Preparing for fundamentals / intro to tech
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OP
blueskies_up_ahead
Contributor
I did say I will of course talk to my instructor. But I like to ask around to get different opinions and insight.
You should dive with them, they are human, not borg trying to assimilate.
Rich1280
Contributor
To be fair I've had some decent efforts on recruitment by BSAC clubs too over the years, as well as seeing the disproportionate sell on Fundies on here.
BSAC 18 Club Sec, DL / GUE CCR.
BSAC 18 Club Sec, DL / GUE CCR.
Same. I've heard some great things about their training. But alas
I don't think that's an entirely fair criticism. They have a set of protocols and equipment configurations that have been developed for getting out of a jam (per an interview with GI3 which made me look at him differently - still an arse, but a frustrated one). If they bend their rules/equipment configurations, that breaks their protocols. Now when it comes to going on fun recreational dives, it isn't a big deal. But technical diving?
When it comes to rebreathers, I really disagree with going off the loop to donate with my gag strap cinched down tightly. Oh that's a skills problem. GFY. I'm not going to introduce new problems when there's an emergency. And that's fine. I won't ever use GUE divers on my archaeological expeditions for deep diving in Greece and I'll never participate in any of theirs. Neither of us cry about it. There are plenty of divers, plenty of projects for everyone.
You should do Fundies at your earliest convenience.
If you had 8 like minded individuals you could establish a BSAC Branch, see Start a BSAC club
It is always funny to read that you cannot have an opinion about an agency or course if you haven't done it. But of course that is not true. Sometimes it is the price you will never do a course with agency X or instructor Y. That is not wrong, that is a choice, not every diver can afford the same amount of money. Sometimes it is a required course you absolutely don't want to follow as you don't need it. Sometimes it is just the internet you read about things and you form an opinion. Etc. But everybody has opinions about things. And an opinion does not always say the truth or is the truth. If there were no opinions, there were no elections needed, and everybody drives the same red car and loves the same pizza every day. Opinions and discussions about opinions make forums like this, make dynamic in life, but make sadly also wars. But in most times, it are the positive things.
Back on topic about the intro to tech course.
There is no cheap technical diving. But it is a big difference if an advanced nitrox course costs 500, an normoxic trimix course 700, and a full trimix 1000, and intro to cave+full cave 1500 (together 3700 excluding gases, including certs) or it costs 750+75 for fundies, 1500+75 tech1, 2000+75 tech2, 1500+75 cave1, 2000 cave2 (8125, 75 for the cert, rest are courseprices). These are prices I hear around me for the courses, so it can differ a little bit from region to region. But this means gue costs way much more than other agencies. And it is true that not every diver can afford this. So how much money you can afford on becoming a technical diver absolutely plays a role in the choice which way you want to do.
And it is also true that all divers deal with the same physics, and all divers are human, statistics don't show that padi divers are more prone to dcs than iantd divers, or that gue divers have less accidents than ssi divers. These statistics are simple never made. But also, when are you a padi diver and when an iantd diver? I hold certs several agencies, so what kind of diver am I? Also not all divers with a gue cert have that as highest cert or use that cert always or don't cross to other agencies later. You can be a solodiver on 1 day and the other day do a dir-dive. All is possible.
So now explain something like rec3, I haven't done the course, but there are some things to explain. First, recreational diving is limited for most agencies to 39/40m (this 39 or 40m has most times to do with rounding the depth from feeth). If you go over 40m, it is not recreational diving anymore according to most agencies. If your idea is that you don't dive deeper than 30m on air or nitrox, then you have to do that last 9 or 10m on trimix. If your idea is that you don't want to go outside the limit of recreational diving with nitrox, so don't dive over ean40, and you want to use standardgases, the ean32 as decogas is born (and is the bottomgas till 30m). Same with the 21/35 as bottomgas. The only thing that isn't recreational diving is going over ndl. So in this case the name is strange. But in cmas over ndl is allowed in recreational diving.
From the point of view of technical diving also the ean32 as decogas is strange. But it is the absolute limit of ean32.
There was a time the rec3 was iso/nen certified as divemaster, that was quite strange as it has nothing to do with guiding of divers, etc. But it also meant that you do crossings from other agencies. You don't read anymore about the iso/nen anymore for rec3.
But if poeple want to pay for a course, a course is given. And some people ask for it. This is true for rec3, but also for courses like a seaslugh specialty from padi or a cave diving techniques in open water from cmas Netherlands.
Also iantd has an recreational trimix diver course to 40m without deco. I have never seen any ask for this. But if people want, they can do recreaional diving on trimix. Sounds at least very cool.
You can become a technical diver without ever doing an fundies/intro to tech course.
But not all divers are on the right level to start a tech course directly, so there are intro to tech/fundies/essentials courses. In my eyes do a check/let us know each other dive with a student to see if this kind of course is needed or not. Then you don't pay money for something you don't need. But this is my opinion. I hate it to take money from or pay money for something that is not required according to standards and not needed in my eyes. And not all agencies have the same requirements for a next level course, so there are agencies where course X is required, but not with another agency. The same is there with sidemount courses or drysuit certs. Most times not needed to do the most advanced technical courses. But sometimes better for a diver to follow.
So choose what fits you, ask for opinions on internet, change maybe your opinion, read about the only truth according to some divers, skip opinions you don't like, and don't forget to enjoy safe diving.
Back on topic about the intro to tech course.
There is no cheap technical diving. But it is a big difference if an advanced nitrox course costs 500, an normoxic trimix course 700, and a full trimix 1000, and intro to cave+full cave 1500 (together 3700 excluding gases, including certs) or it costs 750+75 for fundies, 1500+75 tech1, 2000+75 tech2, 1500+75 cave1, 2000 cave2 (8125, 75 for the cert, rest are courseprices). These are prices I hear around me for the courses, so it can differ a little bit from region to region. But this means gue costs way much more than other agencies. And it is true that not every diver can afford this. So how much money you can afford on becoming a technical diver absolutely plays a role in the choice which way you want to do.
And it is also true that all divers deal with the same physics, and all divers are human, statistics don't show that padi divers are more prone to dcs than iantd divers, or that gue divers have less accidents than ssi divers. These statistics are simple never made. But also, when are you a padi diver and when an iantd diver? I hold certs several agencies, so what kind of diver am I? Also not all divers with a gue cert have that as highest cert or use that cert always or don't cross to other agencies later. You can be a solodiver on 1 day and the other day do a dir-dive. All is possible.
So now explain something like rec3, I haven't done the course, but there are some things to explain. First, recreational diving is limited for most agencies to 39/40m (this 39 or 40m has most times to do with rounding the depth from feeth). If you go over 40m, it is not recreational diving anymore according to most agencies. If your idea is that you don't dive deeper than 30m on air or nitrox, then you have to do that last 9 or 10m on trimix. If your idea is that you don't want to go outside the limit of recreational diving with nitrox, so don't dive over ean40, and you want to use standardgases, the ean32 as decogas is born (and is the bottomgas till 30m). Same with the 21/35 as bottomgas. The only thing that isn't recreational diving is going over ndl. So in this case the name is strange. But in cmas over ndl is allowed in recreational diving.
From the point of view of technical diving also the ean32 as decogas is strange. But it is the absolute limit of ean32.
There was a time the rec3 was iso/nen certified as divemaster, that was quite strange as it has nothing to do with guiding of divers, etc. But it also meant that you do crossings from other agencies. You don't read anymore about the iso/nen anymore for rec3.
But if poeple want to pay for a course, a course is given. And some people ask for it. This is true for rec3, but also for courses like a seaslugh specialty from padi or a cave diving techniques in open water from cmas Netherlands.
Also iantd has an recreational trimix diver course to 40m without deco. I have never seen any ask for this. But if people want, they can do recreaional diving on trimix. Sounds at least very cool.
You can become a technical diver without ever doing an fundies/intro to tech course.
But not all divers are on the right level to start a tech course directly, so there are intro to tech/fundies/essentials courses. In my eyes do a check/let us know each other dive with a student to see if this kind of course is needed or not. Then you don't pay money for something you don't need. But this is my opinion. I hate it to take money from or pay money for something that is not required according to standards and not needed in my eyes. And not all agencies have the same requirements for a next level course, so there are agencies where course X is required, but not with another agency. The same is there with sidemount courses or drysuit certs. Most times not needed to do the most advanced technical courses. But sometimes better for a diver to follow.
So choose what fits you, ask for opinions on internet, change maybe your opinion, read about the only truth according to some divers, skip opinions you don't like, and don't forget to enjoy safe diving.
OP
blueskies_up_ahead
Contributor
Well, that is a consideration. Even if you just look at fundies vs intro to tec. What I found is roughly 700 vs 300€. With 400€ of difference I can buy some equipment. Technical diving may not be cheap, but it's not like I need to spend it all at once. What I do need is some more equipment. What's wrong with taking it step by step?
This is a point I haven't really considered. Maybe I should first understand the level needed to take a tec course and understand where I stand. But then again, I haven't been diving very long and feel like there probably is a ton I need to learn.
Interesting points in any case. Thanks!
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