Recommended Courses for Introductory Tech

[Jim Lapenta]

Very few. The majority of my dives have been as a part of classes. I'm getting the very strong impression that course dives are considered "controlled environment" dives and don't count much toward true experience. Is this accurate?

Again, I am not trying to rush anything. I am still completely in the "pre-technical" realm and do not plan on doing full tech courses for quite some time. When/if I do, I want to be confident that I am adequately prepared for the coursework and diving skill requirements.

Your instructor is hosing you. Tell him to take a hike. Get another hundred dives in far away from him. Then think about more training. With someone else.

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[rivers]

If I were you, I would lay off taking any more courses for a while. Find some experienced buddies who wouldn't mind acting as mentors, preferably a few who do some technical diving. Start diving with them, learning from them. Look at their buoyancy control, how they dive. There is no set number of dives before one starts technical diving. It's all about mindset. You will know if and when you are ready to start. Once you do a bit of diving, and you feel ready, look into taking an intro to tech course or GUE fundamentals or UTD essentials.
For now, enjoy the diving you're certified to do. There's a lot of it.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

The instructor you trust so implicitly is giving you a right proper rogering... has he encouraged you to take the "zip up your wetsuit" course yet?
As others have said, get away from him and do some actual diving. Then, when you're in a position to benefit from actual training (a DSMB course :rofl find a different instructor.

 

[nimoh]

giving the OP the benefit of the doubt, being a brand new diver, he might not have the proper terminology down. When he posts "complete a dsmb course", the instructor may have said "you need to learn how to shoot a dsmb and practice it".

I'll concede, I don't have enough details to pass judgement on the instructor good or bad, and I don't believe the OP has enough experience to judge either. Based on that I would agree with the majority here that getting some experience before proceeding is the best advice.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Yes, I most certainly agree that the experience is an absolute must - I certainly do not want to be that clown who tries to go too fast only to get himself (or someone else) into trouble/killed. In general, what do you feel is a minimum number of dives (and in what conditions) that someone should have before looking at tech courses?

100 is what most recommend. And in as many different environments as possible.

 

[rivers]

giving the OP the benefit of the doubt, being a brand new diver, he might not have the proper terminology down. When he posts "complete a dsmb course", the instructor may have said "you need to learn how to shoot a dsmb and practice it".

I'll concede, I don't have enough details to pass judgement on the instructor good or bad, and I don't believe the OP has enough experience to judge either. Based on that I would agree with the majority here that getting some experience before proceeding is the best advice.

PADI has a dsmb specialty...

 

[fishb0y]

Narcosis Management Course? He's making you pay to buy him beers?

Like everyone else said,get some more dives in. I think Jo is the guy who teaches Fundies on Oahu... really good guy.

 

[Nwcid]

It does not matter if it is Scuba or any other learned skill, classes can only get you so far. Once you do a class or two you need to go out and practice what you lean. One reason is to retain it. Another is to find out what works for you and what does not. Also as you go out and practice the things you were trained in you will find you excel in some areas and struggle at other. What this will do for you is let you know what areas you need to work on and then use the next training/class to work on those areas.

Also there are a TON of scuba videos online that cover skills. This is NOT a replacement for an instructor but can help you decide what is important for you. For example there are tons of videos and lectures on DSMB, look at them before you decide if that is something you are willing to pay for right now.......

I have not dove your island yet but have done both BI and Maui. Both had amazing shore diving in what I would generally call easy conditions. Find a buddy and go out and practice what you have learned so far. Of course have fun doing it.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

PADI has a dsmb specialty...

Oh jesus, why does that not surprise me though? Do you take it before or after the diving from a dock specialty, putting your wetsuit on specialty, or wipe your butt before putting your wetsuit on specialty?

 

[TSandM]

One of the best scuba instructors it has been my good fortune to work with told me, "Do all the dives you can do with your existing certification, and when you get thoroughly bored, get more training."

Have you seen everything there is to see where you are, that you can do on a single tank and within NDLs? Have you explored some difficult entries, and some high current dives, or been out on boats when the conditions are challenging?

I will jump on the bandwagon about doing Fundies, but in a single tank . . . that will a) introduce you to the gear configuration you will be using for technical diving, should you go there, and b) introduce the concept of a stable platform and maintaining that, and your situational awareness, when task-loaded and stressed. It's an excellent class, and what's still kind of unique about it is that it teaches to a technical standard but in fully recreational gear.

Don't rush. This is a fabulous sport, and you are in a splendid place to have a ton of fun doing it. You have a lot of reef life to learn about; you have fantastic opportunities to do photography. You can learn to mentor other beginners (which is a solid challenge of its own). Don't let anybody march you into tech diving.