Doubles and DIRF

[b1gcountry]

The DIRF of AG's era is long gone (unfortunately).

Care to explain?

 

[BarryNL]

Tech pass/ rec pass was started after I took Fundamentals, but my understanding is that a Tech pass is only aquired when the skills are performed to standard while wearing doubles and a cannister light and appropriate exposure protection. The Tech Pass shows that a diver can perform the skills and tasks while wearing the same equipment required for further training within GUE.

The following is from e-mail correspondence with a GUE instructor:

"Technical pass requires Double tanks, Primary light, A working back kick by the end of the course and a higher skill level for everything. You need to get a Tech pass to go on to a Tech1 or Cave1 class. However you can do the upgrade at any time with any GUE instructor (which is 1 dive)."

So, there you have it.

 

[MonkSeal]

"Technical pass requires Double tanks, Primary light, A working back kick by the end of the course and a higher skill level for everything. You need to get a Tech pass to go on to a Tech1 or Cave1 class."

The reason for this is obvious: if you don't have these skills after completing GUE-F, you wan't be able to perform dives during T1 or C1 class; the only guaranty that you'll perform ok during advance class is that you have fully satisfied at lower level.

 

[base615]

I just got a tech pass in Fundies today having only done 2 full dives in twins prior to the course (1 further dive aborted due to drysuit problems). I'd advise that you do a couple of dives before the course to work out weighting and get a little bit of a feel for it but the purpose of the course is to teach you the stuff and try and improve you by the end of the course so you shouldn't have to go overboard.

When I asked my instructor if I should use the twins he said that since I wanted to do the tech courses ultimately I should do it in twins as I'd have to come back anyway and I might as well use the class time to learn how to use them properly, eg. learn valve drills etc.

Don't get me wrong, the course is seriously intense and very stressful and I didn't feel like I'd get a tech pass at the end but you might as well use the time you have with the instructor to learn your planned configuration.

Cheers,

Craig

 

[robzr]

The reason for this is obvious: if you don't have these skills after completing GUE-F, you wan't be able to perform dives during T1 or C1 class; the only guaranty that you'll perform ok during advance class is that you have fully satisfied at lower level.

The standard my instructor mentioned for a tech pass, was will the student be prepared to take Cave 1 or Tech 1 after a minimum of 25 dives post-Fundamentals. I get the feeling that in Cave 1 / Tech 1 you really need a lot of these skills second nature so you don't have to think about them because there are so many new things to learn.

Every dive for me between now and Tech 1, I'll be practicing skills & drills until I don't have to think about them. Also, it was stressed many many times, "trim & buoyancy, trim & buoyancy, trim & buoyancy", you want to maintain trim & buoyance despite task loading, and before worry about how fast you can do skills, just make sure you can do them without breaking trim or losing bouyancy control. That was a big part of the class was being loaded with tasks, so you have to keep trim & buoyancy while you're dealing with other issues. For us it was running timed sliding stops while maintaining formation in strong current and ascending & descending on an SMB line, while being conscious of the dive plan, positioning relative to the shore, and then we got a suprise on top of that Definitely stressful it is fun getting pushed to your limits. If you get a pass, you will definitely feel like you earned it.

Rob

 

[creamofwheat]

Here is my experience with the matter.

Previous to my Fundies course, I had done my NACD cavern course, in doubles. I got the feel of the doubles there. About a year later, I did Fundies, and I hadn't dove doubles since the cavern course. I decided to do my GUE-F course in my singles rig, but with a canister light as well. I wanted to focus on the skills, not getting used to doubles again. I passed the course with a rec pass, and my instructor suggested I try for a tech upgrade. I did a few days later. He got me into some doubles, gave me the first while of our dive to get used to the things again. Surprisingly, I got the hang of them again relatively easily. We went over all the skills that I had already learned and mastered, with the addition of valve drills. And I got the Tech pass.

This was a very good way to do it. For myself, at any rate. Because I originally did the course in singles, I could focus on learning all of the skills. When it came to doing it in doubles, I already had all the skills down...I just had to do it in a different rig.

I suggest getting some practice in doubles first, if you intend to do the course in doubles. It will ease your pain. It is not an easy course, and it would be even harder in a new setup.