Self-taught Tek...

[DeepSeaDan]

I am thinking of doing some deeper mixed gas scuba to facilitate some specific objective-based diving.

With many years diving experience ( 1000's of hours ), 100's of gas dives ( all surface supplied, including saturation ) & scuba training to the Instructor level, I feel confident in my ability to self-train.

What texts would you recommend as being the most advantageous for such a pursuit? I would appreciate a reference sampling of the current schools of thought regarding equipment config., procedures etc., etc.

Your advice is appreciated!

Regards,
D.S.D.

 

[matt_unique]

I am thinking of doing some deeper mixed gas scuba to facilitate some specific objective-based diving.

With many years diving experience ( 1000's of hours ), 100's of gas dives ( all surface supplied, including saturation ) & scuba training to the Instructor level, I feel confident in my ability to self-train.

What texts would you recommend as being the most advantageous for such a pursuit? I would appreciate a reference sampling of the current schools of thought regarding equipment config., procedures etc., etc.

Your advice is appreciated!

Regards,
D.S.D.

If you are serious with your post. I would not recommend it. You don't know what you don't know and as we all know, text alone will not do the trick. I don't know what level you instruct or for what agency. What would you say to your best AOW student with hundreds of hours logged if they said they want to self learn Rescue Procedures?

--Matt

 

[wedivebc]

I am thinking of doing some deeper mixed gas scuba to facilitate some specific objective-based diving.

With many years diving experience ( 1000's of hours ), 100's of gas dives ( all surface supplied, including saturation ) & scuba training to the Instructor level, I feel confident in my ability to self-train.

What texts would you recommend as being the most advantageous for such a pursuit? I would appreciate a reference sampling of the current schools of thought regarding equipment config., procedures etc., etc.

Your advice is appreciated!

Regards,
D.S.D.

I recently had a student take a deco procedures/advanced nitrox course from me who was an experienced navy clearance diver. He took the course because he realized although he was very experienced in both OC and rebreather including dives over 300fsw, recreational diving is much different and uses a different skill set.
Considering your background the course should be easy for you but I don't believe any book will teach you the required skills to do what you propose. There are numerous tricks and tips that go along with this training, why not take advantage of it?

 

[Green_Manelishi]

I am thinking of doing some deeper mixed gas scuba to facilitate some specific objective-based diving.

With many years diving experience ( 1000's of hours ), 100's of gas dives ( all surface supplied, including saturation ) & scuba training to the Instructor level, I feel confident in my ability to self-train.

What texts would you recommend as being the most advantageous for such a pursuit? I would appreciate a reference sampling of the current schools of thought regarding equipment config., procedures etc., etc.

Your advice is appreciated!

Regards,
D.S.D.

As someone who did exactly what you are contemplating, I would encourage you to NOT try to self train. My self training in EAN, O2HeN2 and Deco ended when it became apparent my options were limited as a result of lacking "proof" that I knew anything about what I was doing. Add to that I quickly realized how much I did not know, because is not in books.

My advice: locate an instructor you can work with, tell him (or her) what you've been doing and what you want to do then develop a plan to achieve those goals. Believe you me an instructor can 'do things to you' that no amount of self-training will ever be able to replicate. For example: on a valve shutdown drill we all know how important speed (and accuracy) is but it becomes very apparent when your instructor holds the purge button down on one of your second stages to demonstrate just how quickly you are losing gas.

Be smart .. get trained !!!

 

[cornfed]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the promotion of forgoing formal training like this against the TOS?

 

[The Chairman]

Please,

In the interest of safety, we do NOT allow people to advocate learning Basic Scuba or any Scuba involving an overhead environment on this board WITHOUT a qualified instructor. Any deco diving is included in this definition as well. As the other posters have alluded to, what you don't know WILL kill you. I am now closing this thread to any further posts.

PS, thanks to RAB for pointing out the ambiguity... I hope that clears this up.