Just some understandings

[jmsdiver]

Thanks for all the good information thus far. I am currently in the data collection stage and eyeing more technical oriented diving. However, the discussion above has raised some questions in my mind:

1) What on earth is a "helicopter turn 360 degree turn using no hands and maintaining the same depth"?

2) Many recreational diving angencies offer certifications in areas that could be construed as technical diving, such as ice, wreck, and rebreather. Also, many would consider Search And Rescue/Recovery that local law enforcement agencies do, technical. So, I will pose the question, what is technical diving in relation to what recreational agencies are offering?

3) How does one subscribe to newsgroups related to technical diving? I used to know how to do it when the internet was in its infancy (gopher, UNIX, Telnet, etc) and there were no GUI interfaces. I do not know how to do so now nor where to look. Direction would be usful.

Thanks to everyone in advance

 

[Friggincold]

Helicopter turn (not a name everyone uses) is simply remaining horizontal(hovering) at the same depth( no variation allowed) and turning 360 degrees using just your feet, hands are usually at your side or held in front of you. Typically I have seen this required to be mastered with full equipment including stage(deco) bottles. I hope this answers your question. FC:cold:

 

[roakey]

Cavers is a free mailing list that you can subscribe to by visiting http://www.cavers.com/.

dirQuest is a mailing list that you have to be a dirQuest member to be on. For more information visit http://www.dirquest.com/ or http://www.gue.com/. The dirQuest site does have a number of good articles that non-members can read.

Anyone know how to subscribe to techdiver these days?

Other good sites (in no particular order):

http://www.gue.com/
http://www.nitroxdiver.com/
http://www.fifthd.com/gear/
http://www.sidemount.com/
http://www.cavediving.com/
http://www.wkpp.org/
http://www.iantd.com/
http://www.cisatlantic.com/trimix/
http://www.airspeedpress.com/
http://www.bishopmuseum.org/bishop/treks/palautz97/rb.html
http://www.nwdesigns.com/rebreathers/
http://www.cisatlantic.com/trimix/gmism/gmiindex.htm
(The above is a good introduction to George/Trey's delivery so you can start developing a thick skin ).
http://www.decompression.org/maiken/home.htm
(The above has a link to a VPM deco program that's freeware)
http://www.cisatlantic.com/trimix/pile/deepstops.html
http://www.gap-software.com/
(More free decompression software).
http://www.users.bigpond.com/wittig/mixer.html
(Gas mixing program for the Palm Pilot that I use)
http://www.sfdj.com/

Ok, that should get folks started.

Please, any other sites that folks like plese post. I'm always adding to my favorites list!

Roak

 

[Diverl]

JMSDIVER

Many of these recreational/technical courses impose limits based on what the certification agency thinks you should be able to do. Not travel farther than 130 linear feet from the hole, wreck penetrations within the light zone, if allowed at all, and not more than 130 linear feet from the surface. Some agencies are more liberal than others.

A friend on mine took a rebreather course and found that while rebreathers are technical the rebreather course was really about the operation of the rebreather and how to dive it within recreational limits. Probably not the best use of a rebreather!

 

[Fishkiller]

Let me put what I have gathered into words.


Tech diving requires a more intensive amount of learning

Tech diving is often done by opinionated people

Tech diving is not about going deeper or longer

Tech divers have been divers for a long time have logged many dives

Recreational Tech dive courses are not to be confused with Tech dive courses done by Tech agencies

comment Why plan a dive to a gnats butt they don't go underwater I understand there is little margin if any for error

Here is a third question

Would A recreational diver benefit from the greater amount of knowledge needed before diving, that is know theories better?

 

[Lost Yooper]

I think there are two ways to kind of answer that one.

First, one can never have too much knowledge, so long as it is correct, and they actually understand what they know.

Second, on the other hand, knowing the real guts of physiology and decompression certainly isn't necessary -- especially for a recreational diver. Some people enjoy that stuff and others don't.

Some people simply care about learning the rules of diving and following them. This can be OK assuming the rules they know are correct. Other people want to know the "why" of it all.

Technical diving is really nothing more than the addition of more rules (more unbreakable rules) that must be mastered.

I think you've done a pretty good job of summing it up so far.


Mike

PS. The margin for error in technical divng can be increased somewhat depending on various aspects such as equipment selection, knowledge, and diving philosophy.

 

[roakey]

Originally posted by Fishkiller
Would A recreational diver benefit from the greater amount of knowledge needed before diving, that is know theories better?

Overall, in terms of diving theory, I don't think so. Dive computers are wonderful things for recreational divers, and meet most recreational requirements.

However, I do think an average recreational diver could benefit from the skills, techniques and some equipment used by technical divers.

Roak

 

[Iguana Don]

Go to

http://www.aquanaut.com

from there you can choose wrecks, cavers or techdiver, or all three.

ID

 

[CheeseWhiz]

Roakey made the comment that, in his opinion, GUE was the preferred training agency. Why is that? What are the relative merits of the Big 3?

CheeseWhiz

 

[detroit diver]

Roakey,

Thanks for the excellent links to the various sites. I've got some, but not all of those.