Definition of technical diving

[Doc Intrepid]

I think Ben and Soggy pegged the definition.

But the implications go just a tiny bit further.

In recreational diving if you have some sort of emergency you (and your buddy) can proceed directly to the surface to resolve that emergency. Entanglements and entrapments aside, you are free to surface at any time and particularly if things should go very wrong.

In technical diving if you have some sort of emergency you cannot surface to resolve it. Either you are physically prevented from doing so by an overhead obstruction, or you carry a decompression obligation that will put you in a wheelchair or kill you if you surface. Medical problems, wicked leg cramps, Out-Of-Gas, regulator problems, freeflow, Lost Mask, etc. - whatever solution to the problem is to be found, MUST be found at depth.

That, in a nutshell, is the dividing line that you cross when you conduct technical diving. The equipment is secondary to the thinking, training, planning, and practice that goes into ensuring that you and your team can resolve ANY (reasonable) problem at depth.

 

[BigJetDriver]

recreational diving:

Diving where there is direct access to the surface at all times, max depth 40m/130', no decompression diving, nitrox upto 40%, in limited overhead environents 40m/130' linear distance from surface.


Tec diving: Any form of diving not included in the above, that involves selling your car in order to buy a truck to drag all your dive gear around in.

All,

As a working definition, I tend to like Mark's best. As a philosphical statement, I tend to like Doc Intrepid's; most especially the last paragraph.

QUOTE:

But the implications go just a tiny bit further.

In recreational diving if you have some sort of emergency you (and your buddy) can proceed directly to the surface to resolve that emergency. Entanglements and entrapments aside, you are free to surface at any time and particularly if things should go very wrong.

In technical diving if you have some sort of emergency you cannot surface to resolve it. Either you are physically prevented from doing so by an overhead obstruction, or you carry a decompression obligation that will put you in a wheelchair or kill you if you surface. Whatever solution to the problem is to be found, MUST be found at depth.

That, in a nutshell, is the dividing line that you cross when you conduct technical diving. The equipment is secondary to the thinking, training, planning, and practice that goes into ensuring that you and your team can resolve ANY (reasonable) problem at depth.---(End Quote)

We keep pushing the edges of the envelope, and: "What does not kill us makes us stronger!" (Nietzsche---and Tracy Robinette)

BJD :anakinpod

 

[caveseeker7]

As pointed out before, boundaries change. Divebum, even on RB you first get a rec ticket, may that be SC or CC. From what I understand you can even get your OW on an SCR (with two mandatory OC dives).

That's why I usually refer to it as extended range diving. Either depth, time, or both to get you into deco (virtual overhead) and/or real overhead environ.
And the dive must be planned that way. If any of the above happens by accident it's not extended range, it's not tech, it's a f*@#-up.

 

[Spectre]

I used to consider it any overhead, hard or soft. But then after a few discussions with folks moving in the tech direction, and discussing the differences between deco overhead and cavern overhead, I managed to redefine my definition.

recreational diving ends when you have something more than a 130 foot swim to the surface. Weither that 'something' is a decompression obligation, or a million tons of rock.

Why that definition? Well, Cavern is a recreational specialty through some agencies. The limits on those certifications is 60 ft depth and no more than 130 linear feet. [60 down and 70 in. 20 down and 110 in]. i.e. you aren't limited by time, you're just limited by how fast you can get your little fins up those 130 feet.

And yes... times change, 'extreme' becomes norm, impossible becomes extreme, and the new impossible becomes goals.

For those of you that have been diving since flippers turned into legs... how long ago were the legends in the sport doing 200 foot dives? 250? 300? 350? 400? 10 years ago could you imagine ever hanging out for beers with someone that had been 300 feet down? And now, it's not a case of if you may ever meet someone who's been to 300, it's how many of them you currently know personally.

 

[WarmWaterDiver]

I like what Doc Intrepid and Big Jet Driver 69 have posted for this, except the quote from Nietzsche, because all too often "That which does not kill us only makes us damaged" (my variant). I would have to fall back on some definition of "What is Technical Diving" too in order to define "what is a technical diver", and the summaries otherwise pretty well jibe with this, acknowledging differences in individuals as well as in different training agencies' definitions.

http://www.andihq.com/ANDIHQ/What is TSD.htm

 

[MikeFerrara]

I understand exactly what you're talking about. I gave up on trying to stuff everything into the Tahoe and have taken the next step...

That's what I need!

I just got a truck and it handles the weight much better than the van did but we still max it out.

I really want to be able to carry gas and a booster (found a nice gas powered one) but I need the trailor for that.

 

[MikeFerrara]

And now, it's not a case of if you may ever meet someone who's been to 300, it's how many of them you currently know personally.

Or..how often you do it yourself. LOL

Around here with the depth and access of some of the wrecks and caves most serious technical divers are doing dives that bump the 300 ft mark. Certainly 200 to 250 or so is very common. We have quarries that go to 350 and you need to get below 200 just to get a trimix card and there's lots of those out there.

I think that open circuit dives much below 300 ft are still pretty rare just because of the large gas volumes needed.

 

[Scuba Cowboy]

Since we're showing off pictures of " Tech " vehicles, here's mine. Most dive trips this baby is loaded with umpteen tanks and gear.

 

[caveseeker7]

Just a thought here, guys.
Before y'all trade in your 1-tons for tractor/trailer rigs you might want to have a look into rebreathers.

Add-ited: Freudian mistake, the 'h'. My mind must have trail(er)ed off trying to figure out how to pay off the gear and what to do with those junk heaps during the week.

 

[H2Andy]

wow, wheeled wh...

oh, wharehouses

never mind