My journey into tech

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Marie13

Great Lakes Mermaid
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I plan on going tech in the future. There was never any question it would eventually happen. I'm not interested in caves at all, but deeper wrecks, especially on the Great Lakes? Heck, yes! :D My goal is the Thomas Hume in Lake Michigan, at 145ft (very pretty wreck that went down in 1891, very well preserved). I'm Great Lakes wreck obsessed and have been for something like 25 years. My wreck class with limited penetration is this weekend. I've already been diving some Great Lakes wrecks.

What skills do I need to have down cold before I begin any tech training?

I'm currently at 62 dives. Have Advanced rating and Nitrox, as well as drysuit. I'm planning on the SM class next season (BM doubles are not possible due to knee issues, period). Solo/intro to tech in 2019. AN/DP maybe in 2020. Advanced Wreck and trimix, who knows when. I figure it may very well take me 5 years to get to the point where I can dive the Hume.

Earlier this summer I had the opportunity to observe an AN/DP class working on dropping and retrieving stage bottles at the local quarry (they came to the platform I was working on). That was very interesting to watch.

I'm looking for info such as: need to be able to hover within x amount of deviation (1ft, or whatever it is), etc. That sort of thing. Would like to know what exactly I need to work on. I'm something of a long-term planner. :wink: Thanks!
 
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Buoyancy, Trim and Propulsion.

Buoyancy, within a few feet (to start) i.e. 20ft stop, you are at 18-22ft in mid water (i.e. not much to reference from) is the ideal.

Trim, you are parallel with where you are going (not ascending/descending to depths i.e. ascent/descent phase of the dive)

Propulsion, this is taught specifically, but having a strong (and 'proper' depending on flavour of organization) Frog Kick, Flutter kick and back kick. A helicopter turn is half a frog kick and back kick. The modified versions are all in the ankles of the Frog/Flutter

The rest are skills taught in whichever course you will ever take (tech or not)

_R
 
I'd start with buoyancy/trim and propulsion skills. There are classes specifically on these from many instructors/agencies. I don't remember the standard deviation that is allowed by most tech instructors, but it's not a lot. You probably already have flutter kick down. Master frog kick, back kick, and helicopter turns.
 
Isn't teaching you "what skills you need to have down cold" what Intro to Tech (which you plan to take) or Fundamentals is about? I don't know about ITT, as I took the Fundies route, but I have come across a number of posts from people who wanted to practice the skills BEFORE taking the class. The replies that made sense to me--and now having taken Fundies I can vouch for--were to the effect that it's best not to develop bad habits by trying to prepare for what is supposed to be an introductory class that assumes no prior experience. Take the class, and THEN practice what you were taught. In the meantime, just dive.

That said, if your question is simply out of intellectual curiosity about what subject matter will be taught in class and what the standards are for passing, then take a look at the standards for GUE Fundies, for example: GUE Fundamentals | Global Underwater Explorers
 
Learn to hover in one spot. Then learn to do things while you hover. Mess with your gear, take your mask off and replace it. Fiddle with stuff in your pockets. Spin around in either direction. Maybe even drop and pick up stages. Do it all over and over, until it's no big deal.

That's the most useful thing you can practice. Then you can learn the harder stuff, like doing it without a reference or while accomplishing more-difficult tasks.
 
Isn't teaching you "what skills you need to have down cold" what Intro to Tech (which you plan to take) or Fundamentals is about? I don't know about ITT, as I took the Fundies route, but I have come across a number of posts from people who wanted to practice the skills BEFORE taking the class. The replies that made sense to me--and now having taken Fundies I can vouch for--were to the effect that it's best not to develop bad habits by trying to prepare for what is supposed to be an introductory class that assumes no prior experience. Take the class, and THEN practice what you were taught. In the meantime, just dive.
I agree. Don't try to practice and master any skills before the class. Even with great mentors, you'll be surprised how many little things are missed/done "wrong" and how quickly those little things add up when you're task loaded.

Solo/intro to tech in 2019.
I would suggest do ITT ASAP if you can. I'm curious what your reason is for this timeline. Also, since you're going the SM route, see if you can combine that with ITT (I feel like this should be an easy thing to do).
If you've already done some research about instructors, do ITT with the same person so you can suss out their teaching style as well and build familiarity and (hopefully) a good relationship with them - this will be crucial when you do the more demanding classes down the line.
 
Tech instructor I am planning on going wth through AN/DP is someone I already know and like very much. He taught my Nitrox class. He also does SM.

Given how I've struggled with some scuba things, I feel it's better I separate out SM from ITT. I'd like to have a season of diving with SM under my belt before any tech classes.
 
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Tech instructor I am planning on going wth through AN/DP is someone I already know and like very much. He taught my Nitrox class. He also does SM.

Given how I've struggled with some scuba things, I feel it's better I separate out SM from ITT. I'd like to have a season of diving with SM under my belt before any tech classes.

Any reason to not do Intro first before SM?


_R
 
Any reason to not do Intro first before SM?

_R

I'd prefer to do ITT in the configuration I'd be doing the rest of my tech training in.

SM wouldn't happen until next year anyway. I've gotten a lightly used SM rig that's on it's way to me, but I need to save up over the winter for reg set.
 
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