Advice about tech training, please...

[doctormike]

Hello, and thanks for reading this…

I’m trying to make a decision about training in the upcoming season, and while I realize that this is a personal call, I know that there are a lot of very experienced and helpful divers in our community, who might think of something that I have overlooked. I don’t expect to be told what to do, but if any of the tech divers out there are bored today and want to throw some insights my way, I would appreciate it!

I have been diving for about 15 years, but time and work does not allow me to get in as many dives as I would like. I have a little over 350 dives logged, about 60 at Dutch Springs (our local quarry), and 27 in the northeast Atlantic in the NY area. Lately I have been trying to do more local diving, and have become active in a dive club.

The main thing that I like about diving is photography, previously just stills but over the past year, I have been shooting video. It is a fairly heavy rig (7D in a Nauticam housing with dual Inon strobes and a Mangrove video light). I dive dry locally, single steel 120s with a slung aluminum 30 pony bottle.

I have been considering doing tech level training with the idea of moving to doubles and some degree of deco, to better match the sort of diving that the others in my club are doing. I have explored this with a few local instructors, and I have a number of good options. Of course, I could also just continue diving with the club within rec limits (which I enjoy), there are plenty of wrecks here where I am not limited by NDL or gas, and some of the locals dive singles.

SO, here is what I have so far for pros and cons of moving forward with my training:

Pro:
-Improved skills all around, irrespective of specific deco techniques
-Longer dives, deeper wrecks
-Better match with other divers in my club in terms of run time, dive planning
-Won’t necessarily need to change tanks over for second dive with a single set of doubles
-Challenge of learning these new skills and deco physiology


Con:
-Time commitment
-Cost (I can swing this, but not inconsequential)
-Need to leave the camera during training, and possibly during some challenging dives
-Eventual task loading (camera and deco)
-Increased risk


Your thoughts?

Thanks!

Mike

 

[DevonDiver]

Hi Mike,

You seem to be considering tech for all the right reasons, and have a good understanding of what it involves (in every sense).

If it opens up some new sites/wrecks for you to dive, especially if you are getting over-familiar with your existing local ones at recreational depth, then I'd say go for it.

There are lots of recreational videographers around, but not many tech ones... so you'd be in a nice position where the films you shot would be many divers/viewers only opportunity to view those wrecks.

 

[doctormike]

Hi Mike,

You seem to be considering tech for all the right reasons, and have a good understanding of what it involves (in every sense).

If it opens up some new sites/wrecks for you to dive, especially if you are getting over-familiar with your existing local ones at recreational depth, then I'd say go for it.

There are lots of recreational videographers around, but not many tech ones... so you'd be in a nice position where the films you shot would be many divers/viewers only opportunity to view those wrecks.

You see, I KNEW that one of you would come up with a good insight..!

Thanks, DD...

While at only 27 NY area dives, I certainly haven't exhausted all of the possibilities at rec depth, that is an excellent point about the deeper photography and video. Plus having more time at shallower depths would make for better footage as well. I do enjoy showing my work to non-divers or warm water divers who don't believe that there is much to see here..

 

[Peter Guy]

A few personal observations from one who is NOT a "technical diver" but who has the cards.

When I was flying I took IFR training and became IFR rated -- what I discovered was NOT that I was an IFR pilot (that would have taken much more experience) but that I became a much better VFR pilot.

The same is true of technical training -- it has made me a much better "recreational" diver -- and it should make you a better one too.

A few thoughts on technical training:

a. It really is the instructor that matters! Make sure your instructor is actively doing the dives.

b. Do as much of your "technical training" as possible BEFORE you actually start your real technical classes. For example, start using doubles (even if you treat them as big singles) so that you get used to them. Take an intro class to teach you the non-silting kicks and how to dial in your buoyancy and trim (if it isn't already dialed in). Use the technical class for the technical aspects of diving.

c. Use different instructors for different classes. Every instructor is different and can teach you something else --will see something else.

d. Last, but perhaps the best advice I can give, don't worry about getting cards -- take diving lessons instead. As far as I can tell, the goal of technical diving instruction is to make sure you have enough tools so that if/when something goes wrong, you can fix the problem where you are (perhaps the best definition of technical diving IMHO) -- and the best technical diving instruction teaches you how to prevent those problems from happening in the first place.

BTW, I love taking pictures and almost always dive with a camera -- EXCEPT when I'm doing a dive I haven't done before (at least a technical dive -- especially a dive in a new cave or new passage). Technical diving is "bandwidth demanding" and that is why I won't add my camera to a dive unless I'm pretty confident the DIVE won't demand too much.

 

[kanonfodr]

I agree with Andy, you do seem to be considering technical training as a means to an end, versus several divers I know consider it an "end to a means" so to speak . So you have a group of folks doing the dives you want to do, and it sounds like you get along with them rather well.

I would see who they would recommend as an instructor in your local area, the more names you get the better for you. Then I would interview (and hopefully go diving with) the instructors to get a feel for how you work together. It would also be a big bonus if you could meet some of your potential instructors' students and dive with them, to see what you have a high probability of becoming. Another thing is that, in my short experience at least, tech instructors tend to have various former students joining them on dives and just hanging out and being friends: it's a great way to network for more diving. Keep that in mind, because some people just ROCK underwater but, as people, they suck . Other folks are awesome above the water, but I wouldn't do anything beyond a shallow reef dive with them. Look for balance between the two.

Good luck with your journey, and let us know how it goes of course .

Peace,
Greg

 

[doctormike]

A few personal observations from one who is NOT a "technical diver" but who has the cards.

Thanks so much, I really appreciate the feedback...

b. Do as much of your "technical training" as possible BEFORE you actually start your real technical classes. For example, start using doubles (even if you treat them as big singles) so that you get used to them.

That's a good idea, and something that I was wondering about, is it even possible (or rather, advisable) to do that? I was a bit concerned about bringing that much gas along without the skills to deal with the deco if I broke the NDL. I guess the trick is just to NOT break into deco, and that's what situational awareness and planning is all about, right?

d. Last, but perhaps the best advice I can give, don't worry about getting cards -- take diving lessons instead. As far as I can tell, the goal of technical diving instruction is to make sure you have enough tools so that if/when something goes wrong, you can fix the problem where you are (perhaps the best definition of technical diving IMHO) -- and the best technical diving instruction teaches you how to prevent those problems from happening in the first place.

Yup, I totally agree... I really don't care about the cards, but I do care about the diving. Thanks again, great advice...

 

[doctormike]

I agree with Andy, you do seem to be considering technical training as a means to an end, versus several divers I know consider it an "end to a means" so to speak .

Yes, exactly, Greg... and thanks very much for your reply and your advice...!

I would see who they would recommend as an instructor in your local area, the more names you get the better for you. Then I would interview (and hopefully go diving with) the instructors to get a feel for how you work together. It would also be a big bonus if you could meet some of your potential instructors' students and dive with them, to see what you have a high probability of becoming.

I'm lucky in that of the four tech instructors that I have been asking about this, three of them are local and members of our club, and I have been able to chat with them on a number of occasions. The fourth runs a store in the area where I have purchased gear, and was very helpful in reviewing over the phone what his training involves.

They all have great reputations (I know people who have trained with each of them), so I guess if I decide to pull the trigger, I will have a number of options (and perhaps do some training with more than one of them, over time).

Thanks again!

Mike

 

[boulderjohn]

I do think it is wise to take the training, but I have a suggestion that might not be really obvious.

Tech training involves a lot of various levels of training and certification, with one being a pre-requisite for the next. You will probably not ever want to reach the end of that long line of dominoes, but if you look at those levels and what they provide, you can probably set a target goal.

That is where you need to be really careful.

For different tech agencies, the steps up the ladder are very different indeed, surprisingly so. Depending upon your situation, the availability of other divers with your interests, etc., it may take you much, much longer (even years) to get to a desired certification level with one agency rather than another.

I strongly suggest you closely examine the different certification levels, benefits, and requirements of your agency choices and look for a path to advancement that makes sense to you.

 

[doctormike]

I do think it is wise to take the training, but I have a suggestion that might not be really obvious.

Tech training involves a lot of various levels of training and certification, with one being a pre-requisite for the next. You will probably not ever want to reach the end of that long line of dominoes, but if you look at those levels and what they provide, you can probably set a target goal.

That is where you need to be really careful.

For different tech agencies, the steps up the ladder are very different indeed, surprisingly so. Depending upon your situation, the availability of other divers with your interests, etc., it may take you much, much longer (even years) to get to a desired certification level with one agency rather than another.

I strongly suggest you closely examine the different certification levels, benefits, and requirements of your agency choices and look for a path to advancement that makes sense to you.

That's a good point as well. I guess there are advantages and disadvantages of using multiple instructors. On the plus side, you learn multiple approaches, and get good training from complementary viewpoints (just like on ScubaBoard!). On the minus side, it is less efficient, without a clear ladder to climb.

My goal is less a certain certification than it is to be able to do some level of deco, not necessarily trimix, and to use doubles. It seems like there are a few ways of getting there. The instructor from the shop does the DSAT (Tec 40, Tec 45, Tec 50) course. The other instructors are TDI, although two of them seem to do a lot of rebreather training at this point.

Thanks!

Mike

 

[w ripley]

You're diving a pretty big tank + pony now, so I wonder if going to doubles is going to help that much more with extending your bottom time? Most of us dive smaller doubles, usually in the 95 to 104 cf range. May not be worth the cost to go to double just to get a little more (vs getting a lot more) more bottom time.

Anyway, it does look like you need deco training and not trimix. That will help you with the bottom time you are looking for, as you can stay longer but will incur a deco obligation for doing so. And, you are probably going to have to pick up some deco bottles, say one al 40 for 100% and maybe another one for 50%. You could use those with the rig you've got now. And mybe even use your pony for one of them. Carrying those "deco" bottles may give you more time on the bottom with the tank you have now, since you won't be needing it for deco.

I don't recommend rebreathers to many people, unless the way they are diving points in that direction. They are a PITA, but you can't do without them if you really need them.

If you are serious about photography + long run times + reducing your deco obligation, then a RB might be what you are looking for. And you can get them used and save some money. Something simple, small and not too expensive, like a KISS, might just be the ticket.

Without all of the bubbles fish are all over you. I think they think you are one of them and come in close to get a better view. You are not rising and falling in the water column with every breath like you are now on OC, so that gives more time to remain still and focus on your subject. It's a good platform for taking your time to get the shot you want. I won't go on, but if you are investigating which way to go, then it is an option to seriously consider.

Good luck.