Beginning of my Tech Diver adventure

[battles2a5]

Your original statement..

I was told by TDI that TDI does not have any training materials of its own, and the instructor is free to use whatever he or she feels is appropriate to instruction.

is a LOT different than this...

The intro to tech program does not currently have any published student material and allows instructors to use any materials they feel help in the presentation of the required subject areas.

Not having an "intro to tech" manual does not mean that they do not have ANY materials. I'm not saying they have the best manuals, but they have 'em.

 

[Waterskier1]

There were a number of posts referring to what standards were TDI standards and what standards were the instructor's own standards. I contacted TDI directly about this for roughly the same reason related to my own training. I was told by TDI that TDI does not have any training materials of its own, and the instructor is free to use whatever he or she feels is appropriate to instruction. The instructor is also free to apply his or her own standards and equipment requirements. Thus, if a TDI instructor wants to use 100% GUE training materials, standards, and instructional methods, then that's just fine with TDI. They'll be happy to slap their stamp on the final product.

For other peoples reference, here are the courses I was talking about and the TDI Training manual (where applicable) from the TDI web site.

International Training :: Get Certified :: Intro to Tech Diving

International Training :: Get Certified :: Advanced Nitrox Diver

International Training :: Get Certified :: Decompression Procedures Diver

There are many other TDI courses on the TDI web site

 

[japan-diver]

Originally Posted by japan-diver
"Whats the reasoning behind a black skirt on the mask? Have never heard of that one!! When I see arbitrary equipment requirements and a cheap price on a tech class it makes me go hummmmm"

The black skirt blocks the light from other diver's lights behind you. You won't get a reflection off your mask plate from someone's light behind you. Photographers like the black skirt for the same reason.

I know why photographers like the black skirt and I personally prefer one but do not require my students (rec or tech) to have a black skirt, have done many dives with a clear one and had no problems with diver's lights behind me reflecting off the plate.

 

[amascuba]

I know why photographers like the black skirt and I personally prefer one but do not require my students (rec or tech) to have a black skirt, have done many dives with a clear one and had no problems with diver's lights behind me reflecting off the plate.

It's not a standard of TDI. It's an instructor thing. I personally use a black skirt mask because on night dives the lights in my peripheral vision bug the snot out of me.

I can email you the TDI standards if you would like Rick. It should give you a basic understanding of what to expect from the class.

 

[roakey]

Well I finally got a hold of Tom, the instructor, and asked him about black mask skirts...

When he finally stopped laughing he reassured me that he has no such requirement. He personally likes black mask skirts, but he does not require them. He admits that his equipment requirements are higher, much higher, than TDI’s for the advanced Nitrox and deco procedures class.

While we were talking about his equipment requirements, he made a statement about one of the goals he strives for in this class and I hope I can remember it accurately enough to do it justice:

"I want a graduate of my class to be able to fly to Florida alone, get on a technical boat charter and have the knowledge, attitude and equipment such that someone on the boat would want to buddy with them."​

Hope this helps!

Roak

Ps. I need to ask him about that matching regulator thing too, that sounds off as well...

 

[charlieo]

Roak,
The instructor gave a list of recommended equipment, but didn't you end up with a lot more? I know I did.
Cost in this kind of diving is high. Will the diving be worth the price? To me it is. Everyone has to make their own decision. If I had it to do over, I would.
Frank

 

[georoc01]

Its funny, I started down this same path starting in July after my trip to North Carolina. Then in August the Shark Bait Dive Club meeting was about the transition from Rec to Tec. Now this thread, which started while I was investigating the options in Roatan.

My reason for going down this route is that in January 2011 I am planning on doing a trip to Truk lagoon aboard the Odyssey with SingleDivers.com. The boat, while not having trimex, has a great deal of tec support and has pushed me in that direction to get the most out of this trip.

I started by moving to a BP/Wing and away from my stab jacket that I bought 18 months ago after I was certified. Dove with it in Roatan and that transition was pretty easy. The next is to get comfortable with diving doubles. Given the lack of rentals around here, I found a deal on twin 72s and bought them, along with a couple of DIN regs, along with a lift bag & reel.

As far as the classes go in Denver, I am aware of two options. One is through Flat Irons Scuba, a GUE/TDI shop. A1 scuba also has a TDI Tec Instructor in Chris Hatfield. They do their dives in Rock Lake in New Mexico.

I have also scouted out other options for the training. One is a SingleDivers trip to Bonaire next June. No prices have been posted yet. I met the instructor in North Carolina and he is very good and comes with good references. I bought my BP/Wing through him and would be a good choice.

While in Roatan, I met with Bay Island Diver of Coconut Tree Divers. He offers it as a 10 day course. He teaches the DSAT classes. To get Tec Deep Diver, he charges $1200. Given the cost of housing, meals etc. I think I can do the entire class over two weeks for $2k+air including equipment rental. All I need to bring is my mask, fins and exposure suit.

Something else that I didn't see mentioned were lights. Depending on what type of diving you are looking to do this training for, that can also be a big price option also.

If I make it down to the Blue Hole this weekend, I may bring my new gear with me. I could use some advice on rigging and maybe doing my first doubles dive!

 

[charlieo]

If I make it down to the Blue Hole this weekend, I may bring my new gear with me. I could use some advice on rigging and maybe doing my first doubles dive!

George,
I did my first doubles dive in deep water. That was exciting and I wouldn't do that again.
Frank

 

[roakey]

Roak,
The instructor gave a list of recommended equipment, but didn't you end up with a lot more? I know I did.

Yhea, in fact even if you held a gun to my head, I couldn't give you an accurate count of how many regulators I have. Oh, I know the assembled, ready-to-use ones, that'd be six, including the argon reg, but I have a bunch of first and second stages in a box in the dive room too...

6 AL80s, 2 LP104s, 1 AL40, 1 steel 72 (from when I started diving in the 70s, I'm the original owner!) and an AL14 for argon. Oh, and 5 Ts of O2 and He.

But when I started down the path about a decade ago, I had what I needed for GUE Cave I, and really nothing more. And that was a good thing, because once I had some actual education under my belt I started making good decisions on what and what not to buy.

As an aside, buying regs actually becomes cheaper, because when a rec diver buys a new reg setup, that's a first stage, two second stages, a console with maybe a computer, etc. But of you're a tech diver and, say, you need a stage reg all you buy is a first and second stage with a 7" HP hose and an analog gauge and you're done.

Death by papercuts

Roak

 

[Waterskier1]

George,

I was thinking about bringing down a set of doubles also. But, I won't have time to do a trial run in the pool before we leave. I don't think I'll make the first time with my doubles wing, double tanks and double regs w/ isolation manifold without a pool shakedown. I'll have plenty of time to use them, and I can rent them here. I have 5 Al80 all in hydro and visual right now, and have two almost new ones I have considered doubling up, but I'm not sure how often I'll use them. It's kind of a double edge sword....I don't need doubles (I have a 19cf pony I use) most of my dives. Rarely do I go that deep, and seldom have an oppertunity to go into an overhead obstruction, so I'm reluctant to have to carry the extra weight. But I also realize that I need to practice and keep up on the doubles. I have decided that I want to practice with doubles a bit before the actual Tech class. I don't want to be tied up learning basic double stuff (S and valve drills, etc.) when I can be learning more advanced things in the class.

From all I hear this instructor is top notch. And I again repeat that I'm not complaining about the costs, or the fact he may require/recommend more than minimally required. This post was started because I never realized how much more and different equipment was needed, and that some of the stuff we buy for Rec diving may not transfer over to Tech diving (i.e., console with compasses, depth and computers mounted in them, stab jacket bc, etc).

Its funny, I started down this same path starting in July after my trip to North Carolina. Then in August the Shark Bait Dive Club meeting was about the transition from Rec to Tec. Now this thread, which started while I was investigating the options in Roatan.

My reason for going down this route is that in January 2011 I am planning on doing a trip to Truk lagoon aboard the Odyssey with SingleDivers.com. The boat, while not having trimex, has a great deal of tec support and has pushed me in that direction to get the most out of this trip.

I started by moving to a BP/Wing and away from my stab jacket that I bought 18 months ago after I was certified. Dove with it in Roatan and that transition was pretty easy. The next is to get comfortable with diving doubles. Given the lack of rentals around here, I found a deal on twin 72s and bought them, along with a couple of DIN regs, along with a lift bag & reel.

As far as the classes go in Denver, I am aware of two options. One is through Flat Irons Scuba, a GUE/TDI shop. A1 scuba also has a TDI Tec Instructor in Chris Hatfield. They do their dives in Rock Lake in New Mexico.

I have also scouted out other options for the training. One is a SingleDivers trip to Bonaire next June. No prices have been posted yet. I met the instructor in North Carolina and he is very good and comes with good references. I bought my BP/Wing through him and would be a good choice.

While in Roatan, I met with Bay Island Diver of Coconut Tree Divers. He offers it as a 10 day course. He teaches the DSAT classes. To get Tec Deep Diver, he charges $1200. Given the cost of housing, meals etc. I think I can do the entire class over two weeks for $2k+air including equipment rental. All I need to bring is my mask, fins and exposure suit.

Something else that I didn't see mentioned were lights. Depending on what type of diving you are looking to do this training for, that can also be a big price option also.

If I make it down to the Blue Hole this weekend, I may bring my new gear with me. I could use some advice on rigging and maybe doing my first doubles dive!