Doing rebreather class next year

[Fishdip]

So.. While reading the first few posts on page 1, I was in the same boat as many of the people on this thread thinking that this was either posted to troll, or a guy hell bent on killing himself.

However, after reading through the entire thread and seeing that he is working towards this being a ten year project to get to 500', I'm more understanding of what he wants to do and feel that the comparisons to Doc Deep are a bit out of line. Doc Deep was hell bent on setting a world record in a short period of time and he didn't have the experience or knowledge behind him to do it safely. In contrast, this guy is hoping to go to less than half the depth that DD was shooting for and plans to spend close to a decade building up the knowledge, skills and experience in order to get there. These are HUGELY different scenarios.

Honestly, I think that if someone were to approach this seriously and spend several years of training, learning, and gaining significant experience one of two outcomes is likely to happen:

1. He'll gain an appreciation of the risks involved and maybe recognize that a personal depth record isn't really necessary.
2. He'll gain enough experience and skill to be able to pull off a 500' without much incident.

Either case, the journey would really be the important element here, not necessarily the final outcome.

Thank you! I do love the “actual” feed back others have offered and the links to different stories are really good info.

 

[stretchthepenn]

Where did you do the class at? And I see it more of the guy who signs up to the monastery high on the MT top and lives it for the next 50 years…

I did my RB cert in cave country, in north-central Florida.

 

[Fishdip]

I did my RB cert in cave country, in north-central Florida.

Would you recommend the facility? What unit did you use?

 

[BoltSnap]

So.. While reading the first few posts on page 1, I was in the same boat as many of the people on this thread thinking that this was either posted to troll, or a guy hell bent on killing himself.

However, after reading through the entire thread and seeing that he is working towards this being a ten year project to get to 500', I'm more understanding of what he wants to do and feel that the comparisons to Doc Deep are a bit out of line. Doc Deep was hell bent on setting a world record in a short period of time and he didn't have the experience or knowledge behind him to do it safely. In contrast, this guy is hoping to go to less than half the depth that DD was shooting for and plans to spend close to a decade building up the knowledge, skills and experience in order to get there. These are HUGELY different scenarios.

Honestly, I think that if someone were to approach this seriously and spend several years of training, learning, and gaining significant experience one of two outcomes is likely to happen:

1. He'll gain an appreciation of the risks involved and maybe recognize that a personal depth record isn't really necessary.
2. He'll gain enough experience and skill to be able to pull off a 500' without much incident.

Either case, the journey would really be the important element here, not necessarily the final outcome.

@kensuf Is the kind of an educator that I'd be very happy and eager to take training with at any level while being confident in his skills, wisdom and expertise in contrast to the other type of condescending quick to judge "instructors" who were commenting and ridiculing a perhaps uninformed divers above. The dive educator is the one that takes the time and effort to lead the students to a higher level of skills and comprehension not to show off and pontificate to others in a demeaning way as was done above.

I truly hope that I'll get the chance to get out of the cesspool here and do some training with you @kensuf in the near future.

 

[stretchthepenn]

Would you recommend the facility? What unit did you use?

My dive buddy and I hired a private instructor, and we used the Chest-Mount Optima, a.k.a. the Choptima.

 

[Fishdip]

@kensuf Is the kind of an educator that I'd be very happy and eager to take training with at any level while being confident in his skills, wisdom and expertise in contrast to the other type of condescending quick to judge "instructors" who were commenting and ridiculing a perhaps uninformed divers above. The dive educator is the one that takes the time and effort to lead the students to a higher level of skills and comprehension not to show off and pontificate to others in a demeaning way as was done above.

I truly hope that I'll get the chance to get out of the cesspool here and do some training with you @kensuf in the near future.

100% I wish he was closer!

 

[flymolo]

100% I wish he was closer!

Traveling for a class with the right instructor is well worth it

 

[Superlyte27]

I’ve got a Choptima for sale
It’s the one that went to 500’

 

[formernuke]

100% I wish he was closer!

Yup I chose mine based on other people. When several instructors and someone who fixes them recommends someone, pay the extra to train with them.

 

[Wibble]

Not other divers. But really its about being on a boat full of divers and knowing I have been deeper.

You’ve go so much to learn.

I like the message printed on a Kiss rebreather: “Warning, this machine can kill you without notice”

If your skills aren’t up to scratch, rebreathers will kill you.