Next step / possible training to pursue

[Cdncoldwater]

Marie,

I also have a back injury—so much so—the VA decided to give me a rating for it after serving in two wars. I think the thing here is; it's not about traveling a few miles north (I'm in the Midwest). It's about providing the right tool for the job. IMHO, if you want to go the route of tech/cave, you should be willing to have an open mind and take the most demanding course out there. It does not matter if you pass or not—it's about the challenge and willingness to learn new things and join a great community. GUE is not some monster lurking in the depths—it's a fantastic training organization that seeks to help one achieve their goals safely and in a team environment. I'm genuinely sorry you have had someone somewhere give you a wrong impression about GUE, and I'd be happy to dive with you and hopefully you will notice we are not like the internet trolls say we are.

Nevertheless, if OP would like to go a different route, that's cool with me.


Cheers and happy diving .

My back injury is also recognized by Veteran Affairs Canada after my 27 years in the Army. I don't have any intention of going into cave or tech and therefore I'm not willing to damage my back further with back mount doubles. I don't have an opinon on GUE but it's not readily available to me and they don't do side mount without extensive training and time.

 

[Centrals]

Should had read what the OP had said in the first or subsequent post instead of responding to others.

 

[Cdncoldwater]

OP dives "primarily sidemount". You can do GUE Fundies in single tank, though that seems not convenient for the OP.

But GUE is not the only group that teaches "a fundamentals class".

IANTD has an essentials class in sidemount at the rec., tech-lite and tech levels.
Rec Essentials:
"designed to enhance the student’s personal and team underwater skills. Development of buoyancy, trim, balance and propulsion. Refine and expand fundamental diving skills. Equipment Streamlining and configuration. Diving safety, situational awareness and accident prevention. Enhanced Dive planning and gas management. Decompression overview and minimum decompression procedures."

I do know an IANTD and plan to talk to them soon.

 

[Hartattack]

My back injury is also recognized by Veteran Affairs Canada after my 27 years in the Army. I don't have any intention of going into cave or tech and therefore I'm not willing to damage my back further with back mount doubles. I don't have an opinon on GUE but it's not readily available to me and they don't do side mount without extensive training and time.

Fair enough, and thanks for your service.

 

[Cdncoldwater]

Fair enough, and thanks for your service.

Thanks for your service as well.

 

[Centrals]

Interview with Bill "Hogarth" Main
Very interesting read to anyone who had never read it before.

No spg on his stage bottles and no isolation valve on his twin set.

 

[jlcnuke]

My back injury is also recognized by Veteran Affairs Canada after my 27 years in the Army. I don't have any intention of going into cave or tech and therefore I'm not willing to damage my back further with back mount doubles. I don't have an opinon on GUE but it's not readily available to me and they don't do side mount without extensive training and time.

What IS your intention with your diving? Really, no one can tell you anything about what classes might benefit you without knowing what you want to do. If you just "want to be a better diver", the easiest way to do that is it to find divers that you think are excellent divers and ask them for advice/pointers. Some of them who are instructors might offer to train you on specific things, but many will give you advice for free, dive with you and let you just "get better" by observing, trying, and doing.

If you don't want tech or cave diving as a goal, then spending the money for such training, only to improve your rec dives, may be over-kill and an unnecessary expense. I'm all for training, but only when there is a specific reason for it. Have someone video you diving, identify what you want to improve, and see if you even need a class to help you accomplish that would be my first suggestion.

 

[Cdncoldwater]

What IS your intention with your diving? Really, no one can tell you anything about what classes might benefit you without knowing what you want to do. If you just "want to be a better diver", the easiest way to do that is it to find divers that you think are excellent divers and ask them for advice/pointers. Some of them who are instructors might offer to train you on specific things, but many will give you advice for free, dive with you and let you just "get better" by observing, trying, and doing.

If you don't want tech or cave diving as a goal, then spending the money for such training, only to improve your rec dives, may be over-kill and an unnecessary expense. I'm all for training, but only when there is a specific reason for it. Have someone video you diving, identify what you want to improve, and see if you even need a class to help you accomplish that would be my first suggestion.

My primary goal is to be a better rec diver. There are a few divers here that I can learn from but our season is shorter (especially with Covid) and they tend to teach courses during that period not really fun dive due to time/other commitments. I unfortunately lost two of my mentors as one moved and one has stopped diving so that has reduced some of my options as well. I agree that training without a reason is a waste hence my reluctance to take Tech Side Mount or Rec Trimix; possibly great courses but not something I will pursue after the course. I'm currently trying to set up some dives with a few instructors I know and talk to them about mentoring/video etc as you mentioned plus I know they will comment on good things and areas to work on as well.

 

[markmud]

My primary goal is to be a better rec diver. There are a few divers here that I can learn from but our season is shorter (especially with Covid) and they tend to teach courses during that period not really fun dive due to time/other commitments. I unfortunately lost two of my mentors as one moved and one has stopped diving so that has reduced some of my options as well. I agree that training without a reason is a waste hence my reluctance to take Tech Side Mount or Rec Trimix; possibly great courses but not something I will pursue after the course. I'm currently trying to set up some dives with a few instructors I know and talk to them about mentoring/video etc as you mentioned plus I know they will comment on good things and areas to work on as well.

Hi Cdncoldwater,

I think you are missing the point of a PAD Tech 40 (and even solo training). With PADI Tech 40 you may perform the training in a recreational single tank rig as long as you have D-rings available to secure your stage bottle. You will be taught to attach your stage bottle in the water (you don't have to pack the stage bottle on deck and hurt your back). U/w you won't even know the stage bottle is there. It is almost weightless.

Solo training makes you think about redundancy and taking care of your own bad self. A good solo diver can be the best dive buddy you can ever have, because they don't need to rely on you for most u/w safety issues. You will be your buddy's escort while he/she performs their direct accent to the surface in case they suffer an u/w issue.

You also get a formal primmer on gas planning and you learn to gauge/calculate your SAC (some call it RMV—PADI taught me to call it SAC).

The Tech 40 class is a comprehensive course like no other you have had in recreational diving. Also, you learn to be a real dive buddy, a true dive buddy. Not a faux buddy like in OW. You will plan a dive and then as a team you will dive the plan without using computers. You will learn about staged decompression for real. You will learn about deco gases.

My buddy team was given tasks. My buddy and I divided up the tasks and followed our dive plan. We were busy. Yes, we were task loaded. We followed our decompression schedule no matter what. It was rainy, windy, and cold on the surface. It was cold and murky u/w. Did not matter, we had to follow our dive plan.

To some degree Solo, and especially Tech 40 adds additional layers of discipline to your diving. With those two classes, I feel I have the background to handle almost all contingencies u/w from 0 to 130 fsw for my buddy and I, or if solo.

Am I a practicing or real Tech diver? Heck NO!

Tech 40 and Solo training were the only classes outside of OW, that were worthwhile for me.

cheers,
m

 

[Diving Dubai]

My primary goal is to be a better rec diver.

I'll definitely heavily suggest Basic Tech, Tech 40 in SM with just an AL 40 is not a hassle. What it will do, is to refine your skills and overall knowledge. I highly recommend the into tech course to all rec divers because of the additional knowledge they get. It'll also give you the knowledge and the tools to be able to extend your rec dives, with a little bit of backgas deco if you choose.

All that said. Diving shouldn't just be about skills refinement or the next course. It can be just focusing on the diving you are happiest with and enjoying it