GUE Drysuit Diver class report (Doug Mudry March 2011)

[ScubaSteve]

I am late to the game here but all I can say is WOW. That is a great report of what sounds like an amazing class. The GUE Class sounds like it is a lot more worthwhile than the course I took. I believe my class was more typical of many others but this write up makes me want to take it again (but this time with Doug).

Question: Is the GUE Drysuit class only available to previously certified GUE divers? The reason I ask is that you seem to spend a lot of time on the things that GUE teaches that many other agencies do not (or at least do not focus on) so I would think the classes would be tough to get done in two days. Just curious.

 

[lv2dive]

The other guy in that class was GUE tech1 when he took it - i was not certified with GUE at the time. Ive since participated in a different class where the student did not have any GUE background at all. Although the flavor was a little different, the core class stayed the same... It was about managing the basics, but in a drysuit. And managing the drysuit. In case you didn't notice, I thought doug did an amazing job.

 

[TSandM]

According to the GUE website, the prerequisites for the dry suit course are that you must be 16 years of age, a certified diver from another agency (or GUE), and pass the medical and non-smoking requirements. You must, however, take the class in standard GUE equipment.

 

[randytay]

Ehh... whats the GUE Edge?

 

[TSandM]

GUE EDGE is the pre-dive mnemonic: Goals, Unified Team, Equipment; Exposure, Deco, Gas, Environment.

 

[zamburinha]

Thanks for the report! That was really useful. Unfortunately there are not many drysuit class reports out there.

 

[GABmbdvr]

I'm interested in taking the fundamentals course as well as drysuit course; is there a particular order you would suggest?

 

[TSandM]

It depends on the temperature of the water where you would be doing the Fundies class. Since debriefs are often carried out, or at least started, in the water, you need to be comfortable for some time while doing nothing. If you would get chilled or shiver during debriefs, go to the dry suit first. If you are already diving a dry suit, do the dry suit class first, because it will work on your buoyancy, and you need that to do a good job in Fundies.

If you are diving wet and stay warm for long periods, you can do Fundies in a wetsuit and practice your skills through the summer, and do the dry suit class as the temperatures drop in the Fall.

 

[lv2dive]

You could always do the drysuit class first and make a decision from there as to whether to take fundies wet or dry, if wet is an option. That will give you the benefit of exposure to some of the fundamental skills prior to the fundies class.