Intro to Tech - Cost

[Andy in Gap]

Check with Submerged in Rockville, MD. I did UTD Essentials with them a few years ago for $500. Bear in mind, if you continue on with Chatterton you'll learn a different valve drill etc. They're not incompatible but they are very different and you can choose which one you like.

 

[boulderjohn]

Every tech student I have had for the past couple years has come to me with at least one Shearwater computer (usually 2) and a basic knowledge of its function. As we talk about dive theory as a natural part of the class, translating that to the Shearwater functions is a brief and natural part of the class for which no extra charge would be appropriate.

The gear configuration is also a standard part of the class for which there should be no extra charge. Once again, every student who has come to me for tech training already has that at least 80% figured out already.

 

[Alaskan Scuba Dude]

Tec 40/45/50 Courses

scuba shop selling scuba lessons scuba equipment

www.sealeveldiving.com

just jump into AN/DP I have decided to take it.

 

[boriss]

This isn't about whether or not to take the course or just jump into AN/DP I have decided to take it. i don't see the harm and I do see some benefit and (I thought) the cost wasn't much at all. However, cost might become an issue.

I contacted a reputable dive shop and asked for a quote for Intro. I was expecting to see what I had seen elsewhere. But they came back with the following quote. Seems over the top by a long shot to charge 1040.00.

They broke it down like this:

Class Intro to Tech Shearwater Dive Computer - $300
Class Intro to Tech Technical Gear Configurations - $300
Class Intro to Tech Doubles Primer - $300
TDI ONLINE ADCADEMICS - $140

For reference, Chatterton charges $750 and most other places charge in the 250-400 range for Intro to Tech (TDI). What am I missing that justifies that?

Thanks.

I'm sure I'm about to get blasted, but I'll offer my opinion. I'm pretty sure I know the shop as I just graduated this course. What's not stated is that this includes tons of work in the pool (which is typical of Intro to Tech and ironically I didn't need), but in addition to that, testing of various configuration options, 4 open water dives going through wrecks, hours upon hours of classroom time, planning, post dive analysis, etc. We practiced a lot of skills to prepare for decompression, such as different types of SMB deployment (or not deploying it but having it inflated, how do currents affect that? How do you maintain control of your SMB instead of just setting it free?), buddy awareness (both going down to the wreck and back up), maintaining buoyancy for future deco stops while having full situational awareness.

I know some of this may sound basic (and it is), but I had very little to no experience deploying my SMB for example, because here in Florida boats are usually tied off to the wreck and you just use the line to go up/down and do a safety/deco stop. In class we were dealing with currents and drifting together. I'll be practicing it from now on while reef diving, but again, the goal is to maintain control, not just shooting the SMB to the surface as it can end up somewhere you don't expect and take you for a nice ride.

Although many here make fun of the Shearwater training, it was actually very useful. I'm extremely technical and I still learned a lot. I will say that if you're a diligent researcher you can learn all of this on your own, but this accelerated the process and made it hands on. For example, we spent lots of time going through decompression theory, gradient factors, review of our dive profiles, our descent/ascent rates, sac rates, basics of various mixes (hypoxic, trimix, high o2 deco gas, etc). Our dives were downloaded and evaluated with feedback. After analysis we figured out how slow or inconsistently we were actually moving through the water column and how to clean that up. Is it a useful skill today? No, it's preparation for where I'm interested in going...

We spent time going through the various types of failures and how much time we have in reality when a failure occurs. The goal is to keep cool, not panic and execute what we've learned, etc.

I can go on, but bottom line is that this is definitely more than just the standard/basic Intro to Tech. Is it necessary for everyone? Probably not, depending on the type of diving you plan on doing. I was doing it with a buddy and although he had over 100 more dives than me and in much more challenging (cold/murky New England) conditions than we have here in S. Florida, he struggled a lot and was asked to practice a lot more before he continue further. He and I are doing 4 dives this weekend so he can practice more with his doubles.

My goal is to explore wrecks at deep depths in potentially less than optimal conditions. We'll be hot-dropping on a wreck in open ocean, having to deal with challenging conditions, low visibility and high currents, etc. If that's the type of diving you're interested in, consider this a bootcamp for that. If your goal is just to get down to see the Lady Luck, but stay there longer than NDL allows, then this may be overkill.

Hope this helps. *flame suit on*

 

[Tracy]

This isn't about whether or not to take the course or just jump into AN/DP I have decided to take it. i don't see the harm and I do see some benefit and (I thought) the cost wasn't much at all. However, cost might become an issue.

I contacted a reputable dive shop and asked for a quote for Intro. I was expecting to see what I had seen elsewhere. But they came back with the following quote. Seems over the top by a long shot to charge 1040.00.

They broke it down like this:

Class Intro to Tech Shearwater Dive Computer - $300
Class Intro to Tech Technical Gear Configurations - $300
Class Intro to Tech Doubles Primer - $300
TDI ONLINE ADCADEMICS - $140

For reference, Chatterton charges $750 and most other places charge in the 250-400 range for Intro to Tech (TDI). What am I missing that justifies that?

Thanks.

It seems high to me, but it all comes down to the amount of time you spend learning and the value gained from it. If that is a weekend course, It wouldn't be worth it to me. Time spent with a good instructor that meshes with you is worth what it costs. A bunch of random crap thrown at you poorly is worth nothig.
My ITT course is 3 full days split into 4 days. A half day of classroom going over the gear and setup you will be using. Another half day in the pool, and a couple of days in open water. I feel it is a good value for what I charge, I haven't had complaints about the cost from anybody that has taken it. I have heard whining from people that haven't taken it.
My advice is find out what that course actually entails and weigh the value it brings versus the money it costs.
Chatterton probably wouldn't be my first choice, but everybody is free to make their own decisions. That isn't a dig on him necessarily, he just does some things very differently than I do.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Although many here make fun of the Shearwater training, it was actually very useful. I'm extremely technical and I still learned a lot. I will say that if you're a diligent researcher you can learn all of this on your own, but this accelerated the process and made it hands on. For example, we spent lots of time going through decompression theory, gradient factors, review of our dive profiles, our descent/ascent rates, sac rates, basics of various mixes (hypoxic, trimix, high o2 deco gas, etc).

I didn't interpret the replies as "making fun of the Shearwater training" but rather expressing shock at the breakdown of the costs, including $300 for this Shearwater training. Now, as you describe it, what is taught is not simply "how to use a Shearwater computer" but rather decompression theory and all the other things you mention. That sounds like valuable classroom time to me.

 

[Mergulhador do Delray]

I'm sure I'm about to get blasted, but I'll offer my opinion. I'm pretty sure I know the shop as I just graduated this course. What's not stated is that this includes tons of work in the pool (which is typical of Intro to Tech and ironically I didn't need), but in addition to that, testing of various configuration options, 4 open water dives going through wrecks, hours upon hours of classroom time, planning, post dive analysis, etc. We practiced a lot of skills to prepare for decompression, such as different types of SMB deployment (or not deploying it but having it inflated, how do currents affect that? How do you maintain control of your SMB instead of just setting it free?), buddy awareness (both going down to the wreck and back up), maintaining buoyancy for future deco stops while having full situational awareness.

I know some of this may sound basic (and it is), but I had very little to no experience deploying my SMB for example, because here in Florida boats are usually tied off to the wreck and you just use the line to go up/down and do a safety/deco stop. In class we were dealing with currents and drifting together. I'll be practicing it from now on while reef diving, but again, the goal is to maintain control, not just shooting the SMB to the surface as it can end up somewhere you don't expect and take you for a nice ride.

Although many here make fun of the Shearwater training, it was actually very useful. I'm extremely technical and I still learned a lot. I will say that if you're a diligent researcher you can learn all of this on your own, but this accelerated the process and made it hands on. For example, we spent lots of time going through decompression theory, gradient factors, review of our dive profiles, our descent/ascent rates, sac rates, basics of various mixes (hypoxic, trimix, high o2 deco gas, etc). Our dives were downloaded and evaluated with feedback. After analysis we figured out how slow or inconsistently we were actually moving through the water column and how to clean that up. Is it a useful skill today? No, it's preparation for where I'm interested in going...

We spent time going through the various types of failures and how much time we have in reality when a failure occurs. The goal is to keep cool, not panic and execute what we've learned, etc.

I can go on, but bottom line is that this is definitely more than just the standard/basic Intro to Tech. Is it necessary for everyone? Probably not, depending on the type of diving you plan on doing. I was doing it with a buddy and although he had over 100 more dives than me and in much more challenging (cold/murky New England) conditions than we have here in S. Florida, he struggled a lot and was asked to practice a lot more before he continue further. He and I are doing 4 dives this weekend so he can practice more with his doubles.

My goal is to explore wrecks at deep depths in potentially less than optimal conditions. We'll be hot-dropping on a wreck in open ocean, having to deal with challenging conditions, low visibility and high currents, etc. If that's the type of diving you're interested in, consider this a bootcamp for that. If your goal is just to get down to see the Lady Luck, but stay there longer than NDL allows, then this may be overkill.

Hope this helps. *flame suit on*

Thanks. This is really helpful.

 

[boulderjohn]

Now, as you describe it, what is taught is not simply "how to use a Shearwater computer" but rather decompression theory and all the other things you mention. That sounds like valuable classroom time to me.

Sure, but it is also normally part of the regular course, not an added extra.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Sure, but it is also normally part of the regular course, not an added extra.

What do you mean by the "regular course"? I understood the original post to show a breakdown of that shop's regular course into four topics.

 

[AustinV]

Check with Submerged in Rockville, MD. I did UTD Essentials with them a few years ago for $500. Bear in mind, if you continue on with Chatterton you'll learn a different valve drill etc. They're not incompatible but they are very different and you can choose which one you like.

OP, based on where you're located (I am in Leesburg) I would agree with this post. Submerged is a good shop and they can structure your technical training differently based on where you are/what you know already. You don't need a $300 class to learn to use a shearwater.

I'm taking a wild guess that the original dive shop you contacted was within 10 miles of you?