PADI Tech?

[Teller]

Ive been looking around the Austin area and talking with a few instructors. I came across a guy that teaches the PADI Tech program. Has anyone taken these classes? Any opinions? Thanks.

 

[rjack321]

It will all depend on the instructor.

Its theoretically possible to teach a good DSAT course now, although there are also some instructors who are just cr*ap.

"some guy" in Austin is not much to go on.

 

[texdiveguy]

I took an all day DSAT Blender Course for nitrox/trimix and found the materials and instruction good. Was in the DFW area.

 

[rigdiver]

Why don't you look at some other agencies that have been doing tech for a while?

 

[wedivebc]

It will all depend on the instructor.

Its theoretically possible to teach a good DSAT course now, although there are also some instructors who are just cr*ap.

"some guy" in Austin is not much to go on.

I don't agree with you on this. Usually it does all depend on the instructor but unfortunately (or not) PADI has a very rigid teaching curriculum and gives instructors very little latitude to alter their course in any way. This may result in a very uniform product but just by going on the content of the various DSAT manuals I have read I have not seen much to recommend their program.
Some examples are equipment requirements like dual bungied wings with the second inflater disconnected and bungied behind the divers right shoulder.
All the glossy color photos in the trimix manual depict divers doing skills on their knees
The procedure according to the tec deep manual for deploying a lift bag involves a buddy to prepare to grab the deploying diver around the legs in the event the diver is lifted off his knees unexpectedly.
This is stuff right from their training material not just something I made up.
On the positive side, they are consistent.

 

[rjack321]

I've seen the DVD and other materials and yes there are alot of extremely dubious practices in there that are just dumb. But there are couple DSAT instructors who have higher standards and use that as an example of "what not to do". I don't happen to know any of them, but I'll bet one or 2 exist. I'm sure one of them or their students will be along shortly to complain of PADI bashing anyway.

Would not take a DSAT course because I have access to instructors I already known have their act together so researching some random one in Austin is rather unnecessary for me.

 

[Superlyte27]

Some examples are equipment requirements like dual bungied wings with the second inflater disconnected and bungied behind the divers right shoulder.


Not to hijack a thread. But i've seen this recently. What is that all about, can someone explain the logic to me? PM me if it's too much of a diversion.

 

[Onsrac]

wedivebc,
what book and what page are you refering to?

"Some examples are equipment requirements like dual bungied wings with the second inflater disconnected and bungied behind the divers right shoulder".

 

[Martini]

Okay, I'll come along and complain. There is no requirement for a dual bladdered bungied wing. I took my class in a non bungied wing with a back plate and harness. In fact DSAT is very flexible in their equipment config. requirements. I won't even argue about the quality of their video, it is terrible. My class had a strong focus on bouyancy, trim, and a team approach to diving. A good instructor can work within the DSAT frame work to teach a high quality class and a bad one can teach a bad class, just like any other organization out there.

 

[wedivebc]

wedivebc,
what book and what page are you refering to?

"Some examples are equipment requirements like dual bungied wings with the second inflater disconnected and bungied behind the divers right shoulder".

The equipment list for DSAT was published in Undersea Journal 2002 (3rd quarter IIRC)
I have seen no amendment to that equipment list since. I am not a DSAT instructor so I may have missed a training bulletin on the subject.