Starting GUE classes at what point?

[sealsix14]

Hey everyone, So I'm finishing my OW cert this next week and plan on getting a lot of training and practice in this summer along with doing some AOW and Rescue courses. I live not to far from some local sites along with a 4 hour drive to Ginnie Springs so I plan on spending a lot of time there. I wanted to get opinions on my "plan". I want to get into Tech diving and cave diving so I was planning on taking GUE fundies probably late summer after I got a good amount of personal gear and started working with doubles. Is this a good plan? I know that I should take fundies and any class in gear I know very well so I would have practiced in it but I just wanted to know if it seemed like a good strategy to do AOW and Rescue, get used to doubles and the correct DIR equipment config then do fundies? Also, do you think that I would get a Rec pass or would I have to take one of the Rec classes from GUE?

Thanks for your help everyone!

p.s I know there have been posts about when to start GUE (or UTD)classes and earliest is best so I just wanted an opinion on my plan or if I should skip the AOW and rescue and just take REC 1 or etc. from GUE.

 

[HenrikBP]

I would suggest taking the GUE Primer class sooner than that. It will introduce you to all of the basic skills so you know what, and more importantly how, to practice. Do that class in a single tank.

Then go do a lot of diving, but be careful of not "over practicing". Ad a few skills to every dive, and pay attention to the basics along the way. Then maybe hire your instructor for a "personal day" to review and tweak your skills. If you have dive buddies that are heading down the same path, and between you you have a camera and can video yourself, then maybe the instructor day is not necessary.

*Then* start working on the Fundies stuff.

Henrik

 

[lamont]

p.s I know there have been posts about when to start GUE (or UTD)classes and earliest is best so I just wanted an opinion on my plan or if I should skip the AOW and rescue and just take REC 1 or etc. from GUE.

since you are already certified you wouldn't take R1. you could take fundies then R2/R3, but i'd suggest taking AOW/Rescue/Nav, then fundies like you are planning.

 

[TSandM]

I absolutely and totally agree with Henrik. Get your equipment sorted out and do enough diving with it that you can hover to watch skills demonstrations, and then go take the Primer in a single tank. That way, you will begin to build good habits as early as possible. This is good for a number of reasons; it is much easier to learn things correctly in the beginning than it is to break ingrained habits. Also, having the Fundamentals-type skills improves the fun of all of your single tank diving! And mastering a stable platform, good propulsion techniques, good situational awareness and communication is easier in a single tank, where you don't have all the balance issues of doubles. Transitioning good single tank skills to a set of doubles is not that difficult, but trying to put it all together at once can be hard. I've seen people around me do it both ways, and it's clearly easier to start with a single tank setup.

 

[gsk3]

Another vote for taking Primer immediately.

 

[sealsix14]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I will definitely take the primer class soon then the fundies class. I would most likely take the GUE classes from Extreme-Exposure in High Springs FL , but on the GUE website there are no classes coming up so should I just contact the instructor for that facility and see about putting a class together?

 

[eelnoraa]

If i can do it over, i would skip PADI AOW and take primer. I didn't think aow is worth the time and money if GUE routing is your plan

 

[BluewaterSail]

Call EE and ask to speak to Doug. He is the manager at the shop, and also a fantastic Primer and Fundies instructor. Often classes get organized because someone requested.

---------- Post added April 19th, 2012 at 08:02 PM ----------

If i can do it over, i would skip PADI AOW and take primer. I didn't think aow is worth the time and money if GUE routing is your plan

The reason that AOW is important is that it allows you access to a wider assortment of dive opportunities by allowing you to go to 100 feet. It also just gives you some varied experience. I would recommend both AOW and Primer.

 

[gsk3]

The reason that AOW is important is that it allows you access to a wider assortment of dive opportunities by allowing you to go to 100 feet. It also just gives you some varied experience. I would recommend both AOW and Primer.

I suspect most boats that require AOW would be fine with a Fundies card. At least make sure your AOW course is decent--do your research. Mine was extremely disappointing.

 

[rlynch]

Primer (doubles and maybe dry if thats the way you are headed), AOW as a pre-req to Rescue which are great skills to have, Navigation, and Fundies (possibly add in Nitrox at any time in the cycle however you will get that automagically with Fundies (any pass).