 10 but with depth restrictions, then at 12 the restrictions are removed. All divers must dive with a parent or legal guardian until age 15 regardless of the certifying agency. When divers reach 15 years old, they no longer are required to dive with a parent but must have parental permission to dive until they are 18.

     

     

     

  • Equipment

    We provide the scuba equipment necessary to complete the lessons. However, we do require that each student own their snorkeling equipment. As a diver you will be much more comfortable in equipment that is properly fitted to you. The equipment that is required for purchase is a mask, snorkel, fins, boots to go with the fins, a weight belt, and a few pounds of weights. All of this equipment is available for purchase in our store and we highly recommend that you stop in a visit with our store staff to get properly outfitted. If you already own snorkeling equipment, please bring it with you to the orientation so that the class instructor can determine if it will be adequate for learning to scuba dive.

    The class also requires some materials from NAUI and PADI. Each student will need a textbook packet that contains a textbook, workbook, dive logbook, dive tables, and student folder. Some of the materials can be shared among family members but everyone needs their own logbook, student folder, and workbook. Some instructors require the purchase of corresponding DVD or video.

    *NEW* As all travel destinations include weights and often weight belt with their dive packages, we are offering rental weights and belts for students to rent for the duration of the class for $25. If you feel that you will become involved in scuba diving in the local Philadelphia area, we recommend purchasing your own weights and belt.

    Personal Snorkeling Equipment- Cost ranges from $275-$500

  • Completing your Certification

    After you have finished you Scuba class you need to spend some time going diving to complete the Scuba certification. The certification process consists of 4 dives over 2 days in an open water environment (as opposed to confined water like a swimming pool).

    The certification is the final step to preparing for your exploration of the underwater world! It is intended to introduce you to a real aquatic environment under the supervision of an instructor. You will be expected to perform the skills that you learned and practiced during your pool sessions. Learn how to manage the equipment needed for a diving excursion and plan your dives!  The certification weekend is a separate fee from the Scuba Class as there are several options available.

    Certification Weekend- $199.00
    Includes:

    Official registration with either the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) or the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). Lectures and Guided Dives from your Instructor and Divemasters. Use of Rental Scuba Gear including 7mm Wetsuit, Hood, Gloves and Dive Computer.

    Come with us on a weekend to our local watering hole, Dutch Springs!

    Located near Allentown, Dutch Springs was formerly a quarry and now a lake. Lots of attractions have been placed in the lake with guidelines running from place to place. While some fresh water lakes have poor visibility, Dutch Springs have a population of fresh water zebra mussels that filter feed and crreate excellent visibilty in the lake. Dutch Springs is a spring fed lake and requires some extra thermal protection (which you will have learned how to use in the pool), the surface temperature in the summer can get upwards of 70 degrees but below the thermocline it is ambient ground temperature but with a 7mm wetsuit, it is manged quite comfortablely. Dudas Diving Duds schedules openwater certifications to Dutch Springs from May through November.

    The Florida Keys are a wonderful easy going environment to complete your Scuba certification

    Ok, so its winter and its just too cold to go diving in Pennsylvania. Well, we like to escape to Florida during the winter months for long weekends. We fly into Miami and rent a car to travel to Key Largo where we will be diving with Ocean Divers. You are welcome to join us on one of our getaways to complete you openwater dives. You get to see first hand the tropical fish and coral formation that you have heard so much about, and maybe a shipwreck or two! After you finish your dives, you get a bonus of diving for some extra days with your instructor. Visit our Florida Keys travel page for more details…

    The North Florida Springs are an intriging geological phenomina that pump crystal clear water at a year round constant 72 degrees.

    The springs are the outlet for massive underwater caves that have been carved into the soft Florida limestone over milennia. While the Caves offer some more advanced diving, your certification dives can be performed in the open water springs that lead to the entrances to the caves! Neat! Check out our Florida Cave Country page for more more details about upcoming trips!

    You are not limited to these choices!

    Do you have a trip to a wonderful tropical destination already planned? No problem, your instructor can put together a referral packet together for you  that verifies you did all of the course and pool work. And you can find a dive resort at your destination that will help you complete your open water dives! Talk to your instructor for more details!

    The certification weekend is a separate fee from the Scuba Class as there are several options available.

  • Scuba Camp for Kids!

    June Camp @ Malvern Prep

    Monday – Friday, June 24-28, 2013

     

    July Camp @ Malvern Prep

    Monday – Friday, July 15-19,2013

    Let your child learn the skills necessary to become a certified SCUBA diver while enjoying the fun and companionship of other children their age. Dudas’ Diving Duds is offering a SCUBA camps designed and taught specifically for the young diver.  This course is offered for 10-18 year olds. The Scuba camp is a week long class, from 9AM until 4:30 PM Monday-Wednesday (bring your own lunch).  The certification dives will be on Thursday and Fridayat a local lake designed for divers.

    If the child is 10-14 years of age and they successfully complete the certification dives on Thursday and Friday, as well as all of the course requirements, they will receive a junior rating with a nationally recognized certification agency. The Junior certification holds all the same advantages as the full SCUBA Diver card, but they junior diver must dive with a parant or legally designated guardian.  When the child turns 15 they will automatically be eligible for a full certification.

    Any child 15-18 years of age who completes the certification dives will receive the adult SCUBA certification from a nationally recognized training agency.

    Parents are responsible for transportation to and from Malvern Prep  each day. Parents are also responsible for transportation to Dutch Springs for the certification dives.  Entrance fees for Dutch Springs are additional and paid to the establishment each day. ($37/day with a signed waiver.)

    All necessary SCUBA equipment will be supplied during the course. However, it is required that each child have their own mask, fins, snorkel and weight belt with weights. This is personal gear and fit is very important.  A textbook package (textbook, logbook, student record folder, workbook, video, and audio tape and dive tables) will also need to be purchased at the dive center prior to the camp session. The cost for these items depends on the chosen gear but ranges from approx. $275-$500.

    Scuba Camp Costs $525

  • Private & Custom Classes

    If our class dates don’t fit your shedule, no problem, We can organize Private or Semi-Private Lessons for you!

    If you have a trip planned sooner then you could finish a regular class or if you simply have a busy schedule, we can work with you. Our instructors are available to work with you one on one or with a small group. We will organize classroom times around your schedule, we have a classroom in our store or we can travel to you for the classroom. There are several area pools that we have access to, weekends during the day and some evenings. Or if you have a pool at your home that is at least 10 feet deep, we could even do the entire class at your home!

    Private lessons are tailored to fit your schedule, the instructor’s schedule, and available pool times. If scheduling allows, classes can be completed in as little as a week!

    The cost for one on one Private lessons is $599. If more then one person is taking the class, up to 6 people, the cost is $499 per person.

    Each student will need the Snorkeling equipment listed in the Equipment Section

    The openwater certification dives costs are the same for private and regular classes. And referrals are available to complete you openwater dives on vacation.

  • Class Locations & Dates

    West Chester YMCA

    Get directions to the West Chester YMCA (605 Airport Road  West Chester, PA 19380)

    Start Date Session Dates Time
    Sunday, April 28, 2013 Meets 4/28, 5/5, (No class on Mothers Day), 5/19, 5/26 & 6/2 8am-12pm
    Tuesday, May 7, 2013 Meets 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28, 6/4 & 6/11 6-9:30 pm
    Friday, February 15, 2013
    *New Accelerated Class*    		 Meets 2/15 (6-8pm), 2/16, 2/17, 2/23 & 2/24
    (Sat & Sun meet 8:30am-1pm)    		  Times Vary

    Upper Main Line YMCA

    Get directions to the Upper Mainline YMCA  (1416 Berwyn Paoli Road  Berwyn, PA 19312)

    Start Date Session Dates Time
    Monday, April 8, 2013 Meets 4/8, 4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 5/6 & 5/13 6-9:30 pm
    Monday, May 20, 2013 Meets (No class 5/27 for Memorial Day), 6/3, 6/10, 6/17, 6/24 & 7/1 6-9:30 pm

  • Class Tuition & Fees

    Class Tuition- $299.00
    Includes:

    Instruction from a nationally certified and insured professional instructor with assistance from certified and insured Divemasters and Assistant Instructors. Use of Rental Scuba Equipment during the pool sessions which includes a Scuba regulator, Bouyancy Compensator, Tanks, and Dive Computer. Classroom and Pool time with 5 pool sessions with 1.5 hours of pool time per session.

    Certification Weekend- $199.00
    Includes:

    Official registration with either the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) or the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). Lectures and Guided Dives from your Instructor and Divemasters. Use of Rental Scuba Gear including 7mm Wetsuit, Hood, Gloves and Dive Computer.

    Personal Snorkeling Equipment- Cost ranges from $275-$500

    Each student will need to purchase personal snorkeling equipment as this is fitted to the individual. The required equipment is: Mask, Snorkel, Open-Heel Fins, Neoprene Boots and a Weight belt & weights. Each student also needs to have a textbook pack. Some of the materials can be shared among family members but everyone needs their own logbook, student folder, and workbook. Some instructors require the purchase of corresponding DVD or video.

    *NEW* As all travel destinations include weights and often weight belt with their dive packages, we are offering rental weights and belts for students to rent for the duration of the class for $25. If you feel that you will become involved in scuba diving in the local Philadelphia area, we recommend purchasing your own weights and belt.

  • Medical Clearance Forms

    Safety is paramount when it comes to Scuba diving!  Part of being a safe diver is understanding that physical health is very important. You will be underwater in an environment foreign to our bodies, as such some medical conditions are of concern to your safety. Some conditions are minor, some are more serious and you will need to have a discussion with your doctor to see if Scuba diving is right for you. Please be aware that there are a few conditions that may preclude you from diving. Please be honest! This is for your own safety.

    Please take the time to fill out the medical questionarie  for the training agency of the class that you are taking. If you mark  yes to any of the questions, then you will  need clearance from your doctor, please print the form out and have your doctor sign off on it!

    If you answer no to all the questions, Please bring your completed form to the first class session.


    PADI Medical Form.pdf

    NAUI Medical Form.pdf

     

Upcoming Classes

West Chester YMCA

Get directions to the West Chester YMCA (605 Airport Road  West Chester, PA 19380)

Start Date Session Dates Time
Sunday, June 2, 2013 Meets June 2,9,16,23 &30 8am-12pm
Tuesday June 18,2013 Meets June 18, 25, July 2, July 9 July 16 and July 25 6pm-10pm
Tuesday July 30, 2013 Meets July 30. Aug. 6, Aug. 13. Aug. 20, Aug. 27 and Sept. 3 6pm-10pm
Sunday Sept. 8, 2013 Meets Sept. 8, 12, 22 and 29 8am-12pm
Sunday, April 28, 2013 Meets 4/28, 5/5, (No class on Mothers Day), 5/19, 5/26 & 6/2  8am-12pm
Tuesday, May 7, 2013 Meets 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28, 6/4 & 6/11

Upper Main Line YMCA

Get directions to the Upper Mainline YMCA  (1416 Berwyn Paoli Road  Berwyn, PA 19312)

Start Date Session Dates Time
July 15,2013 7/15,7/22,7/29, 8/5 and 8/12 6-9:30 pm
Aug. 19, 2013 8/19, 8/26, 9/9, 9/16, 9/23 and 9/30 6-9:30 pm
6-9:30 pm
Monday, June 3,2013 Meets  6/3, 6/10, 6/17, 6/24 & 7/1 6-9:30 pm