GUE recreational classes - early details

[amascuba]

I'm not sure where I stand on the Rec 3 class yet. It's reminiscent of JeffG's stance on the PADI/DSAT Apprentice to Tech. class. I'm not going judge it until I see some standards on the class, although my initial impression is that it's a pointless class.

 

[Peter Guy]

I'm curious at whom Rec 1 is aimed -- the uncertified diver OR the OW/AOW diver? If uncertified, I believe the 3 confined water dives are WAY too few for the amount of training they are going to get. Yes, they may have 4 days of open water diving (and at 4 dives a day or 2?), but the basic skills need to be worked on in confined water, NOT the OW scene.

Of course in addition to the "standard" things one must learn to become an OW diver (like taking your mask on and off/clearing it that is one of the hardest things for many), I'd assume GUE would be teaching the basic kicks (frog, mod frog, etc.).

 

[amascuba]

Umm, since the classes start out at Nitrox, non-divers don't have an option to take that class?

Or is this a GUE OW certification?

I don't believe that it's a GUE OW certification, just a expanded version of the Fundamentals class. I could be wrong though.

As far as Nitrox goes though. With a PADI and SSI (I don't know about other agencies) you can take a Nitrox course concurrently with OW and do your OW check out dives on Nitrox.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Dude... Why would I make up some stuff and then "attribute" the statements to someone I also made up

Dr. Alexakos teaches philosophy at the University of North Florida. He was GUE's VP and is currently GUE's Director of Quality Control and the Managing Editor of Quest.

Panos D

GUE's Director of QC is a philosophy professor? Priceless!

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Umm, since the classes start out at Nitrox, non-divers don't have an option to take that class?

Or is this a GUE OW certification?

In the world of GUE, air does not exist as a diving gas. For back gas it's either EAN32, triox or trimix.

 

[RonFrank]

As far as Nitrox goes though. With a PADI and SSI (I don't know about other agencies) you can take a Nitrox course concurrently with OW and do your OW check out dives on Nitrox.

My understanding is this is an option with all agencies.

 

[JeffG]

I'm curious at whom Rec 1 is aimed -- the uncertified diver OR the OW/AOW diver?

The way I read it, is that it is a new fundi's class. You have to be certified to take it.

I'm not sure where I stand on the Rec 3 class yet. It's reminiscent of JeffG's stance on the PADI/DSAT Apprentice to Tech. class.

Perhaps. It looks to be what used to be the "Recreation Trimix" with some wrinkles thrown in. That class IMO use was dubious to begin with and just gets weirder with a 32% deco mix.

Looks like the Open water plans are dead.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Looks like the Open water plans are dead.

Not sure GUE should try and compete for that level anyway. I just don't see enough students being knowledgeable enough to justify taking such a long, rigorous and expensive OW course. I just don't see it happening.

IMO they'd be best served focusing on picking up like-minded divers following OW and aiming their curriculum at a rigorous AOW/Rescue followed by Triox/Deep and then onto their current Tech/Cave system.

Seems like they've gotten off track and need a bit of leadership. I could see a rigorous AOW/Rescue being marketable. Then they'd just need to re-focus their Triox class.

 

[amascuba]

Not sure GUE should try and compete for that level anyway. I just don't see enough students being knowledgeable enough to justify taking such a long, rigorous and expensive OW course. I just don't see it happening.

IMO they'd be best served focusing on picking up like-minded divers following OW and aiming their curriculum at a rigorous AOW/Rescue followed by Triox/Deep and then onto their current Tech/Cave system.

Seems like they've gotten off track and need a bit of leadership. I could see a rigorous AOW/Rescue being marketable. Then they'd just need to re-focus their Triox class.

IMHO that only place that a GUE OW course would really fit in is an academic environment as a semester long class. Beyond that I don't think the market would accept such a class very well with much shorter and cheaper alternatives.

I'm all for the Rec1 - 3. I'm confused about the Nitrox32 deco bottle for Rec 3, but I'll see what it's all about when the course standards are available.

The only certification based course that would have any benefit would be a rescue course (Beyond what GUE has available of course). Beyond that workshop based courses would be a good idea for individuals wanting extra training in specialized gear/environments such as DPV's, etc.

 

[rainman_02]

With 21/35 you get two choices:

1) Treat it like air. That means you get 5 minutes of MDL time at 130'. Then you have to pay back every minute you owe. So, for a 20 minute dive, you get 22 minutes of deco on 21/35.

2) Use the 21/35 setpoint. You go 1:1 at 150' and get 5 minutes of credit for every 10' shallower, but this is predicated on using 50% (otherwise your deco doubles). So, for a 20 minute dive you get 20 minutes of deco on 21/35.

You lose the O2 window. You only have the gradient to deco...so you're doing a Buhlmann w/Gradient Factors deco schedule...bleh.


A 130' dive on 21/35 is much better done with O2 deco than 32% or even 50%. ~11 minutes of deco for a 20 minute dive.