Preparing for fundamentals / intro to tech

[KevinNM]

False.

Exactly.

The instructor will show you everything you need to do, in great detail if needed, and help you with those skills. There are very specific ways to perform them, and getting good at doing them wrong before the class isn’t helpful

Of the things mentioned, freaking out without a mask and not having the flexibility to reach valves are the only things that you should work on if they apply to you. As someone who failed a doubles primer because I couldn’t reach the valves, it is important that you can and you can probably get there by working on slowly stretching.

 

[Tracy]

Regarding doubles, as I said, I'll try them soon. I'm still curious to hear thoughts on doing fundies or intro to tec (see, it's not strictly about GUE...) in single backmount vs doubles. I will obviously have more experience with a single cylinder and most of my diving, for now at least, is in that configuration. If and when I do ANDP or whatever route I choose, doubles will become a necessity, however. So it's kind of present vs future... Not sure.

Fundies, Intro to Tec, Tech 40. They all have options to take them with single or twin tanks for a reason.

Are you taking them to refine your recreational diving and learn a bit about technical diving?
Take them in your recreational dive gear. ie single tank

Are you taking them as a gateway into technical diving?
Take it in technical gear. The classes are designed to teach you what you are wanting to learn.

 

[KevinNM]

Regarding doubles, as I said, I'll try them soon. I'm still curious to hear thoughts on doing fundies or intro to tec (see, it's not strictly about GUE...) in single backmount vs doubles. I will obviously have more experience with a single cylinder and most of my diving, for now at least, is in that configuration. If and when I do ANDP or whatever route I choose, doubles will become a necessity, however. So it's kind of present vs future... Not sure.

My opinion is to not try to learn any new gear while taking fundamentals. The class is already hard unless you are an experienced cave or tech diver. And I had one of those in a class and we all got provisionals.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

we all got provisionals.

There's nothing wrong with a provisional. I wish I took fundies right after OW. I know I'd have earned a provisional, and I may not have earned a rec pass within 6 months. Taking the class a second time wouldn't be so bad considering all the con ed courses I've taken that really didn't do much for me other than make my wallet lighter. Now this isn't directed at you or the OP, but rather new divers. I earned a rec pass, but probably barely as I missed 1 dive due to a leaking dry suit and ingrained bad habits.

 

[KevinNM]

There's nothing wrong with a provisional. I wish I took fundies right after OW. I know I'd have earned a provisional, and I may not have earned a rec pass within 6 months. Taking the class a second time wouldn't be so bad considering all the con ed courses I've taken that really didn't do much for me other than make my wallet lighter. Now this isn't directed at you or the OP, but rather new divers. I earned a rec pass, but probably barely as I missed 1 dive due to a leaking dry suit and ingrained bad habits.

The guy who was an experienced cave diver wasn’t thrilled, but we all had issues and in various ways didn’t meet standards.

There is a lot to be said for taking it early, before you have ingrained all sorts of bad habits. I saw a guy with 20 dives greatly improve and get a rec pass in my first class (where I also got a rec pass).

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

The guy who was an experienced cave diver wasn’t thrilled, but we all had issues and in various ways didn’t meet standards.

LOL. I won't bet against you on that!

There is a lot to be said for taking it early, before you have ingrained all sorts of bad habits. I saw a guy with 20 dives greatly improve and get a rec pass in my first class (where I also got a rec pass).

Absolutely!

 

[JoeTPhilly]

There's nothing wrong with a provisional. I wish I took fundies right after OW. I know I'd have earned a provisional, and I may not have earned a rec pass within 6 months. Taking the class a second time wouldn't be so bad considering all the con ed courses I've taken that really didn't do much for me other than make my wallet lighter. Now this isn't directed at you or the OP, but rather new divers. I earned a rec pass, but probably barely as I missed 1 dive due to a leaking dry suit and ingrained bad habits.

There is a lot to be said for taking it early, before you have ingrained all sorts of bad habits. I saw a guy with 20 dives greatly improve and get a rec pass in my first class (where I also got a rec pass).

I took Fundamentals fairly soon after AOW. I took it in Recreational configuration because my goal was to improve and had no delusions of getting a Tech Pass. My goal was just to improve and hopefully achieve a Recreational pass and I could do a Tech Upgrade sometime in the future. I experienced great improvement during the course. I wish the course was longer as you are exposed to a lot of new skills. It wasn't easy and a fifth day was added but I did achieve a Recreational pass. I got my Tech Upgrade a year later and am planning a bit more coaching/training prior to Tech 1.

So my advice to the poster is to realize there is no rush and with perseverance you can achieve your goals. Don't listen to the naysayers on here. GUE is not a cult. The instructors are not going to ridicule you. Just do the course, do your best and I bet you will be back on here posting how it was the best money for scuba you have spent.

 

[crofrog]

If you're doing GUE Fundies, they won't give you course materials in class, and they expect you know everything on arrival. So get and study the course materials ahead of time. GUE-F is a audition, not a training course, so be proficient in all the skills BEFORE you arrive for class.

What is your highest level of GUE certification?

 

[Doc Harry]

What is your highest level of GUE certification?

As a new diver (about 80 dives in 3 years), I consulted with my GUE-F instructor about the class. He suggested that I do GUE-F in doubles -- my first experience with doubles. I got a provisional tech pass. Despite the horrid experience, I went back to finish and get the pass so that I could continue with my GUE training. Because, as former military, I thought the GUE philosophy was awesome. At least the written GUE philosophy was awesome. The actual GUE attitude, in person, was another matter entirely. Everything bad that everyone was saying about GUE was true, and I personally experienced it.

Round 2 of GUE-F was even more horrid than the initial experience, so I walked away from GUE without finishing. There was no instruction, it was just hazing.

I got another 1,000 dives under my belt and went on through tech/full cave with another agency.

 

[blueskies_up_ahead]

Doc Harry, wow it sounds like you had an awful experience... I guess it does come down to the instructor even though GUE tries to standardize. You can certainly standardize what is taught, but I suppose you cannot standardize character I've met my instructor though and he's a normal nice person (who also teaches in other agencies btw). I will try doubles with him as well. So I trust my experience will be good, unless there is something in the syllabus of either agency that makes it bad. But I guess that is not the case.
As I said, I'm not fixated on a tec pass. I don't think I'd get one anyways. Seems like a lot at the first go as a still relatively new diver. I don't think I will continue within GUE so a tec pass really isn't important to me. The goal for me is to get good, solid training and to improve my skills to a level where a rec pass is not a problem. Not so much for the pass itself as for the skill level that will improve my recreational diving and prepare me to venture into tec a bit further down the road. That may be in 2024 still or in 2025. Also depends a bit on the budget as all these classes aren't exactly cheap. Not to mention the gear if I do change to doubles.

One more question, as I think about it: if you could take the class with the same instructor, would it matter whether you take it under GUE or TDI? (considering my goals as stated above)