DIR- GUE GUE fundamentals, tec pass?

[EireDiver606]

I'm starting to pursue a technical diving training and one possibility is to migrate to GUE.

With GUE I would have to start with a GUE fundamentals class and it appears that I could try to get either the rec pass or the tec pass (with doubles).

I wonder if it would be a good idea to try the tec pass with doubles considering I've never dove with it.

If you’ve never done fundamentals, the chances are extremely slim of getting a tech pass first try with a system you’ve never used before.

People can of course do it, but they’re generally exceptional divers already.

Also, most divers who try to get a tech pass are not ready for it. Years ago I was with 2 divers who were struggling with rec pass level requirements (maybe they were new to drysuit/ doubles) during our evaluation. One of them was kneeling for a few moments while in completely negative trim....It was shocking to see.

OP, expect a wake up call. But one that you’ll be thankful for.

 

[seeker242]

Tech diving is just a term to categorize things, i treat every dive as i would do a tech dive, at the bare minimum the mindset is the same, i would need to have a solid gas plan, a rough goal of the dive (it could be just going down to see some fish) and a equipment check, this doesnt change if i were to dive to 30m or 100m. From my perspective below 100' one would require more gas to adhere to a good planning strategy, also they would have a higher chance to need to deal with decompression, also narcosis becomes a important factor. All of these things add together to make a dive more challenging and requires more training. I believe the most important differentiating part of GUE diving is the mindset,

Yes, but certainly all of that is taught in Rec 3, which means if you pass the class, then all of that is already taken care of so it's a non-issue..

I would just say that if you want to dive below 100' getting further training is highly advisable, and tech 1 seems like a good reasonable course for that, and even if you just want to dive to 130' i would argue the techniques which are taught in the tech 1 course is suitable for a dive to 130' and the more rigorous the training is the better it is anyhow, no one ever died from being overprepared.

Sure, you could say T1 is reasonable if you only want to do 125' dives, it's more than adequate. However, the same can be said with any training when referring to something that's just shallower. The question to ask is, is it actually necessary? One could easily say no. One could say that it's not reasonable because it's complete overkill.

In the GUE world, dives below 100' are done with some He in the mix, to which you gain access in Tech 1. (Tech dives are usually considered to be those in which you no longer have direct access to the surface, either because of a deco obligation or a hard overhead, although that definition can vary among agencies.)

I know, I'm a GUE diver and planning on doing T1 because I do want to tech dive according to GUE standards. Dives below 100' are done with He, which is precisely why Rec 3 has He to begin with.

If I did not want to tech dive, but still wanted to do 120-130' dives, while keeping the GUE standards, Rec 3 is the answer to that.

 

[PfcAJ]

Ok, but what if a GUE diver doesn’t want to tech dive to begin with? They should just stay above 100’ and that’s that? Are all dives below 100’ tech dives?

If you’re doing staged deco, using trimix, then you’re tech diving.

so...yes?

 

[seeker242]

If you’re doing staged deco, using trimix, then you’re tech diving.

so...yes?

GUE disagrees apparently.

 

[EireDiver606]

It is hard to get a tech pass on your first go. In my class, all three of us had Advanced Nitrox/Deco Procedures or PADI Tec45, two of us had cave training, and two were recreational instructors. We probably had 1200+ dives between us, we've all done 100+ dives in doubles, and use the same gear in our daily dives. We all ended up with rec passes and are working on practice/refinements for upgrades.

It's definitely a great performance-oriented goal to have, but it's also important to acknowledge that a tech pass is a very high bar to meet and the class itself is physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding.

Whichever level you achieve, you will definitely come out as an improved diver on the other side of the class.

It really goes to show the high quality of GUE training.

GUE is different and you can’t really compare the same levels with other agencies because it’s just different.

 

[PfcAJ]

GUE disagrees apparently.

Of course they do. Because the instructors can make 2k a pop by bamboozling people.

 

[seeker242]

Of course they do. Because the instructors can make 2k a pop by bamboozling people.

If you only ever want to do 120-130' dives, what's the bamboozle?

 

[jadairiii]

... You can accidentally switch or use 32% on a 130ft dive and its not a complete disaster......

It's called "training" to avoid that. SOP for GUE is always the same, regardless of the mix you are switching too. That argument is why they created 80%, the "fear" of complete disaster.

Correct me if I am wrong, but REC3 is a course to 130ft, with a lot of gas breathable at that depth (I think this is the only reason to use nx32 as ascent gas), and way less deco. That is, a lot more time to manage problems and a lot less risks... for these reasons I wouldn't compare the two classes

GUE Fundies (Rec-1) teaches the diver about gas management. When a diver passes Rec-1 or Fundies Rec they will know how to manage problems and manage gas. Many divers dont grasp gas management, whether a single 80 or triple 120's, if you dont manage your gas you will run out, its the "be on the boat with 500" mentality. Happens all the time.

 

[jadairiii]

If you only ever want to do 120-130' dives, what's the bamboozle?

If the diver is doing 120-130' stage decompression dives, that is Tec 1, not Rec-3, that is the "bamboozle". And in all fairness, there is no such thing as a "recreational dive" in 120-130', unless all you are doing is touching the bottom and coming up.....then why do it?

 

[ginti]

If the diver is doing 120-130' stage decompression dives, that is Tec 1, not Rec-3, that is the "bamboozle". And in all fairness, there is no such thing as a "recreational dive" in 120-130', unless all you are doing is touching the bottom and coming up.....then why do it?

If Rec3 teaches you to go to 130' with limited deco, then a dive to 130' with limited deco is also Rec3. I mentioned 3 reasons why to do this course (although they apply only to few divers)