About Unified Team Diving (UTD)

Welcome to a revolution in your pursuit to a achieve the highest standards of excellence in your diving. Whether you dive recreationally technically, rebreathers, caves, or side-mount, we offer training and equipment that supports your needs. Through UTD’s unique approach of providing a unified, consistent, scalable and interchangeable system, we can help you reach your passion and dreams of achieving excellence.

It has being said that you can always spot a UTD Diver!!!

"Their personal skills are exceptional with a keen sense of situational awareness, a unified approach and a common attitude of “Team.” They are the pinnacle member of a "Thinking Team Diver"”

The roots of Unified Team Diving’s philosophy and principles can be found in the Hogarthian/DIR equipment configuration and its covenants. Hogarthian was a minimalist approach to a gear configuration in the early 90's but those that adhered to it, still kept an diving ideology of "each diver" should configure their own way. DIR built upon the Hogarthian configuration by adding an element of Standardization (late 90's till now) - mainly because of a large scale projects such as Wakulla. However, this rigid standardization in itself lead to a narrowing of the available "tool set" as it was only designed for open-circuit back-mounted double tanks with stage bottles and deco bottles. Any deviation from that configuration such as a single tank, side-mount or rebreather, was either excluded or "cobbled" together.

In 2007, UTD decided to take a unique direction, and build upon our roots for the previous 13 years in Hogarthian & DIR, and evolve the “system” to the next generation - “Unification.” We wanted to keep our standardization and minimalist approach with the “tool” of open-circuit back-mount (DIR) but increase the "tool set", venturing into side-mount and CCR. Our mission and goal was to unify these three systems (configurations) into one system while remaining consistent, scalable and interchangeable. We wanted to drive the industry forward, by being “inclusive” and not exclusive, by keeping the minimalist approach (Hogarthian) and standardization (DIR), however we wanted to create a unified approach to the three systems, thus expanding the number of tools in our toolbox. Keep in mind that we needed to do this while maintaining consistency, scalability and interchangeability. These are core elements in the UTD 10 covenants - See Below.

This unique approach to combining the systems allows for seamless “mixed” team diving and is supported by our global community, progressive education system, and state of the art dedicated equipment. We are now able to realize our mission and revolutionize the scuba industry.

Background

Unified Team Diving is a global leader in scuba diving training and equipment manufacturing, and is a global community for like-minded divers.

Formed in 2008 by Andrew Georgitsis and Jeff Seckendorf with a vision to teach upgraded methodologies with the highest possible standards, UTD solidifies team diving concepts to scuba divers to create the “Thinking Diver."

UTD's roots lie in DIR/Hogarthian diving principles derived originally from cave diving but now integrated seamlessly in the recreational, technical, and public safety diving communities. UTD's training programs and ethos take divers to the next level through a systematic approach to safety and team diving.

UTD is a world-wide, high quality, fast growing dive training agency and online community. UTD’s worldwide presence extends to Europe, USA, Mexico, Russia, South America, Africa, Australia and throughout Asia Pacific including China and the Philippines.

What We Do

Train and Educate

UTD is known globally for delivering world-class scuba dive training courses to divers and instructors. Online educational content has a vast series of academic videos, online classes, and courses for scuba diving. Programs vary from long-term training paths to one-day add-on courses and endorsements.

UTD's online class materials include skills videos, narrated programs, supporting work sheets, tests, and more. The online classes are available to everyone, no matter what agency you've trained with, and regardless of whether you're are enrolled in a UTD certification class. UTD also provides end to end material for UTD instructors.

UTD extends its reach to Facebook, Twitter, and other forums. UTD also allows access to all of its educational materials to instructors from other agencies to assist them in conducting their own courses.

Dive Equipment

UTD provides world class, ready-to-dive equipment for all Scuba divers. The gear is innovative, effective, and integrates seamlessly into every aspect of team diving. UTD Equipment provides every diver with the confidence to dive easily and safely.

Build Communities

Unified Team Diving is an open community which gives the space and platform to divers to exchange experiences, ideas and share knowledge. The community provides online forums to discuss topics, create regional and specialized groups, find the UTD calendar of events, ask questions to the UTD instructors, and much more. The UTD community is an online “Thinking Team” where divers can meet from around the world for free.

UTD'S 10 Covenants

1. Unified Team Diving – The team is your backup – gas, equipment and brain.

2. The Thinking Team – No team member relies on another person or piece of equipment to make the “sole” decisions. No “trust me” dives.

3. Rock Bottom Gas Management – Every diver carries enough gas to bring two divers to the next available gas source, either the surface, a deco bottle, or stage bottle.

4. Standard Gas – Dive the desired PPO2 at the target average depth and keep the equivalent narcosis depth to 100’/30m or less. NO DEEP AIR.

5. Consistent Modular Equipment Configuration – An equipment configuration that is consistent, scalable and interchangable within the team for all types of diving and diving environments.

6. Minimalist Approach – Only take what you need for the dive.

7. Holistic – All components of the system are thought out, work together and have a solid reason behind their use and placement.

8. Streamlined and Accessible Equipment Configuration – All components can be stowed, yet are convenient to access.

9. Situational Awareness – Manage the environment, equipment and team, giving equal attention to each, never becoming fixated or inflexible. Head up, eyes open, and brain on.

10. The Proper Training and Experience for the Dive – Have the appropriate training to ensure consistent protocols and skills for the dive and understand the potential hazards. This will ensure the correct starting point to build experience.

UTD Ethos

Unified Team Diving is the next generation of teaching and diving principles that highlight unification, consistency, scalability and interchangeability:

Equipment Configuration – Each diver is equipped with a minimal, standardized, consistent, scalable and interchangeable approach to their configuration, essentially the UTD “Unified System.” This allows for rapid and effective response to any problem or emergency, as each team member knows exactly how everyone’s gear is configured.
Dive Objective and Planning – UTD teaches a simple, yet organized method of dive planning that ensures sufficient air for two divers to safely return to the surface while air-sharing. This method increases comfort levels and recreational satisfaction while in the water.
Training Level – Each UTD Certified Diver is trained using the same rigorous standards of diving. This uniformity in training and certification expectations assures UTD teammates from around the world that they will be able to dive effortlessly and safely together.
In-Water Skill Set – UTD sets high but attainable standards for in-water skills. The UTD classes go beyond direct instruction/demonstration and embody students working together as a team, modifying instruction to best meet learning needs of the individual.
Diving Experience – All UTD classes conclude with a dive experience, allowing students to apply what they’ve learned and utilize their most recent training.
Community- All UTD members belong to a social network of other Unified Team Divers to share experiences, stories, images, video, and their “passion.”
Fun – All classes celebrate the spirit of diving.

UTD is an inclusive underwater philosophy that unifies the team towards the dive, maximizing safety, conformity and competence of the team and the members and ultimately the overall enjoyment of the dive.

UTD Mission

To develop and certify a global community of “Thinking Team” members.
To develop and certify instructors who will teach and incorporate the UTD Principles, Standards and Procedures, and diving ethos into their classes, while ensuring their course curricula adhere to the UTD standards.
To develop and certify divers who want to dive and incorporate the UTD approach into their diving.
To ensure students attending UTD sanctioned classes receive quality instruction within a course structure that adheres to the highest set of standards and procedures as set by UTD.
To provide the most technologically advanced Online Learning Center for Instructors and Students alike to receive up-to-date information on UTD Classroom materials, diving techniques, teaching skills and other resources to help improve one's class or diving.
To allow “open” access to the knowledge base for any Instructor and/or Student of another agency so they may use the materials to support their DIR/Hogarthian based class.
To extend beyond our roots in UTD/DIR/Hogarthian diving and foster a new generation of “thinking team/instructors/divers/explorers” through our innovative teaching methodologies and curricula.
To provide an avenue to develop a dedicated line of equipment that has being created in conjunction with the manufacturers to meet UTD standards and diving skill requirements.
To provide vigorous testing of equipment by our R and D Team in a wide variety of environments and conditions, that then narrows the array of equipment to gear we personally use in our recreational and exploration diving.
To provide equipment that is complete and ready to dive, without any further modification needed.
To provide access to equipment that our team members, instructors and students can trust and that will support our diving philosophy.
To provide an open and inclusive environment for new divers to join our global community, coming together to share their passion. This social network provides a place for divers to share their experiences, gain further practical knowledge of UTD diving, meet and dive with other global team members.

Why Choose UTD?

You can enter a class at your current level – Divers and Instructors alike can move into a UTD class at your current or next level - it is not necessary to start from the bottom. UTD Instructors are always available for an evaluation dive prior to your class. Click here for UTD class structure.
Student support materials – UTD's online class materials include narrated programs, skills videos, gas management work sheets, tests and more. Study on your schedule, then review and ask questions during your class when you meet with your instructor. The online classes are available to everyone, no matter what agency you've trained with, and regardless of whether you're are enrolled in a certification class or not. Follow this link to check out the sample online class.
Instructor support materials – As a UTD Instructor you receive all student materials (Online classrooms, tests, pdf's, video's and so on), plus Instructor Only support materials that include instructor presentations with special notes, videos of skills and dry runs, the UTD Operations Manual, and our famed UTD Playbook, which outlines in detail the skills, techniques and procedures of how to run critical skill drills at each of the levels (1 - 4) as they pertain to each class. Learn how to become a UTD instructor here.
Be part of the Unified Team Diving community – Unified Team Diving is an open community of divers, from recreational through expedition. Our online forums and groups give you a place to meet and exchange ideas with divers around the world. You can find a class in our international calendar of events, ask questions of the UTD instructors, or even start a group of your own, and it's all free. Click here to go to the UTD community.

UTD Standards and Procedures

UTD Journal