DPV/Scooter 1 is a unique class designed to teach the essential skills needed when operating diver propulsion vehicles (also called DPVs, or scooters) in recreational realms.

This is an excellent class, no matter which type of scooter you use, to learn not only how to correctly operate and control a scooter, but also how to repair and maintain your scooter.

In addition to simply sharing the fun of scootering, this class teaches the diver the foundational and critical aspects of scooter diving, increasing the diver's fun and efficiency, also reducing stress and diver risk while traveling at 180+ feet per minute.
Day 2 - We'll start with dry run sessions designed to introduce all the essential skills, such as learning to balance the scooter, how to properly weight the scooter for proper buoyancy characteristics and suggested towline sizing. This is also the first day of in-water skills. Today's dives are designed to teach balance, buoyancy and trim while using the scooter while also learning to turn, stop, start, manage & control the scooter. You'll also learn and practice important skills such towing the scooter and towing other scooter divers. Remember all dives are video'd for subsequent evaluation and review.

Day 3 - We'll begin with additional lectures and dry runs of the skills to be covered today, followed by 2 more dives where you'll practice the newly introduced skills as well as the skills that were debriefed the previous day. We'll also introduce critical skills relating to scooter based diving such as managing an OOG emergency, failed scooter, crash control and runaway scooter. Following the dive we'll return to the classroom for final lectures and video debrief.

All of our classes are video'd for educational review, as we believe this is invaluable for students to visually focus on their individual in-water skills, situational awareness, communication, and team diving. Learning to self evaluate is an important aspect of any class, and video is one of the most important tools we have for instruction. You will be evaluated during the class to obtain the UTD Scooter 1 certification. This certification will allow you to safely scooter dive within recreational limits, rent DPVs on your travels and to continue on to the UTD DPV 2 training curriculum.

Our focus is the complete dedication to your diving skills, knowledge & in water practice.

Prerequisites
Minimum 16 years of age
Must be a certified open water diver from a recognized training agency
Minimum 25 logged dives

Overview/Course limits
Maximum depth is 60’. Average depth 20-30'
All dives are to maintain a working PO2 of no greater than 1.4
Standard gas is air or 32%
Single or double tank configuration
No stage decompression
No overhead environments
Instructor to student ratio maximum 6:1 in open water, adjusting downward for environmental conditions.

Requirements
Complete the UTD academic materials (online or book)
​All FKD classes are non-smoking
The use of prescription drugs must be authorized prior to the onset of diver training by a physician
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Required Equipment
Tow-behind scooter
See our Equipment Requirements Page for Essentials of Recreational Diving

Rentals are available for most equipment. If you have any questions on equipment requirements or rentals, please contact us prior to registering.


We start with scooter care and upkeep, as well as techniques for proper balance, weighting and towline sizing.

Skills focus on improving diver proficiency and awareness while scootering, riding position, buoyancy control, scooter team communication, battery burntime management, DPV underwater communication, dive light management, effective scooter risk evaluation and efficient dive planning.

Equal focus is also on contingencies and emergencies such as crash control, out of gas (OOG), runaway scooter, failed scooter and diver towing and exit procedures and options.

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