Definition of technical diving

[VeniVidi]

I actually do not understand the fuzz made about the definition of what is "recreational" and what is "technical". I agree with you saying that all dives are basically technical (the gear you wear is technical by nature).

I am from Germanic Europe and I have the impression that this dispute is held all over the globe. I once read a good definition saying that all diving is nothing but "sport diving" (apart from professional). I hereby must add a note for a clear understanding: what is referred to as "recreational diving" in English is called - literally translated - "sport diving" in German.
Now "technical diving" became an ubiquitous expression, also in German and whatever the contents, diving is still "recreational" or "sports". I can't help getting the impression that just this quagmire of expressions promotes the opportunity for one "breed" of divers to distinguish itself from the other. It therefore implies that whatever is "technical" would require extra knowledge and equipment. And this is what appalls me most, because a lot of this stuff is accomplishable by regular and continuos practice and most importantly - experience. This does not mean that I would reject the courses offered as they may contribute very well to the respective individual instruction needs or wants. The only thing is that there seems to be a subliminal pressure for anyone wanting to try something out new, must first be "technicalized".

There are of course some critical fields like gas blending, multi-gas diving or rebreather that require thorough instructions - but this is mainly used for mission-oriented dives and that excludes 90% of all non-professional dives. Now should some discipline become accessible to the broad public (as EANx did) it is not exclusively professional and therefore not "technical = professional" (anymore).

"wedivebc", I think the charter must explicitly exclude all the activities that are not permitted and the list must be reviewed every couple of years.

 

[ninjamuzo]

The technical diving community will have many definitions for technical diving and I see some of them posted already e.g. using mixed gases, being in an overhead environment, going deeper than recreational limits, going into deco.

Actually you can do all of these things without being a real technical diver.

One real boundary between 'recreational' and 'technical' kicks in when you have to do a gas switch. Wearing a pair of manifolded doubles and diving to 40 meters isn't very technical, diving to 40 meters for 40 minutes is.

Poping your head into a wrecok or a cave isn't very technical but a planned penetration dive (wreck or cave) that puts you into deco is.

Diving on nitrox may not be, diving on Helium is. Diving that requires more than simply strapping on a tank and jumping in with a dive computer strapped to your wrist isn't technical. Diving that requires you to hold your position for some time without it varying by more than 1 meter or so is.

Doing a bounce dive to 70 meters on a single tank of air isn't technical, a planned deco dive on air to 50 m is.

In oter words the boundary is fuzzy but there are things you can point to and say that is technical and that is 'recreational'

Safe Diving.

 

[VeniVidi]

Hi ninjamuzo,

Thank you for your input. I agree with you that there are some disciplines that require training and specific knowledge to perform some types of diving (wreck/cave). And yet, the definitions appear pretty subjective which leads to my conclusion that they are somewhat made up by those who can directly draw any profit out of it (which is not wrong per se).

Now your argument of "technical" sticks mostly on decompression dives. Which is valid for a personal definition. Though bouncing down to 70m (210 ft.) would quite contradict your views as it would have a deco dive as a consequence. I agree that submerging at these depths with single tank is not only not "technical" - it is simply close to suicide. I know, it is praticed and feasible, but I need not to comment the hazard in case of a technical (in the very sense of the word) defect.

Yeah, you are right, the boundaries are fuzzy and there is no timeless definition for it (which again indicates the term to be arbitrary - or how would do you define "recreational trimix", for instance?) for why I end up distinguishing between professional and non-professional or mission-oriented or non-mission-oriented diving.

Let me give an example. Underwater photography is in most cases not perceived "technical". But what about the teams bringing back the sometimes spectacular footages we enjoy on channels like BBC or National Geographic? In particular cases, they have spent years of planning and shooting. So if there is something technical about diving, then it is the planning, equipment and logistics involved - and this is not limited to the diving gear but also the vessels, navigation facilities etc. Thus, it is not overly important whether or not they dove with "rec-jackets", wing bladders, DIR or non-DIR configuration, rebreathers etc. but what mission they have accomplished; to take not only the material but also the people safely back home - and that has covered a lot of technical aspects.

I am very well aware that my opinion is probably not shared by (m)any diver(s) - maybe so, because everybody knows what "technical diving" is until to the point they have to define it. So when I am lurking along the threads in the "Tek-Section", to me, it is just the site where I can learn a lot from (very) experienced divers.

 

[ninjamuzo]

You are probably correct that a bounce to 70 m would put you in deco on tables but on a dive computer it may not. I'd have to check the figures I can't remember what the max bounce is before certain deco (somewhere in the 60 m area I'd guess) I also agree that people who do this kind of thing are rolling the dice.

>How would do you define "recreational trimix", for instance?
I'd call this a contradiction in terms. At some future point there might indeed be such a thing but I don't know anyone in the industry who would use the term at this stage.

As for your definition of 'technical' a lot of what are currently called 'recreational' dives would then change category.

Perhaps the measure could then be based on a level of complexity and relative safety e.g. a complex underwater shooting sequence for a movie at 10m would then be technical but a deep dive to 30 m with a buddy pair on single tanks within NDL would still be 'recreational'.

Decompression is not always a good measure since all dives are a form of a 'decompression' diving. Multiple level stops could be another measure of technical versus recreational because rec divers currently do a safety stop.

 

[Curt Bowen]

ok, last night while i impressed my wife (ya right) by
tearing up an old console and pulling the pressure gauge hose
out, which i then installed on my first stage after removing
my computer, she saw the invoice for my new pressure
gauge, which said "Tech Divers."

so she asked me, what is a tech diver?

and i said, well... divers who dive really deep and use gases
other than air or oxygen enriched air, like helium.

it occurs to me that this is not exactly a great definition.

so... i guess my question is, how do you define a
tech diver?

Here it is in a nut shell.

Technical Diver: An individual who spends over 30% of his life income on dive equipment.

 

[Curt Bowen]

I have read over this and decided to put my 2 cents worth in an attempt to curtail the confusion with technical diving. Keep in mind, a technical dive is a planned, executed dive that the divers safety is of utmost importance and consideration and not a half hazard, hair ball, spur of the moment plung into the abyss just to thump your chest.




Definition:
Technical Dive: A dive where immediate exit to the surface is restricted due to extreme distance or extensive decompression obligations.




Depth is not included in this definition because many extreme technical dives have been conducted at 30 feet, (15,000 foot traverse between exits in Mexico’s Yucatan).

Mixed gas diving is not included in this definition because mixing different gas is just a TOOL used to get a task completed.

Multiple cylinders are not included in this definition because cylinders are just a TOOL used to get a task completed.

Rebreathers are not included in this definition because they are a TOOL used to get a task completed.



There are two classes of technical divers

The Tourist - Technical diver: (95% of all technical divers) This is an individual who conducts technical (see definition above) dives to known locations that have been explored before.

The Explorer – Technical Diver: (5% or less of all technical divers) These are the individuals who conduct extensive, time consuming, large amounts of money, and effort to explore and discover new wrecks, caves, marine life etc. never seen by man before. These individuals are those who LIVE for exploration and discovery.

 

[NEWreckDiver]

snip The Tourist - Technical diver: (95% of all technical divers) This is an individual who conducts technical (see definition above) dives to known locations that have been explored before.

The Explorer – Technical Diver: (5% or less of all technical divers) These are the individuals who conduct extensive, time consuming, large amounts of money, and effort to explore and discover new wrecks, caves, marine life etc. never seen by man before. These individuals are those who LIVE for exploration and discovery.

Here, here. This is by far the best explanation I have ever heard.

I hope you don't mind if I use this in the future Curt.

 

[db8us]

The Tourist - Technical diver: (95% of all technical divers) This is an individual who conducts technical (see definition above) dives to known locations that have been explored before.

The Explorer – Technical Diver: (5% or less of all technical divers) These are the individuals who conduct extensive, time consuming, large amounts of money, and effort to explore and discover new wrecks, caves, marine life etc. never seen by man before. These individuals are those who LIVE for exploration and discovery.

Hi Curt,

where can i get C-Cards for that ?


Michael

 

[chrisch]

>How would do you define "recreational trimix", for instance?
I'd call this a contradiction in terms. At some future point there might indeed be such a thing but I don't know anyone in the industry who would use the term at this stage.

The IANTD recreational trimix course is available all around the globe....

FYI the advanced course uses 25/25 mix to 45M with EAN50 as deco gas and V-Planner as the deco calculator.

Its pretty technical, but then as many others have said that's diving..

Chris.

 

[MikeFerrara]

>How would do you define "recreational trimix", for instance?
I'd call this a contradiction in terms. At some future point there might indeed be such a thing but I don't know anyone in the industry who would use the term at this stage.

IANTD, NAUI and GUE all have recreational trimix classes.

The IANTD Advanced recreational trimix is on the same level as their Advanced nitrox class and does involve limited staged decompression as well as a single gas switch during decompression. Still IANTD considers the course rec rather that tech.

Divers are finding that helium has some application for no-stop dives within recreational depth limits.