TDI Intro to Tech or AN/DP?

[Jim Lapenta]

ITT with borrowed or rented gear is fine.
My Intro course is 425.00.
Six dives and at least one pool session. Plus the classroom.
The pool session is to, first of all, find out if the student should even be doing an Intro to Tech course. They may not. They might get their money back and be told to work on XXX first.
If they can't do basic skills neutral and horizontal, figure out their own weight requirements, don't know their SAC rate, or can't plan a dive without a DM, they should not be thinking about tech.
We would need to have a serious discussion and plot a training path.

 

[rhwestfall]

So, I was handed a list of what you needed to have if you wanted to do AN/DP (or the agency equivalent), along with course fees (plus quarry/charter/hotel/food/gas/etc.).

Seems that before you invested in:

Dry Suit/Ungergarments/ and exposure (gloves/hood)
Doubles (HP100 CF min) - O2 cleaned as PP Blending is how EanX is done here)
BP/W
Appropriate cold water regulators (for the doubles)
Reel
Lift Bag
AL40 & regulator (O2 cleaned)
Proper fins (paddles)
Computer (allowed, but we also did tables & timer component)
Wet Notes/Slate
Cutting Devices
...... (I can't specifically remember what else, I'd have to try and find my list)

Maybe you would be better off to see what it is like (ITT). Or, buy it all (BTW - I like to purchase "hardly used" stuff from folks who got in over their heads and are having a sale for pennies on the dollar)

YMMV

 

[Kyle0692]

You will not use a computer for AN/DP except as a bottom timer. You'll cut or use tables. You'll need another Mk17 and second stage at least. Plus a deco reg and a deco bottle. All with analog SPG's.
You'll also need a BPW with doubles wing or sidemount rig. Don't waste time doing AN/DP unless you have all your own gear because once you do the class you'll want to dive the tech setup more than your other. In fact sell the hydros if you go tech because it'll just gather dust.
What's your SAC rate? You should know that and be proficient with knowing how much gas you have without looking at your SPG.

Hey Jim,

Thanks for the info. Since I bought my i750 computer I have been habitually logging my SAC rates in my dive logs to help track improvements over time and potential issues. Typically I am 15 psi/min on a calm drift dive, sometimes 14.5. Working SAC is closer to 17 steadily swimming or having to deal with a light to moderate current. Diving an AL80. If I do my calcs right at 15 PSI/min my RMV is close to 0.4 cu ft/min. When I started diving I was around 23-25 psi/min.

I plan on doing ITT and if things go well and I wish to continue I’ll buy my own set of gear to gain experience with. My girlfriend dives with me as well and I don’t see her being interested in tech, but we’ll see. More than likely I’ll be doing quite a few rec level dives with her while I get used to my gear while also working on skills in the water and planning each dive for us while respecting NDL’s and her gas supply being the limiting factor on a single tank.

Kyle

 

[KentB]

I would be very very surprised as a relatively new diver you have an RMV of 0.4 most very experienced divers don’t have an air consumption rate that low....
Unless your a very very small woman but with a name like Kyle I doubt that...

 

[Germie]

Intro to tech/essentials/fundamentals are courses only to learn you how to use equipment. I am against such courses as required. The courses are nice for people who think they need it, or if the instructor thinks you need it. BUT NEVER BEFORE the instructor have met the diver.
I have never done such courses myself and went directly from my DM/3* into Advanced recreational trimix (so the combination of accellerated deco and adv. nitrox but with trimix as backgas). So that would be my advice to do. If the instructor says itt is required, move to another.

But from students I expect they have at least a wing and twinset. The stage I can borrow, a twin12 liter also (if they only have twin7 liters). But you must know your own configuration. Doing such courses in only rental gear, you cannot practise between dives or after the course. If people want to buy, they can borrow the first dives of course also a wing and regs, so they can start with the course. And then they can buy their own during the course ( I don't have a shop, only teach for hobby, so I am no seller).

And yes, I have seen divers, even beginners with an uncredible low SAC/RMV. Sometimes it happens. Extremely high and good bouyancy and trimm skills also.

 

[Kyle0692]

I would be very very surprised as a relatively new diver you have an RMV of 0.4 most very experienced divers don’t have an air consumption rate that low....
Unless your a very very small woman but with a name like Kyle I doubt that...

Yep - not a female diver! Lol. But I am on the shorter side for a guy at 5’7”. Below is a quick example that was recent when I dove the Spiegel Grove for my PADI wreck diver class in January. SAC was ~16 psi/min w/ the equivalent RMV of 0.43. Below are a couple screenshots from my diver log app on my phone. There wasn’t much current luckily, but we were steadily swimming slowly. Being able to stay down longer and explore amazing wrecks like this is one of the main reasons I am interested in tech diving.

 

[JBFG]

I took the ITT with my sidemount course (it was called tec sidemount). I can tell you that it was the best move I ever did. Getting use to the equipment is no joke! I considered myself to have great fundamental skills but this course in this new configuration was key for me to pass my subsequent tech course. The instructor worked hard with me during ITT on gear configuration, skills, and techniques. It definitely made it a lot easier for the tec course. Also it helped me confirmed if I wanted to do tec diving and if this instructor was right for me. I definitely recommend ITT and congrats on the OP to take it slow and deliberate.

 

[Germie]

I started ART without itt, fundies, essentials, etc and no problems. My first dive with twinset and wing was no problem, I could also do a valvedrill. So it differs from person to person. And that is why I say the instructor has to look at the diver first before saying it is required. I do always same: first a dive to know each other and then decide if we start the course or not.

 

[Pavao]

Another fine example why I love scubaboard

A person suggests: ITT is a waste of time, go right into AN/DP, I did it, and it only took me 35 dives and 9 months to complete it, ITT is a waste of time.

And then the poster will go on and on defending an argument that should’ve been clear right from the start

 

[stuartv]

Another fine example why I love scubaboard

A person suggests: ITT is a waste of time, go right into AN/DP, I did it, and it only took me 35 dives and 9 months to complete it, ITT is a waste of time.

And then the poster will go on and on defending an argument that should’ve been clear right from the start

Well, I suppose I could have spent more money and taken ItT first, then practiced on my own for a while, then taken AN/DP. But, I think it would have taken longer (not to mention costing more). I could be wrong, but I think diving with my tech instructor on a regular basis all the way through did help me learn it right the first time and achieve the required competence in a shorter time.