Florida - good tec spots for continuing training

[DiverDiverRUOK]

Alec Hutchinson (Boca, anything you want to do) Marcello Pavao (Jupiter, up to helitrox) are two people I'd recommend a family member to in the Broward/Palm Beach area.

Thanks Ken! I second Ken's recommendation for Marcelo, who I've worked with in the past - great guy and professional instructor.

Pretty much everything I do revolves around deep wreck diving, both OC and closed circuit, so if you have any questions feel free to post them here or reach out directly.

-Alec

 

[Andy in Gap]

John Chatterton teaches advanced wreck diving out of Pompano Beach, I have taken his class and highly recommend it based on your goals.

 

[tbone1004]

John Chatterton teaches advanced wreck diving out of Pompano Beach, I have taken his class and highly recommend it based on your goals.

Most of us would not....

 

[grantctobin]

Most of us would not....

Seconded x28485942

 

[Andy in Gap]

Most of us would not....

I knew that was coming...If you want to study wrecks, dive them, and stay alive and unbent while doing it, he’s the guy to trust. Trim, propulsion, and bottle handling can and should be squared away before class. He’s actually very forward thinking and up to date on the science of diving. Be happy to entertain valid criticism in a PM, always willing to learn from others.

 

[tbone1004]

I knew that was coming...If you want to study wrecks, dive them, and stay alive and unbent while doing it, he’s the guy to trust. Trim, propulsion, and bottle handling can and should be squared away before class. He’s actually very forward thinking and up to date on the science of diving. Be happy to entertain valid criticism in a PM, always willing to learn from others.

remove the unbent part, he has some weird deco and dive planning theories.
His problem is he muscles his way through wrecks, there is 0 finesse about it. It makes sense with his background, but I would only use him to take a course on advanced wreck diving. ALL foundational courses should be 100% solid with top notch instructors before you go to him. Many cave instructors are like that as well. They have all the experience in the world, but have no business teaching lower level courses

 

[Andy in Gap]

remove the unbent part, he has some weird deco and dive planning theories.
His problem is he muscles his way through wrecks, there is 0 finesse about it. It makes sense with his background, but I would only use him to take a course on advanced wreck diving. ALL foundational courses should be 100% solid with top notch instructors before you go to him. Many cave instructors are like that as well. They have all the experience in the world, but have no business teaching lower level courses

I’ll say this...he’s not DIR but not many wreck divers are. It doesn’t translate well to a wreck environment. He teaches very conservative deco profiles. Never taken a hit in thousands of deep wreck dives. OP sounds like he has some experience, if he wants to learn to dive wrecks in South FL, the goat is there teaching it. It’s like learning to hit a baseball from Babe Ruth.

 

[grantctobin]

I’ll say this...he’s not DIR but not many wreck divers are. It doesn’t translate well to a wreck environment. He teaches very conservative deco profiles. Never taken a hit in thousands of deep wreck dives. OP sounds like he has some experience, if he wants to learn to dive wrecks in South FL, the goat is there teaching it. It’s like learning to hit a baseball from Babe Ruth.

Would you be so kind as to explain what DIR doesn’t translate well to a wreck environment?

 

[Andy in Gap]

Someone mentioned Alec Hutchinson as an excellent instructor and I agree 100%. He was in the water with us on every dive.

 

[tbone1004]

It’s like learning to hit a baseball from Babe Ruth.

that analogy proves the point, though I'll say he's definitely not the GOAT of wreck diving. His fundamentals are nothing short of abysmal while he is a very accomplished wreck diver that does not mean that he has any business teaching it. IF you want to go take courses from him after you are an accomplished wreck diver and can absorb the subtleties that only come with immense experience then absolutely go take a course, but if you're trying to learn from the beginning? All you are going to do is develop bad habits that may cause you problems down the road.