IANTD technical training

[Ari]

I have read the post that refers to the TDI training, which was very active for the past few days.

As a spin on that question, Does anyone know anything about the IANTD tech training?

I am an IANTD AOW/Nitrox certified. I would like to continue my training in the direction of deeper more technical (deco) kind of diving.

The agencies that are operating this kind of training in Israel are IANTD, ANDI and TDI.

Can anyone suggest the right way to take?

Ari

 

[Campana]

Good Morning Ari, from Texas. I am in IANTD Cave training, and my instructor is a young man from Oklahoma City. I travel 250 miles for my courses. The training is excellent. In the area of technical training, the instructor is the main consideration, not the agency, as is true in other areas of diving too.

Mike, the instructor, uses ideas from GUE, IANTD, and NSS/CDS for ideas. He views the course as a long continuous development which includes cave diving, gas mixing, equipment assembly and repair/rebuilding, trimix diving, and deep diving. We don't get a card in a weekend!

I would ask around about instructor's reputations, without regard to agency. Technical training is something to be taken slowly and carefully with emphasis on skills.

 

[watergal]

Hi, Ari.

You may have noticed a theme in the last several posts on the thread you mentioned. That is, that the instructor is much more important than the agency. All three agencies have been around awhile, all their certification cards are widely accepted, and they all have the potential to leave you with the knowledge and skills you want. But it is onky potential. Talk to the folks who would be teaching the class and to folks who have trained with them.

I know nothing about ANDI, but as one of my buddies is an IANTD instructor trainer, I have put several IANTD classes under my weight belt over the past 5 years. The only agency specific comment I have is that their manuals tend to be poorly written with many typos and even miscalculations.

Best wishes,

 

[SDAnderson]

Which is more important – the instructor or the agency?

Most of the agencies have more or less similar programs, although it’s not uncommon to hear loud squawking about the “critical distinctions” between one agency and another. To me, it seems that these arguments are often akin to the “how many angels can dance on the head of a pin” discourses that permeate religious discussions – arcane at best and frequently irrelevant.

Unless you have experienced an epiphany that leads you to one agency or another, I’d look hardest for an instructor that you respect and that you can develop a relationship with. For some reason, it’s often difficult to get a truly critical evaluation from many divers. It may take awhile to peel away the layers of self-serving flim-flam, but (with the possible exception of the DIR/GUE sycophants) if you’re willing to invest a little time and maybe a beer or two you can get some terrific insights into specific instructors and training from prior students.

I liked my IANTD Advanced Nitrox course (which they don’t consider to be a “tech” course) but I found that I had already covered most of the material in other training or independently. The course did a nice job of pulling what had been theretofore been somewhat disparate elements together, but it was my instructor that made it worth the effort. Much of what I learned from him had little to do with the course and everything to do with becoming a better diver.

Does anybody know where I can lay my hands on a Nomex drysuit?

 

[ericfine50]

The instructor is the most important thing to look at. If you want to go the DIR Training route, take a look at GUE's stuff and maybe take a trip to Fl. or if there is a local guy go to them.

Eric

 

[100days-a-year]

I R A IANTD mix diver/blender and yes the literature is weak.The instructor is more critical than the agency.I supplant my knowledge with info gleaned from as many sources as possible to come to my own conclusions.Join some tech lists or lurk on them.Go to Jim Cobbs trimix site.The NOAA diving manual is pretty informative as well.Get some of the free deco software and become comfortable with it .Check most of Lost Yoopers posts for good links on the net or wait for him to chime in here...Good Luck

 

[Rick Murchison]

I like 'em.
You can get their training standards right up front, right off their web page. http://209.203.202.229/index1.html
Sooner of later you'll probably see some disparaging remarks about Tom Mount cast about, but my opinion is that IANTD's training program is an excellent one.
Rick

 

[Lost Yooper]

I appears as though IANTD has finally done away with deep air in the US :yea:. I see that they still allow it overseas, which is inexcusable, IMO. As Campana said, the instructor can make all the difference. I would quiz the heck out him and make sure he met my standards or I would dive with him.

The thing that's wrong (IMO, of course) with IANTD is all the prerequisites needed to get to trimix. It costs a small fortune in time and money to get where you want to go that way. With GUE, everything (nitrox, trimix, deco procedures) is wrapped up into one class (like 70 dives are pre-required). Someone just starting out would probably find it cheaper (perhaps more enjoyable) to go on a two week vacation to Florida and take DIRF and Tech1. Of course, be prepared for strict standards -- which is a good thing.

Are they still doing the 80/20 deco gas stuff? We had a high ranking IANTD instructor up here last summer who was teaching a trimix class to a charter captain. He brought his student up from 240', NO deep stops, and deco'ed out on 80/20. Then they did repetitive dive to 150' the same way. I could not believe it. Needless to say, they felt like crap afterwards -- duh!. Just be really carefull about who you choose for an instructor.



Mike

PS.

 

[miztflip]

I am currently in the IANTD Int. Trimix class after taking the advanced nitrox. I have had a great experience with them and I really think that the Pre reqs are great when entering into tech. diving. I live and work as a dive guide in cayman and find that many divers with lots of dive numbers have very little comfort in the water. As far as the money issue goes, well think about a dive to 240ft. and the cost for just that one dive. Gas mix alone will cost you $100. Someone who is trying to become a trimix diver is willing to make both the time and financial commitment or they should find something cheaper to do in their spare time. I also agree that the instructor is the most important factor. Find one that is excited about what he/she is teaching and has a very good understanding of what they are teaching.

Good luck

 

[Lost Yooper]

All I was saying is that it doesn't hurt to be efficient in your training. Why take three of four classes, when you could get it done in one class WITHOUT losing quality? Wrapping a nitrox, Adv. nitrox, and trimix course into one class simply makes a lot of sense to me (coupled with high standards, of course).
Think about it, the majorty of the theory in those classes is simply repeated in the next class, and the next class, and so on. Cover it once, know it, and move on. Money can't be much of an object in this type of diving, but don't waste my time just to fill the pockets of an agency . Do it once, do it right, and be done with it, in my humble opinion . Doesn't make much financial sense to do it this way .

I agree with you that the shear number of dives someone has doesn't necessarily mean a darn thing.

Take care.

Mike