My start in Tech diving

[doctormike]

I didn't do tech training to go deeper, or to dive any specific wreck. I did it because I wanted to spend more time at moderate depths, and because I like the way it makes you actually think about a dive ahead of time, plan things out, and bring more situational awareness to every dive.

 

[AJ]

I am pretty sure he means the same thing I would have meant if I had written it. When I started tech, I was already an OW instructor. On my first day with double steel tanks in a swimming pool, I felt like I was in a rodeo--was I wearing the tanks, or were they wearing me? It was one of the most humbling experiences of my life.

I remember my first experience with doubles and drysuit. I literally crawled upside down onto shoreTook quite some dives to really get used to doubles, although I had been diving from the start with BP/W.

I was curious what skills were different. I have been SSI trained from the start from tec divers (IANTD and TDI). Later on did GUE Fundies tech rating. I can't recall having learned different skills, I learned how to do them more precise however during my learning path. Therefore I'am just curious what the difference is so I can understand what buddies learned different so we can discuss that.

 

[Wibble]

My understanding and experience was that some do an official drill: Fundies said shutdown right post first, then centre, lastly left (assuming you don't know which hose has burst).

TDI teach centre first, then right then left. My instructor for ANDP asked which way I would do it and was happy with the GUE way if that's the way I was taught.


Regardless, it's one of those skills you have to nail if you're doing the technical courses. You're expected to be very adept at shutdowns by the time you're on normoxic. I found doing valve checks on every dive sorted out the muscle memory.

And sidemount was the real solution -- put the damn valves in front of you!

 

[boulderjohn]

TDI teach centre first, then right then left. My instructor for ANDP asked which way I would do it and was happy with the GUE way if that's the way I was taught.

My TDI instructors, both for trimix and for becoming a tech instructor, did not care how it was done as long as it was done fast. My UTD instructor did not care how fast it was as long as every stop was done beautifully and in the proper sequence. When I crossed over to TDI for trimix after being with UTD, I did the most beautiful shutdown UTD-style drill I had ever done, and the instructor said it was terrible because it took so long.

In order to meet the TDI speed requirements, especially for instructor, my TDI instructor trainers (I had 2) suggested I use both hands at once, using the left hand to close the isolator while doing the right valve with the right hand and then using the right hand to close the isolator while working the left valve with the left hand.

To me, all of this is farcical because you will never do the valve shutdown drill in its entirety in a real-life situation. It is an exercise that combines all the skills you might need in different emergencies into one package. What truly matters is your ability to reach and manipulate each of those valves in the event of an emergency.

For those agencies that require the drill be done within a certain time limit--as PADI does, for example, here is a thought. PADI requires that students in sidemount be able to do the drill in 30 seconds. With my old sidemount tanks, I could not do it in 30 seconds if the tanks were on shore, standing on a platform in front of me--it took longer than 30 seconds to turn the valves all the way on and all the way off. WIth a different brand of valves, it would be done easily, so skill was not a factor.

 

[beester]

OP has been living in the Philippines. I’m thinking it goes without saying he’s looking at diving some WWII wrecks. It would be interesting to know if the prospect of a particular wreck was the inspiration.

Some extremely nice wrecks in the Philippines... I've spend a week in Coron bay and really loved it. Would go back in an instance if I had the chance.

 

[Rayk]

Some extremely nice wrecks in the Philippines... I've spend a week in Coron bay and really loved it. Would go back in an instance if I had the chance.

A place called Subic Bay is full of wrecks, If memory serves well there is also a decommissioned naval base.

 

[beester]

I know, but I never dived any of subics wrecks, I wouldn't suggest wrecks I've never dived.