Advice about tech training, please...

[Lobzilla]

Funny, I was just looking at the GUE Web site! The fundies class looks like it would be a good place to start. I don't think that I can make the Florida ones due to work, and the other ones would involve a good bit of travel.

I wonder if he (or anyone else) ever does the course at Dutch Springs? I didn't see that on the GUE Web site. I know that my local dive club had him do a one day tuneup course last year at Dutch.
Mike

The Fundies are often a "When the students are ready, the teacher will appear" deal. You have to ask around for open slots in already planned (but not advertised) classes or get a couple of folks together in your club or here on SB and then ask for a course.

Bob teaches at Dutch unless he has a commitment at some other place in the world.

Also, how do you deal with tanks for those classes that you would need to travel to by air? If you want to train with doubles, do people just rent them locally?
Mike

The Fundies and Fun dives this year in Florida are a special case as Errol Kalayci put in a lot of preparation to take care of the logistics for people coming from all corners of the country. Ed Hayes, who operates out of CT when the water is liquid there, will transport your gear down to FL for his winter courses. Again, you have to ask around and something will be worked out.

 

[TSandM]

I'm pretty sure Bob teaches at Dutch. In addition, Ed Hayes is in Rocky Hill, CT, which is 90 miles from NYC.

For classes where you have to travel by air, you rent tanks or borrow them when you get there. Many instructors have tanks to rent, or know where they can be had. I rented tanks from EE when I did Cave 2, and from ZG for Cave 1. It IS a good idea to find out what KIND of tanks you will be using, so that you can play with weight and balance stuff in those particular tanks at home -- it saves time.

 

[doctormike]

I'm pretty sure Bob teaches at Dutch. In addition, Ed Hayes is in Rocky Hill, CT, which is 90 miles from NYC.

For classes where you have to travel by air, you rent tanks or borrow them when you get there. Many instructors have tanks to rent, or know where they can be had. I rented tanks from EE when I did Cave 2, and from ZG for Cave 1. It IS a good idea to find out what KIND of tanks you will be using, so that you can play with weight and balance stuff in those particular tanks at home -- it saves time.

Thanks! I'll look into it..

 

[ScubaSam]

Mike

Coming in late to this thread.

Henrik (you met him at dim sum last month) and I took Fundies with Bob Sherwood at Dutch in 2009. Eugene (you met him at dim sum last month, too) is setting up a Primer class with Bob at Dutch for the spring. We could have had this conversation over dim sum last month if you stopped chewing long enough to tell us you were in interested in Fundies or a Primer.

Shoot Eugene a PM, his SB handle is scc135 about his Primer class with Bob. If I can help you out in any way, let me know. You can always call or shoot me a PM.

Edit, I think Fundies or Primer is a great class for any diver at any level. You don't know what you don't know.

 

[doctormike]

Mike

Coming in late to this thread.

Henrik (you met him at dim sum last month) and I took Fundies with Bob Sherwood at Dutch in 2009. Eugene (you met him at dim sum last month, too) is setting up a Primer class with Bob at Dutch for the spring. We could have had this conversation over dim sum last month if you stopped chewing long enough to tell us you were in interested in Fundies or a Primer.

Sam, please... I do have priorities. Safe diving is one thing, but they had those flat noodles with the sweet soy sauce that I love. I can ALWAYS take fundies, but I don't get to Chinatown that often!

Sounds interesting. What is the difference between Primer and Fundies? Is Primer like fundies light?

 

[ScubaSam]

Sam, please... I do have priorities. Safe diving is one thing, but they had those flat noodles with the sweet soy sauce that I love. I can ALWAYS take fundies, but I don't get to Chinatown that often!

Sounds interesting. What is the difference between Primer and Fundies? Is Primer like fundies light?

Pardon, my bad for interrupting your stomach. I can meet you in Chinatown any time you're craving dim sum.

Okay, very quickly....yes, Primer is Fundies light for lack of a better quick description. Bob teaches Primer over two days, generally Sat and Sun. It's more of a workshop so does not have the pass/fail for the GUE certification card that comes with passing Fundies which is taught in five days.

Primer covers the very basic, buoyancy, trim, propulsion and team teaming. Fundies builds on those skills with OOA, SMB deployment, valve drills, recovery of an unconscious diver, team diving and gas management to name a few of the things we did in class.

If you're worried about time commitment then the Primer is a good alternative to Fundies.

 

[doctormike]

Primer covers the very basic, buoyancy, trim, propulsion and team teaming. Fundies builds on those skills with OOA, SMB deployment, valve drills, recovery of an unconscious diver, team diving and gas management to name a few of the things we did in class.

If you're worried about time commitment then the Primer is a good alternative to Fundies.

Got it... thanks!

 

[ScubaSam]

Oh, forgot to mention. Bob will video the dives and do video reviews after each dive in both the Primer and the Fundies class. Wait until you see yourself on the video, it will be a bucket of fun and oh boy will you learn!!

 

[scc135]

Hi Mike, I have quite a number of persons interested already, so a primer class shouldn't be an issue come spring.

 

[doctormike]

Hi Mike, I have quite a number of persons interested already, so a primer class shouldn't be an issue come spring.

OK, that sounds interesting... want to PM me when you have dates?

Thanks!

Mike