GUE BASIC FUNDAMENTALS

The GUE Fundamentals Course is the most popular program offered by GUE. The Basic Fundamentals course is designed for divers who wish to improve their essential diving skills necessary for safe diving.

Some divers use the GUE Fundamentals program to enhance the training they received in traditional fast-track entry-level courses. Others see it as a gateway to participating in GUE projects and activities. Regardless of certification level or experience, all divers will benefit. Completing the course successfully is an achievement to be proud of, as the quality of a GUE Fundamentals diver is recognized worldwide.

For many divers who were not trained by GUE, the Fundamentals program is an "Aha moment" where everything falls into place. The standardized equipment configuration and procedures are just a small part of the overall concept. Recognizing how a team-oriented approach can free up resources and increase situational awareness to maximize safety, efficiency, and fun is a life-changing moment for many students. They leave the course with a completely new approach to diving.

Who is the course for?

The GUE Basic Fundamentals course offers all divers the opportunity to improve their basic diving skills. It serves divers who have not been trained by GUE (divers who are certified by another recognized diving organization) as an introduction to GUE training.

It is also a prerequisite for other recreational GUE courses, such as Navigation, Rescue, Deep Primers, Scientific Diver, DPV 1, and more.

What will I learn?

The course outcomes include:

• GUE equipment configuration and use
• Trim and buoyancy
• Propulsion techniques, including the back kick
• Valve management (the course can be conducted with either a single or double tank)
• Gas sharing and SMB deployment

If you choose to take the course with a double-tank configuration, you must have either 15 double-tank dives or the GUE Doubles Primer certification before the course.

You will also gain access to the GUE online learning platform, which you can use before the practical part of the course. This online learning system adapts to your pace, helping you learn what you don’t know. You can study at your own speed, ensuring that all students can master the material. Your time with the instructor will then be used to focus on the practical diving elements. You will experience the benefits of standardized equipment configuration and standardized procedures, and learn how a team-oriented approach can be used in diving to maximize safety, efficiency, and fun. By the end of the course, you will have built a solid diving foundation based on balance, trim, buoyancy, and propulsion techniques.

This course complements any prior training you may have received and will give you more confidence in your basic skills, even if you are not interested in further training. The course also includes theory and the use of Nitrox.

Requirements and Duration

Participants must:

• Be at least 14 years old
• Be physically and mentally fit
• Be a non-smoker
• Be able to swim
• Obtain written approval from a doctor for the use of prescription medication (excluding contraceptives) or for any medical condition that could pose a risk while diving
• Be certified as an independent entry-level diver (or equivalent) by a recognized diving organization
• If using double tanks during the course, have at least 15 non-training dives in the GUE double-tank configuration or hold a GUE Doubles Primer certification
• If using a drysuit during the course, have at least 15 non-training dives in a drysuit or hold a GUE Drysuit Primer certification

For a full list of course requirements, click here:
Fundamentals Course Requirements

The GUE Basic Fundamentals course is typically conducted over three days. It requires a minimum of six dives and at least 24 hours of instruction, including both classroom and underwater exercises. Additional time is required for theory (online and/or in-person).

At the instructor’s discretion, GUE Performance Divers may be able to credit part of their training toward the GUE Basic Fundamentals qualification.