Fundies and no more?

[nadwidny]

Brian, thoughts on why?

Like Jeff says, lack of instructors. Tech 2 was a nightmare to schedule, especially after Andrew left.

Cave is easy. Zero Gravity has tons of slots available for training so there is never the need to go outside GUE to get to the full cave level.

 

[nadwidny]

I'll have to add that when Andrew left a fair number of the people that did Tech 1 with him went on to do the NAUI version of Tech 2 with him. I also know that some of the people that did Tech 1 just went on to doing Tech 2 dives without taking the formal training.

 

[Vie]

Like Jeff says, lack of instructors. Tech 2 was a nightmare to schedule, especially after Andrew left.

Cave is easy. Zero Gravity has tons of slots available for training so there is never the need to go outside GUE to get to the full cave level.

The situation is reversed here in Asia. T2 class can be scheduled relatively easily but GUE cave training is impossible due to lack of instructor.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Over the last couple of years, it seems like almost everybody I know who has taken Fundies has gone on to do some kind of tech or cave training. (I sometimes think there are more cave divers in Seattle than there are in Florida!) So I got curious about how many people out there have taken Fundies for the skills for their recreational diving, and found that was enough. Is Fundies really a gateway drug?

Took Fundies (twice) ... went on to take tech training, but not with GUE.

Among the things my Fundies experiences taught me was that if you really want access to your tech instructor, GUE is a very limited option ... the person who taught my first Fundies class never came back to the PNW, and the second one got kicked out of the organization (which was a shame, because I thought he was the best scuba instructor I've ever interacted with).

So I went IANTD for rec triox, then NAUI Tech for everything else (AN/Deco, Trimix 1 and Trimix 2).

Was Fundies a gateway drug? No ... it was just a step along a path toward a goal I haven't reached yet.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[rjack321]

Over the last couple of years, it seems like almost everybody I know who has taken Fundies has gone on to do some kind of tech or cave training. (I sometimes think there are more cave divers in Seattle than there are in Florida!) So I got curious about how many people out there have taken Fundies for the skills for their recreational diving, and found that was enough. Is Fundies really a gateway drug?

You and Peter are the king and queen of saying you are happy doing xyz recreational dives, never have deco or cave aspirations yada yada...
and then getting interested in something more advanced 6-12 months later.

 

[mangrovejack]

I really want to take the GUE Fundamentals cost, but in Australia the cost of the course is $995 AUD. I've seen the course can be taken for around $249 USD in the US obviously. Why is there such a difference in price between taking the course here and the US? I know all dive gear costs a lot more in Australia, but geez, didn't expect that much of a difference for training courses! Hate to see what the tech or cave courses will cost over here!

 

[b1gcountry]

I really want to take the GUE Fundamentals cost, but in Australia the cost of the course is $995 AUD. I've seen the course can be taken for around $249 USD in the US obviously. Why is there such a difference in price between taking the course here and the US? I know all dive gear costs a lot more in Australia, but geez, didn't expect that much of a difference for training courses! Hate to see what the tech or cave courses will cost over here!

Where in the US??? I've always seen it for $500, although I've heard that it USED TO BE cheaper...

 

[mangrovejack]

I found the cost here: GUE Fundamentals Information Maybe its not up to date?

 

[cmalinowski]

I really want to take the GUE Fundamentals cost, but in Australia the cost of the course is $995 AUD. I've seen the course can be taken for around $249 USD in the US obviously. Why is there such a difference in price between taking the course here and the US? I know all dive gear costs a lot more in Australia, but geez, didn't expect that much of a difference for training courses! Hate to see what the tech or cave courses will cost over here!

$500 was the cheapest I ever saw it. but with all the new Fundies instructors they are putting out, it wouldn't surprise me if some were dropping the prices down a bit... but $249? Wow.

Chris

 

[nadwidny]

I found the cost here: GUE Fundamentals Information Maybe its not up to date?

That's the old 2 day course.