Am i approaching this right

[formernuke]

I know Heather and Dave, I'm known to do private one on one day tutoring with them.

 

[jale]

How do you come to that conclusion?

I'm not saying you are wrong, just want to understand the why.

Most ccr divers I know have an OC technical background, and the CCR was an extension on technical diving (reduce gas cost, extend range/depth). With some of my friends and me having Normoxic (or in the past full trimix) was a requirement to be able to take a CCR course (GUE). Background being that if you bail out you need OC experience to solve the issue.

On the other hand you also see OC tech divers taking CCR and then quite fast (maybe too fast) start doing the same (or harder) dives than they did in OC, not understanding that you really need to do babysteps again in the CCR before you start doing anything technical.

Anyway totally off topic... just curious.

@ the OP: Not much to add but:
- Focus on network: It's much easier to and more fun to dive CCR if you have CCR buddies. The easier part being joint training and practice, a joint spareparts pool and buddies who actually know how a rebreather works, the latter because diving in mixed team (oc/rebreather) limits what you can do with the ccr.
- Testing units: Not so sure, probably you would be able to organise some pool tests with different models, but you are a beginner and don't know what it important for you yet.
- 2nd hand: You reduce cost, but increase risk (failure or cost). Only if you really trust the previous owner.
- Local trainer: Get a local instructor. He'll fix point number 1 by introducing you to the network. Next you always have someone to reach out to if you have questions down the line. But make sure he's good!

Yes, like you, I was thinking that only with a tech background you could switch to CCR and that it was a tool needed only for specific purposes.
But, I was asked to teach some non-tech divers to use ccr and I gave it a try.
I found out that, finally, they were more attentive and stayed more within the limits.
In my experience, which may be completely wrong, the tech divers are going a bit too fast and have more a "I know everything" attitude than the non tech.
And yes, there are limited to 30 (and even 21M) but they do enjoy this kind of diving and why not

 

[inquis]

The challenge of any educator is to understand the student's current knowledge/skill base, shore up deficiencies in prerequisites, and focus on additional topics. I would expect less time is required on general deco theory in a CCR class given to an AN/DP diver, but particular attention paid to the things that are different from OC (e.g., setpoint lower than 1.4 atm). Even then, I would expect such a student to connect the dots more quickly. Along those lines, someone who is comfortable with OC deco diving should probably take the deco or possibly helitrox version for their initial CCR instruction.

Both student and instructor play a role in conducting an engaging class.

 

[davehicks]

Marie is right.
Tech c-cards are not a prerequisite for CCR training.
As she says, you are just limited to NDL.
Before I thought that it was better to have a tech background in order to learn CCR but I changed my mind and found out that students with limited or non-existent deco knowledge are better and safer students.

Maybe TDI does not require it, night my CCR instructor did require advanced nitrox and decompression procedures prior to CCR training back in 2007. Personally i think this is a good idea as more of the information about deco theory is taught and divers are familiarized on lite deco diving.

I am not sure why you would want to limit yourself to 100ft and NDL once you make the leap yo a rebreather. I don't typically go below 140ft and i don't do trimix, but i do mild decompression dives all the time. It is a huge advantage of a CCR that you can hit deco and find you have already cleared deco before you even get back to 20feet.

 

[Marie13]

I am not sure why you would want to limit yourself to 100ft and NDL once you make the leap yo a rebreather. I don't typically go below 140ft and i don't do trimix, but i do mild decompression dives all the time. It is a huge advantage of a CCR that you can hit deco and find you have already cleared deco before you even get back to 20feet.

That one is easy enough in my case. Lack of helium to finish OC AN/DP/Helitrox. Get narced bad enough at 130’ (and questionable below 100’) that doing AN/DP on air would be dangerous.

 

[davehicks]

That one is easy enough in my case. Lack of helium to finish OC AN/DP/Helitrox. Get narced bad enough at 130’ (and questionable below 100’) that doing AN/DP on air would be dangerous.

My AN/DP class did not include tri mixed gasses. Just nitrox.

 

[Marie13]

My AN/DP class did not include tri mixed gasses. Just nitrox.

Mine has to due to how I get narced. The people who have pushed me to do it on air/nitrox seem to not believe people can get narced bad within recreational depths.

 

[jale]

Maybe TDI does not require it, night my CCR instructor did require advanced nitrox and decompression procedures prior to CCR training back in 2007. Personally i think this is a good idea as more of the information about deco theory is taught and divers are familiarized on lite deco diving.

I am not sure why you would want to limit yourself to 100ft and NDL once you make the leap yo a rebreather. I don't typically go below 140ft and i don't do trimix, but i do mild decompression dives all the time. It is a huge advantage of a CCR that you can hit deco and find you have already cleared deco before you even get back to 20feet.

I used to agree with this line of thought but finally the world is wide and the pool of people coming to dive has also changed.
Still a lot think about deep, long, whatever dives where a lot of knowledge and skills are the keys to access it but some people are happy in clear shallow water warm water using a rb.
Yes I know it is paradoxical but it is the way...

 

[formernuke]

Mine has to due to how I get narced. The people who have pushed me to do it on air/nitrox seem to not believe people can get narced bad within recreational depths.

The TDI eLearning addresses that people seem to get narced easier in cold water, ie what we do.

 

[davehicks]

I used to agree with this line of thought but finally the world is wide and the pool of people coming to dive has also changed.
Still a lot think about deep, long, whatever dives where a lot of knowledge and skills are the keys to access it but some people are happy in clear shallow water warm water using a rb.
Yes I know it is paradoxical but it is the way...

I am with you, i mostly do recreational limits diving in my rebreather. But not always, and enabling long easy dives on a wreck or reef at 100 feet for 50-60 mins is when the CCR really shines.