CAPTAIN SINBAD
Contributor
How many instructors still teach TDI-Extended Range course? What lessons can be learnt by diving to 180-ish without Helium? If anyone has taken this course then Id love to hear what you got out of it. Thanks.
Value of TDI-Extended Range course
- Thread starter CAPTAIN SINBAD
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hoo rah!
You get a card to 180 (max) and don't need all that $$$ helium! The course outline actually lays out what's included quite well: Extended Range Diver - SDI | TDI | ERDI
"Only you can decide the value of helium at 180ft"™
You get a card to 180 (max) and don't need all that $$$ helium! The course outline actually lays out what's included quite well: Extended Range Diver - SDI | TDI | ERDI
"Only you can decide the value of helium at 180ft"™
Well, as getting trimix can be a serious pain in the backside in some places (like France, during summer, on the French Riviera) learning to plan dives with a pony for deco is not a bad idea, as getting oxy is a bit less complicated. Of course, I do prefer trimix, but if I can get any...
OP
CAPTAIN SINBAD
Contributor
I see the intent behind it but based on what we understand about Narcosis today, you can't train someone to manage it neither will repeat experience cause a person to experience less of it. So it a drill in understanding how much impairment you will experience at 180 feet depth? If a person chooses to dive to 180 feet on air (for whatever reason) how will this course help?
I took it. My goal was to dive the Windjammer in Bonaire, which i then did.
The next year I took Intro (normoxic) Trimix (200ft) and went back to the Windjammer...and finally saw it. I have almost no memory of that first diver on her.
I'm fairly sensitive to narcosis, I've discovered, and can feel the light-headedness and need to focus sometimes even at 100 ft, almost definitely at 130 ft, and beyond that it is a given.
So Extended Range was a good training path for me, but its certification is no longer part of my diving.
The next year I took Intro (normoxic) Trimix (200ft) and went back to the Windjammer...and finally saw it. I have almost no memory of that first diver on her.
I'm fairly sensitive to narcosis, I've discovered, and can feel the light-headedness and need to focus sometimes even at 100 ft, almost definitely at 130 ft, and beyond that it is a given.
So Extended Range was a good training path for me, but its certification is no longer part of my diving.
OP
CAPTAIN SINBAD
Contributor
As an academic exercise it may make perfect sense as John Chatterton puts it in his Trimix course:
"My Basic Trimix Diver Training Course meets all of the standards for the TDI Normoxic Trimix certification, however I integrate what I feel are the core elements of the TDI Extended Range course into this training as well. IMHO, there are important lessons to be learned by diving air to deeper depths (around 180'), prior to assuming the additional responsibilities of deeper dives on more complex gas mixes."
John Chatterton
Basic Trimix Diver | Shadow Diver | John Chatterton
"My Basic Trimix Diver Training Course meets all of the standards for the TDI Normoxic Trimix certification, however I integrate what I feel are the core elements of the TDI Extended Range course into this training as well. IMHO, there are important lessons to be learned by diving air to deeper depths (around 180'), prior to assuming the additional responsibilities of deeper dives on more complex gas mixes."
John Chatterton
Basic Trimix Diver | Shadow Diver | John Chatterton
seeker242
Contributor
I'm sure plenty of people think that's nonsense.
And I'm sure plenty don't.
CptTightPants21
Contributor
I think for the non-cave diver the training in managing 2 stage/deco bottles could be valuable.
I think the course suffers from being such a small stepping stone. Padi DSAT certifies a diver to 165 and trimix certifies a person to 200. Considering that trimix courses include a section of deeper non helium diving as a build up to the final experience dives, a diver would need to rationalize why they would spend time on extended range and not go directly to trimix. Cost could be a reason, but there are a lot of identical fixed costs between the classes--instructor fee, travel, deco gases.
While helium costs a little more, the cost variance between the two classes combined with the greater flexibility of the trimix card makes it difficult to just do extended range.
I think the course suffers from being such a small stepping stone. Padi DSAT certifies a diver to 165 and trimix certifies a person to 200. Considering that trimix courses include a section of deeper non helium diving as a build up to the final experience dives, a diver would need to rationalize why they would spend time on extended range and not go directly to trimix. Cost could be a reason, but there are a lot of identical fixed costs between the classes--instructor fee, travel, deco gases.
While helium costs a little more, the cost variance between the two classes combined with the greater flexibility of the trimix card makes it difficult to just do extended range.
I have the card, but I took it concurrently with Trimix, so really it was just trimix training. As a skills course I suppose Extended range could be useful, but I have no use for diving to 180' on air. To me, going directly to Trimix seems like the smart thing to do.
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