GUE Fundies?

[seeker242]

I didn't receive any "unqualified nutritional advice" in my fundies class. The nutritional advice essentially amounted to "make sure you are properly nourished and hydrated before you go diving". That's a good plan!

Is it a good idea to take fundies with rental gear while I get my own, and can I ask the instructor for help with selecting gear?

Yes, it's recommended to consult with the instructor about any gear questions beforehand. What they want to prevent is you showing up with major components of non-standard gear like a jacket BC, no long hose, split fins etc. I would not see any problem renting the gear just as long as it complies with the standard GUE configuration.

I don't want to take a course if it's just to be told not to dive with my father (who isn't a very safe diver). And if the only easily available gas is air, and you're staying very far from NDL, is it not permissible to use air?

GUE isn't the scuba police. You make all the decisions about what you will do or not do in your own diving.

And I'm not sure if I'm good enough to get the most out of this class - is there any way to have a better idea?

Generally, I was told by my instructor there was only 2 things I needed to be concerned with. First to have the proper gear so as to not waste time fixing it during the class and to have stable base in the water where you can practice the skills. If your buoyancy control is not like a yo-yo, that should be good enough.

She also wanted us to read and study all the training materials, especially the math, and do all the worksheets before the class started. With only a week left. getting all the gear sorted out and reading and studying all the training materials, that may be cutting it pretty close! In order to get the most out of the class, you really should have all that sorted out before it starts.

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .
Generally, I was told by my instructor there was only 2 things I needed to be concerned with. First to have the proper gear so as to not waste time fixing it during the class and to have stable base in the water where you can practice the skills. If your buoyancy control is not like a yo-yo, that should be good enough. . . .

Good advice, but I'll add that showing up to class never having dived in a BP/W configuration and with non-compliant gear is still not a show-stopper. I had minimal experience with a BP/W before Fundies class, meaning I had absolutely no comfort with the thing. It may have taken me longer than other students to get my buoyancy and stability under control, but eventually I conquered it. One of the other students in my class showed up without the long hose and remarked "I like what I've read about GUE except for that long hose thing." The first evening the instructor helped everyone get their gear into compliance. Obviously, it's preferable to show up for class with the proper gear configuration and at least a little experience with it in the water, but it's not like being unprepared will follow you for the rest of your life or something. You're there to learn and have fun. Relax. GUE isn't the military.

Here are some words of wisdom from Gareth Burrows, and there may be more on the same site:

Are you a DIR diver?

Preparing for Fundamentals | Fundies Pages | content

Secrets of Fundamentals: The 5 things I look for on Dive1

Secrets of Fundamentals: the top mistakes people make

 

[billt4sf]

I think that whatever class you take, it's going to be the quality of the instructor (and their match with you as a student) that makes it great (or good, hopefully not bad...)

For me, the primal quality that the instructor needed (and had!) was PATIENCE.

Best class I ever took. Oh, by the way, we did not pass.

- Bill

 

[Dave Bevan]

Fundamentals is a class designed to improve your dive skills it is not focused around reaching a certain standard. It moves at the pace of the student.

GUE is not scuba police it shows you the way they believe is safest. It is aimed at technical divers doing more aggressive dives who won't get a second chance when things go wrong.

Phrases like don't dive with strokes come from WKPP when people just kept on dieing. That is where GUE has its roots. People wanted to make cave diving safer for everyone!