SSI Boat Diving Speciality Course in Andaman — Dive Beyond the Shore
Boat Diving Speciality extends your knowledge and polishes the technique used for boat dives. You might have already done a few boat dives — during your Open Water Diver course, or on a fun diving trip — but those dives rarely cover the technique properly. I focus on teaching how to enter and exit the water safely from a moving dive boat, and how to plan a dive around those sites that are only reachable by boat during this course.
It's a short, practical course, and I believe that students walk away with a complete understanding of equipment handling, pre-dive and post-dive safety checks, and the safety equipment that a dive boat carries during dive days.
What You'll Learn
Boat Diving covers everything from stepping onto the dive boat to getting back on dry land. You'll learn the different types of dive boats, boat terminology (the crew use during boat briefing), and how to dress and gear up safely while the boat is moving.
You'll also practice the different types of water entries used from a boat, such as giant stride, backward roll, and others. It also teaches how boat dives differ from shore dives in planning and execution, right through to stowing your equipment at the end.
Eligibility & Prerequisites
To join the Boat Diving Speciality, you'll need to be 10 years or older, hold an Open Water Diver certification (or equivalent from another agency), and be a comfortable swimmer. No prior boat-diving experience is required — that's exactly what this course teaches. For the full breakdown of health and fitness requirements, see our eligibility guide, and check our medical questionnaire form before booking. Please carry a medical fitness certificate if you're above 49 or on prescription medication — the certificate must be current, issued within the last year.
How We Teach SSI Boat Diving Speciality
Boat Diving is a one-day course, so you'll cover everything from theory to open water dives in a single session. I personally start with a classroom session that includes watching videos on entry-exit techniques, boat terminology, safety equipment, and dive equipment handling. I keep a short question-answer session too, so the important information sticks.
On the beach, I run a quick refresher on assembling and disassembling scuba gear, and how to handle the equipment safely. In chest-deep water, I ask students to practice removing and replacing their full scuba gear at the surface before we head out for the actual dives — because on a boat dive, you need to remove your equipment at the surface and hand it to the boat crew.
Onboard, the crew briefs you on the dive boat and safety equipment, and then I quiz you on the facts you need to remember. I demonstrate all the entry procedures — giant stride, back roll entry, and controlled seated entry — and explain when to use each one. We also cover how to surface, signal the boat, and pass your equipment to the crew at the surface. I always ask students to perform a pre-dive safety check before we go in.
We focus on entry and exit procedures during the two open water dives, applying the skills that were taught. We take a surface interval of almost an hour to discuss the dive and the skills performed, while soaking up the sun. I ask my students to plan the next dive themselves, and I only step in with corrections if needed. Finally, we do one more dive putting all the required skills together, and make some memories with the GoPro camera. The day ends with a final exam, logging dives, and a good chat about the course.
Price & Inclusions
The SSI Boat Diving Speciality costs Rs. 14,000, with an instructor-to-student ratio of 1:2. Dives are conducted at depths of 18 to 30 metres, depending on the site chosen for the day — as covered earlier, there's no fixed dive site for this speciality, since the site is picked based on conditions rather than a set location.
What's included:
- Personal instructor at a 1:2 ratio
- 2 open water dives (45 minutes each)
- All rental equipment
- Boat transport to and from the dive site
- Certification fees
- Online study material
What's not included:
- Accommodation and meals
- Miscellaneous expenses (sunscreen, sunglasses, personal swimsuit)
Ready to Explore More?
Boat Diving is just one of ten SSI Speciality courses we offer on Havelock Island. Whether you're drawn to wrecks, night dives, or perfecting your buoyancy, there's likely a speciality that fits what you want to explore next. Take a look at our full range of SSI Speciality Courses and find the one that's right for you.
FAQs
The Boat Diving Speciality teaches boat logistics — entries, exits, and dive planning from a boat — rather than the features of any one site. Because of that, we choose the site each day based on conditions, so you get realistic, varied practice rather than a fixed location.
No, you don't need any prior boat-diving experience to join this course. Most divers have done a handful of boat dives during their Open Water or fun diving, and this speciality is exactly where you build real technique and confidence around it.
Entering from a boat means timing your entry with the boat's movement, using techniques like the giant stride or backward roll, and staying clear of the boat and other divers as you descend — none of which come up with a shore entry.
The Boat Diving Speciality is a one-day course, combining a classroom and beach session with two open water dives, each around 45 minutes long.
No, all rental equipment is included in the course price, so you don't need to bring your own gear unless you prefer to use it.
Ready to Dive Beyond the Shore?
Join the SSI Boat Diving Speciality on Havelock Island and gain the skills and confidence to dive from a boat anywhere in the world.