After DirF: Cave 1 or Tech 1

[DOXA]

Depends on the instructor and the team. Some people schedule them both at the same time. I have seen Tech 1 part 1 and Tech 1 part two scheduled.

So in reality, it can work that way.

Mark

Mark,

Do you have some more information about this option, like a URL or something? Maybe it is interesting.

D.

 

[Spoon]

we have the same dilemma although im planning on taking the tech 1 course as the cav1 would be useless to me as there are hardly any reachable caves in the country. maybe in the future. tech1 would be more practical

 

[Soggy]

heliox is helium plus hyperoxic O2 (50/50)

Heliox is just helium plus O2. 10/90 would be a heliox mixture, or do you have another name for that?

 

[The Natural]

Ok so lets say I take DIR F next season, get my experience up, then take Tech 1. This will teach me deco procedures and how to utilize trimix for diving and nitrox and O2 for decompression? Afterwards will I have the necessary knowledge for deeper diving and for trimix fills? I am curious because it seems like if that is the case then this course is right up my ally for the type of diving I want to do.

 

[Soggy]

Tech 1 certifies you for diving trimix mixtures of 21/35 and 30/30 down to a depth of 160 ft using a single stage of EAN50 for decompression.

 

[mweitz]

That isn't quite accurate. It certifies you to do deco on a single deco bottle, with either 50% or 100%. In retrospect, yes, I think it is a TriOx class, not a TriMIX class, so my bad on that.

Mark

Tech 1 certifies you for diving trimix mixtures of 21/35 and 30/30 down to a depth of 160 ft using a single stage of EAN50 for decompression.

 

[Soggy]

Correct, you can get 100% fills with the card. However, in a DIR sense, when open ocean diving, you would use 50% vs 100% because 1) it gets you out faster and 2) has a higher safety factor since most of your deco is done deep (worst case scenario, some of the shallow stuff can be blown off).

That isn't quite accurate. It certifies you to do deco on a single deco bottle, with either 50% or 100%. In retrospect, yes, I think it is a TriOx class, not a TriMIX class, so my bad on that.

Mark

 

[mweitz]

Just don't want to preclude the possibility of deco dives on 30 / 30 using 100%.

Mark

Correct, you can get 100% fills with the card. However, in a DIR sense, when open ocean diving, you would use 50% vs 100% because 1) it gets you out faster and 2) has a higher safety factor since most of your deco is done deep (worst case scenario, some of the shallow stuff can be blown off).

 

[mweitz]

Mark,

Do you have some more information about this option, like a URL or something? Maybe it is interesting.

D.

I would contact your instructor if you are interested in this path and see if it is possible to do in your location / if the logistics make it worth it.

Ok so lets say I take DIR F next season, get my experience up, then take Tech 1. This will teach me deco procedures and how to utilize trimix for diving and nitrox and O2 for decompression? Afterwards will I have the necessary knowledge for deeper diving and for trimix fills? I am curious because it seems like if that is the case then this course is right up my ally for the type of diving I want to do.

Yes, you are correct. Tech 1 is an introduction to Technical diving, which does light deco, with one deco bottle.

The requirements for the class is 25 dives after you have passed Fundamentals. In reality, you need to have your Fundamentals skills down pat, and be able to do free ascents and hold stops very well to pass the class. Shooting a bag at 60' with no reference to the bottom can be a challenge. Holding a stop at 60' with no reference to the bottom can be a challenge in of itself.

Doing Deco dives isn't that hard to do. There are a bunch of software programs that will run it all out for you. But when something goes wrong, and you don't know how to deal with it underwater it can be not pretty. The class is supposed to teach you how to think your way out of problems and make decisions based on remaining gas, deco obligation etc.

Keep in mind that there is a lot to see in the 30 - 100' range, so you want to have explored that pretty well in my opinion before taking on Deco. You will have had to anyway for your skillset to be up to par to pass the class

. Figure a couple hundred dives would be appropriate for a class like Tech 1.

I've never done a Deco dive, so take it for what it is worth

 

[Reinoud]

. Shooting a bag at 60' with no reference to the bottom can be a challenge. Holding a stop at 60' with no reference to the bottom can be a challenge in of itself.

Luckily over here in the Netherlands that is no difference from making a safety stop at 20 feet without reference to the bottom nor the surface so we get plenty of practice...
";-)