Nederlandse Onderwatersport Bond


The Nederlandse Onderwatersport Bond is the national governing body for recreational diving and underwater sports in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962. In 2008 there were 290 scuba diving clubs and schools with a total of 20.000 members. The NOB is a member of CMAS Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques. The aim of the NOB is to develop recreational scuba diving in the Netherlands.

Underwater sport

NOB supports competition at all levels for the following underwater sports: finswimming and underwater hockey.

Qualifications

The NOB offers training with particular attention to the difficult dive conditions encountered in the Netherlands.

Youth program

Prerequisite: 1 star diver
Prerequisite: 2 star diver
Prerequisite: 3 star diver
Those specialties are validated by 2* instructors who followed an additional instructor course. Other specialties by any 2*-instructor having self the specialty as a diver.
Maximum 20 minutes decompression stops; maximal depth 50 meters.

Leadership courses

The Docent and Master-Instructor are the two highest levels of instructors within the NOB. They lead commissions, speak on behalf of the NOB when required, etc. Given the stringent selection process, based upon application and approval from the board of directors, very few NOB instructors reach this level of certification.

Compliance with European Standards

The NOB obtained CEN certification from the EUF certification body in 2008 for the following diver and instructor grades: