No Market For Tech?

[bburns24]

I was finishing up my PADI AI course in Lewisville, Texas and as we are packing up all our things and an independent instructor arrives. He's waiting for a student to finish up some things and we get talking. I tell him I'm interested in continueing on in the direction of Tech instructor. He informs me he is a TDI Nitrox and Tech instructor and that he can't even sell Nitrox to diver's and because of the math and all the equipment needed people really can't be bothered to get into technical diving.

I said that maybe a trend is growing and that people like me will continue in the tech diving direction. He said something like, "Aren't they cute when they are like this?" And continued to tell me that he has been planning a trip to Carolina to see a submarine at 200' fsw and logistically it's just too difficult and is still waiting to get it worked out. I returned by saying that it must be difficult to remember what it's like to be fresh to something and then mentioned that, surely companies must specialize in tech dives - have all the math and equipment issues worked out and allow divers to sit through a couple of hours of information, if needed, before going on a dive. He responded that similar to customers having to check their mixes before dives, again because of all the math and equipment issues, no such service exists - liability reasons.

Obviously this guy did not want to sell me a tech course, and I think he may of seen me as more competition - not knowing that was off to Mexico and was only in Lewisville to finish up the AI portion of my training those few days. But I have to ask since I do not know, do such services exist and if not how do companies like Dive Tech (Grand Cayman scuba diving cayman island scuba diving cayman island scuba resort cayman scuba training cayman cayman island scuba grand cayman scuba dive cayman islands scuba diving scuba diving in grand cayman scuba diving cayman scuba diving on gran) structure tours? Thanks.

 

[deepstops]

Technical diving is alive and well in South Florida

Our coastline supports it by being deep just two or three miles offshore and a good technical diving infrastructure already in place for both gear and charters.

 

[Jrock1062]

it is through TDI that i am taking my intro into tech dive class they teach a host of tech classes if this guy said they don't he knows nothing about the organization and up here in NY many divers become tech dives based on the fact that it is where the best diving is deep, cold and dark

 

[TSandM]

We seem to have an amazing number of technical divers in Seattle . . . In fact, two of my regular buddies are finishing up their Tech 1 class this weekend.

I do think technical charters require that you have completed your training before you go, unless you are with your instructor, though.

 

[gkndivebum]

We have an endless supply of tech dives here - a 300 FSW shore dive isn't a problem. That said, there
aren't too many active technical divers here on the Big Island. A few on Oahu, perhaps a few more on
Maui, but I can count on two hands the number of qualified local tech divers here on the Big Island.
Two live in my house

We used to get more traveling tech divers than we do now; both dive charter operators here who cater
to the tech business are having a hard time right now (as are all of the regular charter operators).

I've taught a few Intro to Tech, Helitrox/DECO and PRISM CCR (air diluent) classes this year, but thankfully
I don't have to make a living doing it.

I think that part of the reason that Kona isn't really known as a tech destination is that we don't have
any real wrecks to speak of. Efforts to sink the USS Mauna Kea here went nowhere (a long and sad story)

Easy access to warm, deep, calm and clear water doesn't appear to be enough of a draw.

With the cost of fuel thru the roof Hawaii is becoming more of an exotic destination that it was for much
of the 90s; mainland folks can travel less distance for good diving. The cost of fuel affects the charter
operators as well; the diesel bill to fill the dive boat that I work on from time to time was over $1000
yesterday.

So, at least on my little rock in the middle of the Pacific I'd have to say there isn't much of a market
in technical diving.

YMMV -

 

[Bismark]

I was finishing up my PADI AI course in Lewisville, Texas and as we are packing up all our things and an independent instructor arrives. He's waiting for a student to finish up some things and we get talking. I tell him I'm interested in continueing on in the direction of Tech instructor. He informs me he is a TDI Nitrox and Tech instructor and that he can't even sell Nitrox to diver's and because of the math and all the equipment needed people really can't be bothered to get into technical diving.

I said that maybe a trend is growing and that people like me will continue in the tech diving direction. He said something like, "Aren't they cute when they are like this?" And continued to tell me that he has been planning a trip to Carolina to see a submarine at 200' fsw and logistically it's just too difficult and is still waiting to get it worked out. I returned by saying that it must be difficult to remember what it's like to be fresh to something and then mentioned that, surely companies must specialize in tech dives - have all the math and equipment issues worked out and allow divers to sit through a couple of hours of information, if needed, before going on a dive. He responded that similar to customers having to check their mixes before dives, again because of all the math and equipment issues, no such service exists - liability reasons.

Obviously this guy did not want to sell me a tech course, and I think he may of seen me as more competition - not knowing that was off to Mexico and was only in Lewisville to finish up the AI portion of my training those few days. But I have to ask since I do not know, do such services exist and if not how do companies like Dive Tech (Grand Cayman scuba diving cayman island scuba diving cayman island scuba resort cayman scuba training cayman cayman island scuba grand cayman scuba dive cayman islands scuba diving scuba diving in grand cayman scuba diving cayman scuba diving on gran) structure tours? Thanks.

In the last year alone I have been to at least 1/2 dozen locations around the world where tech diving was supported. When I say "supported" that can mean a lot of different things and maybe I should say, "not discouraged" instead. For the most part, once you convince the dive operator you know what you are doing and there is not too much drama, it becomes just another dive. If you have the training and don't mind being a bit inventive when it comes to getting the gear you need to the locations, all you need is the gas really. That can require some fancy footwork but usually it all comes down to money. As far as tech diving being dead, if anything, I would say that it continues to grow. There are some companies and liveaboards that cater specificially to the tech market (Red Sea Explorers - Home has 35 "T bottles of Helium and 02 and scooters and doubles....etc.....for rent and regularly do dives in the 200-300' range) but sometimes it is just convincing the operation that you know what you are doing and it is not rocket science. If the guy you talked to couldn't even organize a dive on a submarine out of the carolinas, (how about Olympus dive centers......and I haven't even been there.....) I would take the rest of his information with more than just a grain of salt........

 

[wedivebc]

If the guy you talked to couldn't even organize a dive on a submarine out of the carolinas, (how about Olympus dive centers......and I haven't even been there.....) I would take the rest of his information with more than just a grain of salt........

I agree. I have dove with Olympus and they support tech diving and even run tech only trips. If the U-boat you are talking about is U-352 which I expect it is, the dive is more like 120ft not 200ft but the owner of Olympus, George Purifoy was the one who discovered it.
Tech diving is alive and well all over the planet you just have to find it. I know a guy who walked into a dive shop in Nanaimo and had the manager say "What do you want a 7' hose for? No one tech dives around here"

 

[Meng_Tze]

While I do believe that tech diving is alive and kicking. There is something to be said for what the instructor felt about people not wanting to get into tech diving because of the math etc. Look at how most dive courses are taught at the OW levels..........it is pre-fabbed, pre chewed, no mental challenge required training. This I believe sets an expectation that diving overall is simple and does not require anything else than a mask, BC , computer and fins.

On the other hand the math involved in tech diving is simple, if you can add, subtract, multiply, divide and work with percentages, you can do all the calculations you need. This is stuff any middle school grader should be able to do.

 

[Bismark]

I agree. I have dove with Olympus and they support tech diving and even run tech only trips. If the U-boat you are talking about is U-352 which I expect it is, the dive is more like 120ft not 200ft but the owner of Olympus, George Purifoy was the one who discovered it.
Tech diving is alive and well all over the planet you just have to find it. I know a guy who walked into a dive shop in Nanaimo and had the manager say "What do you want a 7' hose for? No one tech dives around here"

Too funny. I guess he has never been on Ken's boat...............I agree, if you want to tech dive, it is available just about anywhere, even Nanaimo

 

[TSandM]

I've heard it said that technical diving represents about 2% of the diving market (I think that's PADI's estimate). I don't think very many people support themselves teaching tech diving, but then, very few people outside of the tropics support themselves teaching diving at all!