tec 4 rec

[Kokeldil]

Hellow fellow divers,

I´ve decided to put this into the "basic scuba discussions" though it might certainly be fitting into other categories just as well. Those of you with years of expierience, those of you doing the whoe DIR thing, those of you with technical ambition and/or expierience: Which equipment or diving tecnique related things which are usually but not exclusively connected with technical diving should be adopted by recreational divers, because they make so much more sense than what is education standard these days?

Hoping to get some interesting answers. Greetings from germany.

 

[DevonDiver]

Which equipment or diving tecnique related things which are usually but not exclusively connected with technical diving should be adopted by recreational divers, because they make so much more sense than what is education standard these days?

• Appropriate mindset, that is risk adverse and seeks to identify and mitigate reasonable risks.
• The use of intelligent equipment and gas redundancy.
• Precision buoyancy, trim and propulsion techniques.
• Gas planning and management
• Precision dive planning with contingencies
• Recognition of the importance of situational awareness and how task loading/stress impacts this.
• Stress management
• Problem solving and self-reliance
• Any diver can abort any dive at any time, for any reason
• Team diving skills

 

[gekodivebali]

If I have to choose just one:
Gas and dive planning

---------- Post added July 23rd, 2013 at 06:04 PM ----------

Actually that may be two already

 

[Jim Lapenta]

More realisitic view of how dangerous this activity actually is. Show pictures of dead divers as well as those having fun. Start OW training the same way as tech courses. With a look at fatalities and what led to them. Then train them in how to lessen the risk of that happening.
Biggest one is to make them aware that guides, DM's, etc are not there to keep them safe and to not place their lives in the hands of them. Trust me dives are akin to Russian Roulette with more than one bullet in the cylinder.

 

[SeaCobra]

More realisitic view of how dangerous this activity actually is. Show pictures of dead divers as well as those having fun. Start OW training the same way as tech courses. With a look at fatalities and what led to them. Then train them in how to lessen the risk of that happening.
Biggest one is to make them aware that guides, DM's, etc are not there to keep them safe and to not place their lives in the hands of them. Trust me dives are akin to Russian Roulette with more than one bullet in the cylinder.

I really disagree with this approach, the seriousness and safety issues of diving can be taught without such supermarket tabloid graphics.

I like to stress diving as a team, gas management, rescue skills and situational awareness.

 

[Kokeldil]

what would "gas management / planning" precisely involve as far as it concerns recreational divers? I mean is there anything "we" should adopt from "you" that exceeds the usual "watch your pressure gauge and always have a reserve left"? Are we talking about being able to calculate your own consumption according to your dive plan etc.?

Thanks for the input so far. I was actually hoping for some more exact advice, but it´s good to read your posts anyway. Things like "also recreational divers should be using a so and so long hose and a neck lace BECAUSE ... " and so on ..

General advice "from technical diver to recreational diver" really appreaciated.

 

[DevonDiver]

I really disagree with this approach, the seriousness and safety issues of diving can be taught without such supermarket tabloid graphics.

I'm 50/50. Divers need to understand and respect the risks.

It takes little to achieve the understanding. The respect is much harder to create. Shock-images certainly drive home the fact that other people can die whilst diving.

However, I remain unconvinced that it does much to resolve the "it will never happen to me" mindset. Denial of serious consequences to oneself seems quite a common-place human attribute...

The best success I gain is simply to run effective training; that which puts considerable responsibility on the student diver. High task loading, no assistance,... and allowing unresolved issues to spiral towards their natural outcome. Obviously, intervention is immediate if the experience actually drifts into threatening safety. Through this process the diver gains a realistic appreciation of their own abilities (their boundaries to cope). With this realization - the acceptance "it can happen to me" starts to sink home..

 

[rivers]

what would "gas management / planning" precisely involve as far as it concerns recreational divers? I mean is there anything "we" should adopt from "you" that exceeds the usual "watch your pressure gauge and always have a reserve left"? Are we talking about being able to calculate your own consumption according to your dive plan etc.?

Thanks for the input so far. I was actually hoping for some more exact advice, but it´s good to read your posts anyway. Things like "also recreational divers should be using a so and so long hose and a neck lace BECAUSE ... " and so on ..

General advice "from technical diver to recreational diver" really appreaciated.

Attitude in the water is more important than kit configuration. On recreational dives, I could care less what my buddy was diving as long as it isn't a hazard in the water (everything stowed properly, not dragging behind or through the silt, AAS is easily accessible, etc). I dive a twinset, hog looped. Most of my buddies dive the same. But there are also quite a few people I like to dive with in my club that dive everything from YBODs, to a single 12/15 'standard' rig, maybe with a pony.
I care if my buddy(ies) are good teammates, they follow the dive and gas plans, they are staying within their limits (or if they want to push their limits a little bit, the conditions are favourable to do so and it was discussed during the dive plan. for example, new-ish diver has only been to 18m, but wants to push it to 20m). They aren't afraid to call the dive if for any reason they are uncomfortable.

 

[rongoodman]

what would "gas management / planning" precisely involve as far as it concerns recreational divers? I mean is there anything "we" should adopt from "you" that exceeds the usual "watch your pressure gauge and always have a reserve left"? Are we talking about being able to calculate your own consumption according to your dive plan etc.?

The concept that the reserve you're carrying belongs to your buddy, and you always need to have enough to get the both of you to the surface. The details can vary and/or be simplified if necessary.

 

[ianr33]

Spring straps!