Tech Instructor & Doubles

[chickdiver]

You hit the nail exactly, Mike. I recently had a group request a trimix class. When I forwarded them my course outline and requirements, they caled back and said "We just want to go to 200' on air or something, do we really need to do all this?" I said yes , and explained what they were getting into, they decided to find another instructor. I am sure they will quickly find someone who will be happy to give them exactly what they want, a card.

 

[MikeFerrara]

MechDiver once bubbled...


Mike, What is your defination of "lousy tech diver"?

Phil

I don't know that I could provide a definition but i will say that some divers come up throught the ranks very fast without having any experience.

there was a guy in my cave class. He had some trouble but not too bad. The instructor let him through and I figured it was his call. Several months later I dived with the guy in a floded mine in Missouri and he almost got me killed. I have posted the story before but he wrapped me in the line and left me with my feet held tight to the ceiling 1/4 mie back in a cave. He never noticed I was gone not even after he turned and was headed out where I should have been in front of him. I was on my own. After the dive he denied having any problems. We untangled him once. We stoped him from going the wrong way at intersections and had him abusing the line to help with buoyancy control. The bc problem was a problem he didn't have in better vis. Several WEEKS later he contacted me telling me about the remainder of his summer. He had since obtained a bunch of certs like Advanced trimix, Advanced wreck, gas blending and you name it. He wanted to get together for another cave dive.

This diver has every card there is but I'll bet I have done more dives in the last year or 18 months than he has done in his entire career. Do you think he has ever put a set of doubles together?

 

[MikeFerrara]

BTW, i have a normoxic trimix cert. Since I blend my own I use the mix I want but we haven't done anything below 200. Just out of cuiosity I called that guys (from the last post) instructor to see how much and how long it would take to get an "Advanced trimix" card. I can get her done in a short weekend.

In technical and recreational diving cards are for sale.

 

[roakey]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
This remediation isn't built into the course or cost structure of technical training. Nobody is going to put in the time to get them squared away because you can't charge for it.

GUE is doing a tidy business with their DIRF class because they're the ONLY ones doing this.

Roak

 

[MikeFerrara]

roakey once bubbled...

GUE is doing a tidy business with their DIRF class because they're the ONLY ones doing this.

Roak

But...they need to take the show on the road. The market is worthwhile but spread very thin.

You are right about one thing Roak they have no competition. I tried talking to IANTD to point that out. I think they will attempt to compete with PADI before GUE. That can't be done. It would take money and muscle to be better at being PADI than PADI. GUE has a complete market all to themself with no competition at all. IMO, it would be a great time for someone else to get into the same business but nobody will.

 

[Josh Levinson]

To get back to the original point of that tech instructor not knowing how to assemble doubles... aside from the fact that he's an instructor, that's particularly scary, as putting together doubles ain't rocket science.


Josh

 

[MikeFerrara]

Josh Levinson once bubbled...
To get back to the original point of that tech instructor not knowing how to assemble doubles... aside from the fact that he's an instructor, that's particularly scary, as putting together doubles ain't rocket science.


Josh

It isn't rocket science but it does take a little technique and there is a learning curve. Many just let a shop do it. In my area you would be hard pressed to find a shop that could do it.

My Advanced Nitrox students who use doubles put their own together in class. I had to teach myself.

 

[MechDiver]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...


I don't know that I could provide a definition but i will say that some divers come up throught the ranks very fast without having any experience.
snip

Do you think he has ever put a set of doubles together?

Mike,
Thanks for the clarification and story.

The dealer where I bought my doubles made me put them together myself. Not something I do "lightly", but nice to know how it works.

Phil

 

[roakey]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
But...they need to take the show on the road. The market is worthwhile but spread very thin.

It is on the road, why do you think that there's almost a weekly announcement about a DIRF class somewhere in the US?

Now, the fact that they don't have many instructors I'll agree with.

Roak

 

[MikeFerrara]

roakey once bubbled...

It is on the road, why do you think that there's almost a weekly announcement about a DIRF class somewhere in the US?

Now, the fact that they don't have many instructors I'll agree with.

Roak

My point was that the demand in a given area is small.