Tech diving, equipment, awareness and too much too soon

[cave_diver]

This is something that needs to happen more often. There are instructors out there that see the $$$ and just want to pass them.

......

Bottom line if some one isnt cutting it whether it be OW, AOW, or Tech diving specialties, for their own safety and the safety of their future budies; they need to be prevented from moving further on until they develope the skills needed to dive safely. If you have situation at 100ft and you panic you are risking the health and lives of those arround you if they have to respond. There needs to be more people that do this.

When it comes to passing a test to get certified, rules and regulations are – unfortunately – bend more often than not. And while I do not know the procedures of all the certification agencies, I believe that this is a problem across the board (to a lesser extend in technical diving). Training Agencies will point to Instructors and Staff Instructors and Course Directors (if they have to), and say that all the regulations are in place.

While this might be correct, oversight is another issue. Training agencies live from certification and membership fees. The math is simple – more certifications mean more potential members which add up to more revenue. The instructor on the other hand might face pressure from the LDS, or he or she simply cannot afford to lose his job.
I have to say that I know some technical dive instructors which will let somebody fail regardless of a potential revenue loss or reputation. But they are the exception rather than the role.

Given the current economic conditions and its impact on the dive industry, I would say that there is a good chance that the situation will get worse.

 

[justgetwet]

I just wanted to say that this was a great post, being a new diver, hell i'm not going to lie, the only ow dives i have are for the cert. That being said, after doing tons of research I find myself wanting to go deeper and get all of the certs that I possibly can. Talking to my dive buddy who has alot more experience/dives than I. we decided that we were going to go deep and explore wrecks. I was all about it, then, the realization..... I was def going to put that off for an unknown amount of time until I had a hell of alot more dives, and developed my skill sets to the point they need to be to do that kind of diving,, then, and only then I am going to look to advance by certs, I look at it as kind of drinking and driving, sure, you might only kill yourself, but, there is a darned good chance your going to take someone else with you.. and thats allll bad...

 

[neiltony]

I feel that whoever read this should understand that diving is not a child's play. Make sure that the student is well trained and able to do his lessens well. I have seen few divers, who are not good swimmers but still they are diver. Anyway very well posted and do keep it on........

 

[tome]

Just to re iterate on this, i have had friends qualified all over the world and the difference in standard is crazy! i did my o/w in mexico ( peurto escondito) with Lorenzo @ deep blue dive and it took over a week of consistent diving to gain, he worked us hard in the pool and ocean going through situations in the pool to create stress and deal with it, then practice it so as to get comfortable, those that know the area know it can be difficult with low viz terrible current and swell, but i am so glad to have begun diving in some harder conditions than some friend who learned in effectively pools with o/w taking a day or two, i currently have no interest in tech diving, maybe this will change over the next few years maybe not, but a great thread!

 

[Manphibian]

Great advice, people sometimes forget that instructors will not always be there to save them and that mastering the basic skills and common sense and using them as a reflex is what will save lives if something goes wrong. We must challenge ourselves to truly know our own capabilities, so a diver should present himself with every challenge faced as an OWD and master his reaction to be as ready as he can for anything. After this is achieved then, and only then should advancement be considered. Thanks again for the great post.

 

[WD8CDH]

Great thread. Basicaly don't dive beyond your Training, or your Equipment, or your Experience..............ever.

 

[tome]

ok.. .since may ive been deeper on various training dives and assists and am keen to peruse(or pursue maybe both?) tech, not for extended depths but for the training and s drills, i want to develop some more skills and get back in the water alot more, i guess the focus of learning something on each dive or diving with an objective will help that. i guess its the mastery of some skills that can really make a dive ( when leading) a bit more interesting if for example.. you are sitting waiting for something, some times for upto 40 mins in not too much water,

i think diving with like minded people is of vital importance, weather on a charter or with friends to keep within safe limits is one thing, but for everyone to be comfortable is another, comfort will often mean a much safer environment than pushing limits

 

[The Mighty Thor]

I've been taking Intro to Tech and also just bought a drysuit. I realized very quickly that a little sloppiness with buoyancy and trim while on a leisurely dive, may not matter, or even be noticed right away, but can have disastrous effects while performing tasks and skills crucial to tech. I realized that I not only need a lot more practice with my drysuit and my gear, but may need to get rid of and replace some gear that does not allow me to perform these tasks quickly and accurately. This class was a good reality check and barometer for my skills.

 

[SteveR1952]

Very good thread. Lots of good insight from several vantage points. This thread should be required reading for OW cert. training.

I agree with the concept that some divers need more time in the water with their gear to become competent.

I also agree that competence is relative. It implies a level of ability and skill commiserate with a defined level of training. Not necessarily perfection but competence in the skills required for the activity and within the limitations set by their highest level of training. OW certification has some basic skills that have to be mastered to attain the OW cert. It also has some "limits" associated with that certification. Granted they are recommended limits with no real enforcement (no dive police around to give out tickets) so the limits are only as good as the integrity of the diver.

Beyond the basic skill set is experience. Experience is only gained through doing and learning while doing. That is why different environments are good for a broader experience level. Shore vs boat entry, cold vs warm water, clear vs turbid, choppy vs calm conditions, cloudy skies vs bright sunny ones, different tank sizes, different second air setups, different buddies, different dive times and depths, etc. All these add to the experience base of a diver.

The question becomes when does a diver seek new training? When is he now fully competent to progress to the next level? Who makes this decision?

I don't believe in a certain number of dives to meet any minimum qualification. That is too simplistic and not detailed enough a description to provide the necessary guidance to a diver or an instructor on when is enough; enough? Different conditions and gear need to be part of that equation. If I do 100 20 minute dives in a local lake that is never below 75 degrees and is only 30 feet deep does that demonstrate I am a competent diver? I think not. Competence to me implies varied experiences. I don't think there is any magic number of dives that determines a person competent. One would like to think that a 100+ record of dives would incorporate a variety of conditions and perhaps challenging experiences.

I have an OW cert. I received it 30 years ago. I did a variety of dives during the first few years of my cert. including zero visibility, rescue training dives, cold and warm water dives, shore and boat entry, a variety of surf and swell conditions, deep dives and in different environments--lake, quarry, ocean, farm ponds, etc. Now that I am getting back into the sport do I feel competent to take on more advanced certifications? Yes, and No.

My path back to diving has included several pool sessions with OW classes as well as several dives with OW classes and other dives with more experienced divers under different conditions and with all new gear. After several dives I now feel comfortable enough to take on AOW certification. In fact, I have already done most of the required stuff as part of normal dives while getting my diving skills back and building new ones. Am I a competent diver? For OW skills and beyond, yes. Am I a competent diver for AOW skills, No, that is the reason for the training. But I am an experienced diver so adding the AOW skill set to my current skill set should enhance rather than confound my progress to greater competence in the sport.

Training vs experience can sometimes seem like the "chicken or the egg" discussion. Which comes first, the training or the experience? In practical terms they are really tied to one another. Experience is the practice of training. Training, whether self taught or instructor taught, is education and the application of education becomes experience. We learn by doing. The more we know the "why's and how's" of what we do the faster most of us learn. Education is the why and how, experience is the practice of the various skill sets we learn from the education side of things. Once we become competent in the required skill sets through practice we become experienced. Being experienced is really what we need to have to move on to further complex tasks.

Competence is great but does not show we have the capability of handling new challenges. Experience is based on learning through doing in different conditions and to me, is the true indicator of when it is time to add more complex tasks.

 

[sierra23]

Grrrrrrreat POST. Experience is a great teacher if your skills where taught properly.