Intro Cave - Singles or Doubles

[mavjax]

** I have also posted this on the Deco Stop so for any of you who read both, accept my apologies for the redundanacy. **

I was reading my TDI student outline in preparation for class next week and learned that the limits on intro are for a turnaround when 1/3 has been used (assuming you and your buddy have the same tanks). It also indicates that you use a value of 1/6 if using doubles.

It would seem to make sense then that an Intro diver using doubles would benefit from 1) increased safety since the second bottle is entirly reserved for exit/emergencies and 2) getting practice with doubles on your back while still in the intro stage (doubles must affect boyancy/trim etc.) 3) Time spent on the exit and exploring the entrance area would be GREATLY increased as long as your buddy has a similar config.

Thoughts....comments????

Thanks.

 

[OneBrightGator]

All your points are correct, however if you have little or no experience in doubles that will make your class that much (unnecessarily) harder, not to mention shorter dive times.

I took my Intro class in doubles, my dives were shorter because I was pushing around all that extra mass and looking back I didn't have quite the experience in them maybe I should have and it made things more difficult. IMO, during training the extra margin of safety is not needed because you and your instructor will ensure you have a large margin.

 

[Curt Bowen]

** I have also posted this on the Deco Stop so for any of you who read both, accept my apologies for the redundanacy. **

I was reading my TDI student outline in preparation for class next week and learned that the limits on intro are for a turnaround when 1/3 has been used (assuming you and your buddy have the same tanks). It also indicates that you use a value of 1/6 if using doubles.

It would seem to make sense then that an Intro diver using doubles would benefit from 1) increased safety since the second bottle is entirly reserved for exit/emergencies and 2) getting practice with doubles on your back while still in the intro stage (doubles must affect boyancy/trim etc.) 3) Time spent on the exit and exploring the entrance area would be GREATLY increased as long as your buddy has a similar config.

Thoughts....comments????

Thanks.

If you are planning on taking the full cave course soon, I would use doubles for the intro course. The more experience you have with doubles before full cave the better. It might be a little more equipment, but you need to get used to it.

 

[GDI]

If you are planning on taking the full cave course soon, I would use doubles for the intro course. The more experience you have with doubles before full cave the better. It might be a little more equipment, but you need to get used to it.

With this in mind you would start using the doublers at Cavern level. The more time spent on them the better

 

[loganmackay]

With this in mind you would start using the doublers at Cavern level. The more time spent on them the better

If you are planning to progress quickly to full cave, then yes.. It may be a good idea to do cavern with doubles. Especially if you are combining cavern and intro into one.

I did cavern with a single and then intro with doubles and would defiantly recommend this approach.

Completing intro in doubles is defiantly required if you are hoping be awarded a disscressionary Apprentice diver qualification. This will allow you to practice skills learnt during the intro cave course prior to taking the apprentice class.

 

[akioMtFuji]

If you are accustomed to single tank, single.
If you are accustomed to double tank, double.

I think that how to dive is necessary for the course.:babycrawl
It doesn't particularly need to take difficult equipment.

Think aside from the practice of equipment.:cheering:

 

[akioMtFuji]

I change ID from akio to akioMtFuji.

 

[CaveDiverJeff]

Before taking doubles into a cave if you've never dove them before, make some dive in sallow open water to get used to them. Learning to cave dive is different than any other type of course around. A cave is not the place to try new equipment, much less trying it in a cave course.

 

[akioMtFuji]

I think that a cave is not the place to try new equipment too.
A side mount is same too.

There is a double tank class in Japan.
Because, a few Japanese divers use a double tank.
Most Japanese divers don't know how to use a double tank.
A OW instructor should make more a double tank class. :doh:

 

[The Chairman]

It all depends on the diver's comfort in the water and at trying new gear.

My first drysuit dive was my into class. Did it make it harder? A bit, but I am glad it did! I want those training dives to have many curves as possible. There was a marked increase in my stability on my final dives for intro. Sometimes you just have to use the gear in the environment you are gonna dive with it in.

Now, I have a couple more dives than the average cave student, but that wasn't the real issue. My comfort level in the water was one, and having a VERY patient instructor helps as well.