Suggest reading for decompression diving

[TSandM]

If you watched me practice ascent drills, you'd KNOW why not

 

[TheRedHead]

With no official classes on the subject, I need to read all I can on the subject. I don't wish to do this half @$$ or backwards. Not to mention that my life depends on me learning it right the first time.
Is thier some source that most people use or more importenly you have found to be the most help?

Please feel free to share any of your experinces. I appreciate any help I can get on the subject.

Regards, George

George, I'm in the same boat. I'm scheduled to take 2 TDI classes in March. There doesn't appear to be a concensus in tech diving as there is in rec diving. My TDI course materials are full of warnings and disclaimers that you can get bent even when following whatever table or software program you use. That's true in rec diving too, but it is really emphasized in tech diving.

The course materials are very skimpy and I think they do that with the purpose of discouraging anyone from learning tech diving from a book. I think choosing the right instructor is a lot more critical than in open water diving. Deco "theory" is the bascially the same deco theory you learned in rec diving with the exception of differences in stops, deep stops, differences in tables and algorithms.

I like Gary Gentile's books, particularly, "Technical Divers Handbook," because they discuss the practical aspects of diving as well as the history of deep diving and decompression. He was part of the group that invented technical diving. But it doesn't cover deco theory as much as deco diving.

 

[alpaj]

Hey there. I'm going to make this short and sweet since it is getting close to 1 am in my neck of the woods. Perhaps I need to meet with a group SBA (Scuba Board Anonymous). Here's a short list of excellent online materials I've found. I believe that when you take formal training the key is to have knowledge so you know why you are being taught some skill in particular "not just because your instructor says so". It helps understanding the practical skills and you'll sound smarter in class I've put them in order so they logically progress if you start with the first ones listed then the second etc
Without further ado:

Read this one first it introduces nitrox, some basic physiology, and some other gas mixes like trimix (aka voodoo gas,i love that one) :

http://www.gasdiving.co.uk/pages/misc/Nitrox.htm

Then this fella's got some good things to say scroll down to the contents and read everything from "Nitrox and Air" to "Going Deeper and Tech". Don't read his version of "Decompression Theory" since it is a crude rewording of Paul Chapmans article listed just bellow. Please keep your mind open to DIR he doesn't think much of them but DIR has great philosophies

http://www.njscuba.net/gear/index.html#Contents

Then on to algorithms (ZH-L-16) "How are those rudy tables created?" This is a great and well referenced article by a british chap called Paul Chapman and is a must read. Download it and read and revel in your new found knowledge.

www.vvw.be/duiken/zhl16.doc

FREE DOWNLOAD: Watch the entire DIR III video at this link:

http://www.deepsouthdivers.org/DIR3.html

The following is just a GREAT read about a guy and his tech training experiance:

http://www.scubadiving.com/training/specialty_and_advanced/attitude_adjustment/

This link has many great articles, though perhaps not really technical in content, they are very informative. Take some with a grain of salt and like usual keep an open mind:

http://www.scubadiving.com/diving/specialty_and_advanced


After reading all that if you are hungry for more you can go to the WKPP website wkpp.org and download a pdf version of most of their manuals for a MUCH smaller amount of money then the other books listed (not that they aren't valuable tools as well). FUN reading. Guess it wasn't short and sweet after all.

 

[alpaj]

wow Hold on sorry about that. The pdf manual downloads are at gue.com under the products section. I personally have not downloaded any of them. Though wkpp.org has some interesting stuff as well. Good night :11doh:

 

[daniel f aleman]

Exellent article on DIR referenced above; the truth will set you free (motto of the U. of Texas, by the way):

http://www.njscuba.net/gear/trng_08_dir.html

 

[alpaj]

Hey before people go bashing one methodology over another, I would like to point out that the article http://www.njscuba.net/gear/trng_08_dir.html could be re-worded to make the "north atlantic" divers seem like the devils gift to diving. "When was the last time you were trying to recover artifacts in 2 inch vis. with 30 knot currents, water temp at -15 Degrees C, and the atlantic giant octupus taking a chunk out of your wing?" So keep an open mind and especialy separate the BS from good knowledge, look at some techiniques and judge for yourself. Don't let people tell you GUE (DIR) is better or worse then TDI, Naui, IANTD, ANDI and what ever else is out there. EVERY single one of them has strengths and weaknesses.

 

[Rinkopr]

From the subject title I thought you were looking for reading material while in deco mode. I was going to suggest "Jaws", "The Abyss", Open Water", and other such titles to keep you amused while doing your deco.

 

[Jason B]

Exellent article on DIR referenced above; the truth will set you free (motto of the U. of Texas, by the way):

http://www.njscuba.net/gear/trng_08_dir.html

Typical ScubaBoard post... always got an agenda.

 

[BigJetDriver]

Folks,

Play nice! This thread will not be tolerated if it turns into a slanging match between pro-DIR and anti-DIR folks. The real truth is, as Alpaj stated, that every system has its good and bad points. Please keep the minds open!

R. Davie
SB Staff

 

[daniel f aleman]

Folks,

The real truth is, as Alpaj stated, that every system has its good and bad points. Please keep the minds open!

R. Davie
SB Staff

My point. My point in life.