dive before tech

[jaybombs25]

How many dives did you have before entering the realm of tech diving?

 

[texdiveguy]

How many dives did you have before entering the realm of tech diving?

Several hundreds.....

 

[Diver Dennis]

Over 1500. This is just me, I had no desire to do it sooner and I don't think there is a magic number to indicate you're ready, it depends on the person and their skill level.

 

[TSandM]

Joe Talavera gave wonderful advice . . . He said, "Do the diving you can do until you are completely bored with it, before you take up technical diving."

I have somewhere around 325 dives now, still all recreational. My first step into "technical" diving will be next spring, at about 500 dives, when I take my cave class. And I'm not taking that because it's a "technical" class. I'm taking it because I am head over heels in love with caves, and I can't dive them safely otherwise. I guess that's not quite "bored with the diving I can do", but it isn't tech for its own sake, either.

 

[Diver0001]

Whether you should take up technical diving at all will depend on several factors

- Inherent ability (talent)
- Motivation
- Availability of diving opportunities
- Availability of good instructors
- Size of bank account

Your question is only addressing the first point (Talent). I don't think anyone here can really answer that for you. The mainstream technical agencies demand something like 150 or 200 dives IIRC. None of my friends started with less than 500 dives and we were all certified DM or instructor and had solid diving skills.

Mabye we can make the rhetorical quip that as long as you have any doubt then the answer is "not yet".

R..

 

[Spratman]

I had about 65 dives before I took the NAUI Intro to Tech course. It helped me trim out and get familiar with tech gear. Last year I talked my my tech instructor regarding training for this year, and he told me not to take anything. He told me to focus on diving and making ever dive a good one. Practice basic skills until they become second nature.

I recommend taking the Intro to Tech class. It will make you a better diver and give you an idea as to whether or not you want to pursue more advanced training.

As Diver0001 said, you better have a good job! I'm a about $5000 into just for gear and still have several items to go. Tech training is expensive as well. But if you have a good instructor, he/she is worth their weight in gold.

Good luck!

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Joe Talavera gave wonderful advice . . . He said, "Do the diving you can do until you are completely bored with it, before you take up technical diving."

I had about 800 dives before I began what some would consider tech diving. I have never bored of recreational diving, though. These days nearly all my dives are rec. For the right wreck I will grab doubles and deco gas though.

 

[KazInAz]

I had 80 dives when I started Cave. Frankly almost all the skills I learned in Cavern class can translate to the recreational world. There is no magic number and I dont believe you need alot of dives to start into tech. What you need are the skills to start into tech. Which I think are better learned early before you develop bad habits.
I took my Cavern with people that were instructors with 300-500 dives. They had a harder time unlearning skills and relearning new ones. And I figured it would be me that was at a disadvantage with only 80 dives...

 

[Nailer99]

I had about 100 dives- but that's just me. You're ready when you're ready.

 

[desparoz]

I had about 550 dives before going into tec.

Not counting nitrox as tec, of course.....