With this gap year internship, you'll learn to handle our high speed RIB (capable of speeds of up to 36 knots).

This is a boat handling package designed for divers. By the end of this gap year internship you'll be comfortable driving our dive boat (and much more employable in the diving industry).

In addition to our main dive boat, DJL Diving is lucky enough to have a fully equipped high speed RIB.

Weighing just over 600 kgs, this boat is propelled by twin Yamaha outboards - this makes the boat very rapid, achieving speeds up to 36 knots with calm sea conditions.

To put that in perspective, our big boat takes 45 minutes to reach the Chumphon Pinnacles. The RIB is there in just 12 minutes!!

Onboard the six metre RIB we have everything you need to go diving - radio, sonar/depth sounder, GPS C-map and tank rack for up to 10 divers.

The speed of the RIB gives is great flexibility when choosing dive sites.

As a BSAC Centre of Excellence, DJL Diving is an internationally accredited Seamanship Centre.
With our 'boat handling' dive internship add on, you'll learn to drive our RIB.

Training is divided into four elements:

You'll finish with an internationally recognised boat handling qualification, authorised by both the Marine Coastguard Agencies (MCA) and Combined Diving Association (PADI, BSAC, SSA . . . . ).

Let's take a look at each of the steps in this internship:

BSAC Boat Handling Course

This course commences with a theory session covering different types of boats, and the regulations that we must adhere to. We describe the 'rules of the road' and cover emergency procedures. We examine necessary boat equipment and voyage planning.

Out on the water you'll get familiar with the controls, practice launching and retrieving the rib, plus man overboard procedures. You'll have a go at dropping and securing buoys and try out some high and low speed manouveres.

BSAC Chartwork Skill Development Course

Building on your boat handling skills we start to look at chart work and navigation.

You'll learn what charts are, what different types exist and then start to calculate distances and directions using longitude, latitude and compass navigation aids. We'll then concentrate on buoyage and lighting, cover the different symbols and abbreviations used, and learn to appreciate environmental conditions such as tidal movements, considering depth and bottom composition.

Out on the boat you'll practice steering on a compass bearing, position fixing and triangulation using fixed transits plus take a look at GPS usage.

Logged Boat Driving Experience

Now it's time to practice your skills, logging hours driving our RIB.

This will be ferrying between the Koh Tao dive sites, under the guidance of a boat

handling instructor. Most likely there will be real diving customers on the boat.

BSAC Diver Cox'n Assessment

The final part of the package is a full assessment of everything you've learned.

You'll demonstrate your skills by completing a driving course, undertake three point turns, pick up buoys and show the correct man overboard procedures. You'll also hold position off a fixed reference with a current present.

Following this will be a quiz on chartwork and navigation skills.

After passing the diver cox'n assessment you'll recieve the BSAC Dive Cox'n Award allowing you to drive boats up to 8 metres in length.

The Power Boat Handling Internship Add On includes everything you need!

You'll get two weeks accommodation, all necessary materials and certifications, and quality training to make you into a competent diving boat skipper!

This greatly increases your seamanship skills, and greatly improves your employment options if you're looking at working in the dive industry.

Here's a breakdown of the costs and exactly what's included in the diving gap year internship add on;