No Technical Training for Me.

[daniel f aleman]

The choice/use of any gas is dependent on the dive plan *AND* what might go wrong with it. I always consider the "what ifs"... and while I use O2, I can see where having only O2 might be a problem in some cases. And I sure don't see the use of 80% as a negative like some...

 

[Rick Murchison]

I always thought that one of the "benefits" of 100% is that you never hook the potentially dirty air from a compressor up to your tank. With an oxygen bottle only oxygen goes in the tank, thus reducing the potential for contamination?

Oxygen compatibility of any "top" gas is a requirement, and that makes partial pressure blending a pain of sorts. For some folks it's not worth the trouble. But if you have oxygen compatible gas on hand, then mixing's not a big deal, and 80% becomes a nice deco gas to make. Especially when you're... what's the best term here... "itchy" when boosting oxygen.
Rick

 

[H2Andy]

That cured me of wanting to be a "technical" diver for a few more years!

i fear you paint with too-wide a brush

that sounded like a cluster ****, but that's not my experience in taking "tech" classes as i have had awesome instructors

the problem is that the student didn't have sufficient bouyancy skills. this should have been recognized earlier (either by the student himself or the instructor) and corrected

there's no point in trying to do "advanced" skills if you don't have the basics down

this is why i love the GUE approach to training. until you take the Fundamentals class and perfect those fundamental skills, you are not allowed to take Tech or Cave classes (with GUE)

in lieu of that system or a similar system being in place, it's up to the instructor to make sure that the student is truly qualified for the level of training he or she wants to take

 

[Soggy]

Especially when you're... what's the best term here... "itchy" when boosting oxygen.
Rick

Now that, I can understand. I don't like to be anywhere near the haskel when it's pumping...I half expect wooosh wooosh wooosh BOOOOOM.

 

[Rick Murchison]

No one. I don't follow all of GUEs recommended gases either. Who said anything about GUE here? GUEs choice is 50% for a single deco gas in the ocean. All you people who think I'm a koolaid drinking gooey lemming need to read my profile.

It's your style, Soggy... Sometimes I'll read something of yours and think "did GI sneak in here?" I've already given you static for that style earlier and I won't belabor it here... but I do urge you to shy away from starting a discussion with "the other point of view is (pick your denigrating term)." In this case, there are good reasons for a diver to pick 100% for a single deco gas if he wants to. But "80% is silly" isn't one of them.
Rick

 

[grazie42]

Locally I use 100%, simply because I use 50% as a "single decogas" and 50+80 isn´t that good a combo. Regardless what your "standard" is, having one has obvious benefits (logistical if nothing else).

If I´m on a trip or if I´m mixing for a particular dive rather than a "run of the mill" dive in my normal range, I´m more likely to go for "best mix" (whatever that is)...I also have access to a membrane compressor and so I´m sometimes tempted to use 40(+80) because the price is the same as for air and on X number of dives it does make a difference, its also a lot faster...

For me the logistics are almost as important as whatever gas is "best" (because you can always adopt your plan to suit the mix)...

 

[Rick Murchison]

Locally I use 100%, simply because I use 50% as a "single decogas" and 50+80 isn´t that good a combo. Regardless what your "standard" is, having one has obvious benefits (logistical if nothing else).

If I´m on a trip or if I´m mixing for a particular dive rather than a "run of the mill" dive in my normal range, I´m more likely to go for "best mix" (whatever that is)...I also have access to a membrane compressor and so I´m sometimes tempted to use 40(+80) because the price is the same as for air and on X number of dives it does make a difference, its also a lot faster...

For me the logistics are almost as important as whatever gas is "best" (because you can always adopt your plan to suit the mix)...

FWIW, when I dedicated my first deco bottle, I kept 50% in it. My deco instructor was mixing my gas and recommended 50% and it "looked good to me." When I added a second dedicated bottle I put 100% in it. It wasn't until I dedicated the third bottle and started my own mixing that I started using 80% (well, 82% actually) for my "single deco gas of choice" most of the time.
When it comes to choosing any gas, bottom or deco, the logistics are important indeed. So is team standardization. Sometimes it boils down to "What do we have? and What can we do with it?."
Rick

 

[Kendall Raine]

That cured me of wanting to be a "technical" diver for a few more years!

Good! Nothing personal, but watching this fools parade may have saved you time, money and misery. What was once a serious niche evolution (tech diving) has become a mainstream marketing conga line. What started as a means to get someplace has, unfortunately in many cases, itself become the destination. The only people who believe we need more tech divers are those who make money from it.

 

[Thalassamania]

Good! Nothing personal, but watching this fools parade may have saved you time, money and misery. What was once a serious niche evolution (tech diving) has become a mainstream marketing conga line. What started as a means to get someplace has, unfortunately in many cases, itself become the destination. The only people who believe we need more tech divers are those who make money from it.

Hear, hear!

 

[H2Andy]

yes, i have a hard time when people say "i want to be a tech diver"

a cave diver, yes

a wreck diver, yes

i want to do deep dives to get to A, B, C, yes

in order to do the diving i want i need to know deco ... yes

like you guys say, it should be a means to an end