Current opinions on Padi Tec-rec?

[taimen]

What you proposed to them is realistic ?

I was referring to entry level technical training, like an/dp, ART or tec40. That is pretty much needed before you can start practicing. It is not unrealistic.
What i am trying to say is that yes, it is important to find a good instructor, but even more important is to keep diving instead of waiting for your dream course with the best possible instructor and agency.

 

[leadduck]

I'm not saying you haven't but.

What you proposed to them is realistic ?

One sometimes in our own ignorance don't see it as such, but in tec diving most likely it is not a save approach of what you want to accomplish in a certain time frame withing right amount of practice

You want to go to Truk, which is to say the dream and Pinnacle of all wreck divers, but if you want to do the deep wrecks in Truk in the time frame of doing so in the next two years and you are a regular Joe like me that have to work a lot and don't have time to do regularly Deco dives and don't have a buddy to practice and to go with to Truk, it seems logical that they are not interested, because in Truk so far I know it is worthed only if you are doing Deco dives, that is about more than 10 dives in one trip.

I may be wrong because I'm a rookie and don't know better but you are trying to accomplish a gol that takes years in preparation and training, if I was an instructor I probably will see it as too risky to put my name in your C-card

I think you make it too hard for yourself. You're from Rotterdam (according to your profile)? Join a local club, go wreck diving in North Sea, Scapa Flow, Red Sea, Arenzano, Croatia, ... Why not take Fundies and book a one-week tour on a tec-friendly boat in the Red Sea with twin tanks for a starter. Don't believe all that marketing exaggeration how tec-diving is a total different world and so on. Well, for the average vacation diver it is, but if you're a good CMAS** club diver with local diving experience, cold water experience, BPW in dry suit and so on then Fundies, AN/DP, ART, ... will be an interesting challenge but not exactly rocket science. Go slow, progress on your own speed.

 

[Remy B.]

Taimen I see you are doing exactly the same mistakes I made.

AN/DP are the most important courses of tec diving and are not a entry level, trimix ( normoxic ) is less demanding and if you have not nailed all exercises, theories and practices from An/Dp you are not good for trimix more so for advance trimix.

If you run with the bad luck of getting a instructor that was lousy, and you will think you are prepared, you can have a disappointing experience.

 

[Remy B.]

I think you make it too hard for yourself. You're from Rotterdam (according to your profile)? Join a local club, go wreck diving in North Sea, Scapa Flow, Red Sea, Arenzano, Croatia, ... Why not take Fundies and book a one-week tour on a tec-friendly boat in the Red Sea with twin tanks for a starter. Don't believe all that marketing exaggeration how tec-diving is a total different world and so on. Well, for the average vacation diver it is, but if you're a good CMAS** club diver with local diving experience, cold water experience, BPW in dry suit and so on then Fundies, AN/DP, ART, ... will be an interesting challenge but not exactly rocket science. Go slow, progress on your own speed.

I have done, Vis-Croatia, Curacao, and some small decos in Germany and Nederland.

It is very difficult to find a buddy that want to go the Tec road most of the dive clubs are rec diver in about 98% of them and to join in or be accepted in another group of tec divers seem more difficult, it is kind of that they are expecting that you need to do the same courses with the same instructor for them to accept you because if not it is too much of a responsibility for them at least that has been my impression.

 

[taimen]

Taimen I see you are doing exactly the same mistakes I made.

What mistakes I am doing?

 

[Remy B.]

Thinking that An/dp are entry levels, they are not, they are the most important of all courses it can't be called entry level.

Most see trimix or advance trimix as the most important but basically they are fills from AN/DP, trimix is more theory than actually practice, the exercises are the ones you do in An/dp, ascent rate, Deco theories and methods, emergency procedure, stage handlings, protocols, team, Technics, planning, etc, etc.

To go to truck lagoon in two years experience, if you have a lot of time to do a bunch of Deco dives withing that two years before that trip then go for it, if not, you may want to consider to slow down, at the end it is up to you, everybody have his own perspective.

Entry level is deep diving, entry to Tec, or whatever equivalent names they have in other agencies Imho

 

[taimen]

Taimen I see you are doing exactly the same mistakes I made.

To go to truck lagoon in two years experience, if you have a lot of time to do a bunch of Deco dives withing that two years before that trip then go for it, if not, you may want to consider to slow down, at the end it is up to you, everybody have his own perspective.

Entry level is deep diving, entry to Tec, or whatever equivalent names they have in other agencies Imho

Ah, it was not me who is rushing to Truk so you probably meant someone else.

Anyway, I still think that most instructors are competent enough to train people.
I admit there is a danger if you end up doing a long series of certifications with a single instructor who is not up to standard.

 

[Remy B.]

Anyway, I still think that most instructors are competent enough to train people.
.

I was under the same impression, and I was very wrong, both tec and rec.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I was under the same impression, and I was very wrong, both tec and rec.

That’s why training with different instructors and different agencies is so valuable. I wish I did more research when I started out and learned how to interview prospective instructors. Would have saved time and money.

 

[lv2dive]

Remy, I think this is just semantic differences. Entry level and “critical” (or “most important”) are not mutually exclusive. For example, a cavern class is the entry-level course for cave diving. However, there are a lot of instructors who would argue that getting a good cavern class is really important (even “most” important) to achieve a solid basis for the cave classes.

Thinking that An/dp are entry levels, they are not, they are the most important of all courses it can't be called entry level.

Most see trimix or advance trimix as the most important but basically they are fills from AN/DP, trimix is more theory than actually practice, the exercises are the ones you do in An/dp, ascent rate, Deco theories and methods, emergency procedure, stage handlings, protocols, team, Technics, planning, etc, etc.

To go to truck lagoon in two years experience, if you have a lot of time to do a bunch of Deco dives withing that two years before that trip then go for it, if not, you may want to consider to slow down, at the end it is up to you, everybody have his own perspective.

Entry level is deep diving, entry to Tec, or whatever equivalent names they have in other agencies Imho