What Defines a "Tech" Diver

[Blackcrusader]

To me tech is anything that exceeds recreational diving established limits.

So decompression or depth over 130 or overhead environment.

Well I was taught deco diving on air in the mid 80's with BSAC. Deco diving is not considered technical diving by many agencies.
I do not consider it technical diving or doing deco dives on NItrox to 40% which is recreational.

 

[admikar]

So a dive within NDLs using something like 30/30 would be a tech dive?

It certainly isn't your vanilla AOW diving. Even in Europe where, as already being said, we get some deco diving training almost from the start, 30/30 is nowhere to be found in curiculum.

 

[PfcAJ]

If you can't make a direct ascent to the surface, you're tech diving.

If you're tech diving, you need additional equipment to mitigate problems because the surface isn't an option.

 

[Blackcrusader]

If you can't make a direct ascent to the surface, you're tech diving.

If you're tech diving, you need additional equipment to mitigate problems because the surface isn't an option.

Well even with a deco obligation you "can" go directly to the surface. You may get a little DCS hit which can be treated.

 

[PfcAJ]

Well even with a deco obligation you "can" go directly to the surface. You may get a little DCS hit which can be treated.

I mean, you CAN even with a massive deco obligation. Might just get a little paralyzed, nbd right?

Come on.

Planning on getting hurt if something goes wrong is stupid. Full stop.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I mean, you CAN even with a massive deco obligation. Might just get a little paralyzed, nbd right?
Come on. Planning on getting hurt if something goes wrong is stupid. Full stop.

Being a little paralyzed beats being a little dead. Nobody plans on getting hurt but people do get hurt. What about that tech diver that ended her dive was fine then suddenly died on the boat? I'm sure she would rather not be one of the dearly departed.

 

[PfcAJ]

Being a little paralyzed beats being a little dead. Nobody plans on getting hurt but people do get hurt. What about that tech diver that ended her dive was fine then suddenly died on the boat? I'm sure she would rather not be one of the dearly departed.

You aren't planning on that as your contingency.

Surely you can see the difference between "if this goes wrong I will mitigate it with these steps so I won't get hurt" and "if this same thing goes wrong I guess I just get hurt".

One of those is dumb. One is not.

Scuba is for fun. This isn't some activity where getting hurt should be on your list of acceptable outcomes.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Nowadays, trying to draw a bright line between rec and tech with definitions is futile, as others have pointed out. It has become a continuum. It always has been, of course. But some agencies, such as PADI, went to great lengths to keep it simple, to open scuba up to the masses, while others, such as BSAC, have long made it apparent there is no bright line. It may be useful to be able to draw such a line, as I believe PADI et al. proved, but it’s more of illusion or simplification than reality. The gear, planning and execution need to match the challenges posed by a particular dive.

 

[boulderjohn]

Unless you swim under the dock or boat, then it's an overhead dive

Well, as it turns out, it isn't that simple.

I started a very long thread on this a couple years ago after a long exchange with PADI. They told me policy that was not written anywhere the average person can see. I offered different language, and they liked it. They published some of it in their professional journal two years ago.

Swimming under something like that and even going through a swim-through in a reef or wreck is considered to be open water. Believe it or not, as they pointed out to me in the 4th quarter training update for 2001 (which most people keep on hins, right?), you can even take an OW student through a short swim-through.

 

[MarkA]

Nowadays, trying to draw a bright line between rec and tech with definitions is futile, as others have pointed out. It has become a continuum. It always has been, of course. But some agencies, such as PADI, went to great lengths to keep it simple, to open scuba up to the masses, while others, such as BSAC, have long made it apparent there is no bright line. It may be useful to be able to draw such a line, as I believe PADI et al. proved, but it’s more of illusion or simplification than reality. The gear, planning and execution need to match the challenges posed by a particular dive.

The best answer so far.