Technical Training Report/Review (AN/DP)

[Nick_Radov]

It is GUE -- not DIR -- that says air below 100 ft is a no-no.

Not sure what you mean there? The divers who created DIR have consistently opposed deep air since at least the early 1990s. That happened before GUE was founded in 1998. It's all in the old Aquanaut Techdiver mailing list archives if you want to look.

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Aquanaut's mailing list archives.

aquanaut.com

The term "Doing It Right" wasn't trademarked or comprehensively defined at the time, which led to some misunderstandings about what it really meant. Let's not perpetuate old misinformation.

It is sad and disappointing to see some irresponsible training agencies and instructors still teaching deep air. There is no valid reason to do that. Nothing in civilian sport diving is worth taking that level of risk. Yes, I am aware that helium is expensive and sometimes hard to obtain. So what. If you can't afford the gas then get a rebreather, or just dive shallow. There's a lot to see above 100 ft / 30 m.

 

[tursiops]

Not sure what you mean there? The divers who created DIR have consistently opposed deep air since at least the early 1990s. That happened before GUE was founded in 1998. It's all in the old Aquanaut Techdiver mailing list archives if you want to look.

Aquanaut Mailing List Archive Service

Aquanaut's mailing list archives.

aquanaut.com

The term "Doing It Right" wasn't trademarked or comprehensively defined at the time, which led to some misunderstandings about what it really meant. Let's not perpetuate old misinformation.

It is sad and disappointing to see some irresponsible training agencies and instructors still teaching deep air. There is no valid reason to do that. Nothing in civilian sport diving is worth taking that level of risk. Yes, I am aware that helium is expensive and sometimes hard to obtain. So what. If you can't afford the gas then get a rebreather, or just dive shallow. There's a lot to see above 100 ft / 30 m.

Whatever. GUE is an agency, DIR is not. No one speaks for DIR.

 

[Nick_Radov]

Well, one was a deco bottle, not a stage.

A deco bottle is one type of stage tank. The rigging and method of carriage determines whether it is or isn't a stage. A stage could contain bottom, travel, deco, or bailout gas (maybe other types as well for specialized applications).

Likewise, it's also possible to carry a deco bottle in other ways without rigging it as a stage. I'm not recommending that, but I have seen it done.

 

[tursiops]

A deco bottle is one type of stage tank. The rigging and method of carriage determines whether it is or isn't a stage. A stage could contain bottom, travel, deco, or bailout gas (maybe other types as well for specialized applications).

You live by your definitions, I'll go with what most people and agencies use. A stage is used to extend a dvie, and is part of the gas plan. A stage and a deco bottle may be rigged the same, and carried the same, but it is the purpose that defines the name.

 

[MT_Shadow]

great post OP. I like the read a lot and I learned in the following comments that I will be avoiding DIR and GUE in further trainings \o/. I am not much into the cult thing. haha

 

[Nick_Radov]

Whatever. GUE is an agency, DIR is not. No one speaks for DIR.

In a narrow legal sense that is correct. However, if you look back through the archives it's pretty clear who defined the term "Doing It Right", and that gives them the moral right to speak for it. I doubt that you can find evidence of any of the main DIR creators stating that deep air is acceptable.

 

[tursiops]

In a narrow legal sense that is correct. However, if you look back through the archives it's pretty clear who defined the term "Doing It Right", and that gives them the moral right to speak for it. I doubt that you can find evidence of any of the main DIR creators stating that deep air is acceptable.

I do not disagree about deep air; I've done it (185 ft) but never again.
We may differ on where "deep" starts for air, but that's a gray area.

 

[Robert H. Diver]

Hey OP, thanks for the great write up. I enjoyed it. Unfortunately the thread got a bit out of hand Have any plans for the “next step” in your training? Done any cool dives after your certification you’d like to share?

 

[MT_Shadow]

I am new to SSI TDI as I am just stepping away from PADI which I did all my early training with. I have sidemount coming up. Is this the type of training that would come next? Seems like doing mix gas before this training would reduce the deep air concerns. Or is that just the way the order currently works out?

 

[Robert H. Diver]

I am new to SSI TDI as I am just stepping away from PADI which I did all my early training with. I have sidemount coming up. Is this the type of training that would come next? Seems like doing mix gas before this training would reduce the deep air concerns. Or is that just the way the order currently works out?

Just did my sidemount course and it was awesome. OC trimix diving is going extinct. If you can find somewhere to get OC trimix fills you’ll need a loan from the bank to get it.