PADI Tec 40 and doubles

[Kevin Floyd]

Does PADI 40 give an intro to doubles? I see that it introduces 1 stage bottle but are you also diving with doubles? If so is it assumed to you have doubles experience? I see that deep diver and AOW are both prerequisites but I know you don’t dive doubles for any of the options on AOW and I don’t think doubles are a part of deep diver.

thanks

 

[Miyaru]

Depends on what you want to achieve. Tec40 can be done in a recreational set, single tank with T-valve of H-valve.
But when you're planning to continu beyond tec40, start in doubles straight away.

 

[Kevin Floyd]

Depends on what you want to achieve. Tec40 can be done in a recreational set, single tank with T-valve of H-valve.
But when you're planning to continu beyond tec40, start in doubles straight away.

so really just depends on the shop you take the course with as to their availability of rental gear and how they teach the course?

 

[divezonescuba]

Very shop / instructor dependent. We know of one shop in north Texas that does not allow you to use doubles in TEC 40. They consider it a cross over course from rec to tec. They then push off the real tec skills to TEC 45. We will do it both ways, although we most do either backmount doubles or sidemount.

So, normally you do TEC 40 in doubles and a deco cylinder. Our next TEC 40 class is going to be around the feb / March 2020. The reading and knowlege reviews is significant. Most people get the materials a month in advance.

You should take a look at our website. We may still be the only PADI TEC center in Houston.

 

[Efka76]

At least in official PADI website it says "You’ll start with your basic scuba diving equipment and add technical equipment, which essentially means you’ll begin to double up on gear. You may dive with backmounted or sidemounted cylinders". Here nothing is mentioned about single cylinder.

According to my understanding if you are taking tech courses (does not matter what agency) you have to have experience in diving backmounted doubles or sidemount. If you take such courses without previous experience in such configuration, you can not properly master required skills.

I did my AN/DP/Helitrox in Sidemount, but intend to take BSAC Twinset course as in UK sidemount is not very popular. AFter that course I will do at least 50 dives before going into tech courses which require twinset configuration.

 

[Marie13]

Tec 40 looks similar to TDI Intro to Tech.

I don’t know why you would do the class single tank.

Are you looking to do tech or are you only doing the class to get exposure to the gear, etc., and aren’t sure you’ll go tech?

 

[Kevin Floyd]

Very shop / instructor dependent. We know of one shop in north Texas that does not allow you to use doubles in TEC 40. They consider it a cross over course from rec to tec. They then push off the real tec skills to TEC 45. We will do it both ways, although we most do either backmount doubles or sidemount.

So, normally you do TEC 40 in doubles and a deco cylinder. Our next TEC 40 class is going to be around the feb / March 2020. The reading and knowlege reviews is significant. Most people get the materials a month in advance.

You should take a look at our website. We may still be the only PADI TEC center in Houston.

thanks for the info. I’m asking about PADI tec because we are going to Costa Rica for a month this summer and there is a PADI shop about 30min drive from our rental that offers tec. Thinking about doing a tec 40 course while I’m there. I do need to get deep diver, just ordered a dry suit so want to do deep diver after I get it.
I might be interested in taking a deep diver if y’all have one coming up in mid/late March. Assume we would have to do that in lake Travis

 

[divezonescuba]

For divers who are experienced and meet the tec 40 prerequites, the Deep specialty does not add any value unless you cannot otherwise meet the prerequisites. We normally do deep dives off of our boat in the gulf but sometimes have to go to Travis because of weather or mechanical issues. If that happens we credit the diver with a free offshore trip.

TDI Intro to Tec is closer to PADI Discover Tec. With PADI TEC 40, you are allowed to do up to 10 minutes of deco and use up to 50% o2 and 130 feet.

TDI intro to tec is a no decompression course and has a depth limit of 75 feet.

 

[Kevin Floyd]

Tec 40 looks similar to TDI Intro to Tech.

I don’t know why you would do the class single tank.

Are you looking to do tech or are you only doing the class to get exposure to the gear, etc., and aren’t sure you’ll go tech?

I want to do tec. I’m going to start up the GUE ladder at some point, but have PADI OW and AOW, as I said in my early post my interest in PADI tec is because of my proximity to a PADI tec shop this summer. I’m asking about doubles because if it is done in doubles that would be an easy way to get my first exposure to doubles.

 

[Miyaru]

Tec 40 looks similar to TDI Intro to Tech.
...

True! And Advanced Nitrox compares pretty well to tec45.
There are differences in the approach, but after successfully completing either course, the same skillsets are mastered.

Then again, there are divers who take tec40 as con-ed after the Deep diver course, improving skills and learning how to handle a stage gas. That's the difference with TDI intro-to-tech: stage-gas and max 10 minutes of (non-accelerated) deco.