Technical training

[Rick Inman]

I went through IANTD's tech courses up to Full Trimix. I didn't choose IANTD, it chose me when the instructor moved to town. The instructor said that the best thing I ever did to prepare for technical diving is take GUE's DIR Fundamentals. After some long conversations, he understood my commitment to the DIR principals and reconfigured his own gear and the training methods to accommodate my desire as best he could. He now applies many of those principals into his own diving. I was amazingly surprised at how willing he was to entertain and embrace the principals of a different agency and adapt it into his teaching, and now to his own diving.

I think Fundies as a basic is best.

 

[String]

This is in danger of turning into agency bashing.

How is TDI or IANTD a "mismash of classes" ? Its a clear defined line. TDI for example Advanced Nitrox and Deco Procedures (best taken combined). Extended range is NOT a requirement and may well be dropped. After Adv EAN/Deco Proc you can enroll on trimix. Its hardly a mis mash of classes.

Its no more a mismash than GUE offer. Both are clearly defined progressions. Different names but both accomplishing near the same thing.

Both agencies require instructors to undergo training, examination and assessment adequate for the courses they want to teach. GUE/NAUI/TDI/IANTD/PSA/DSAT, they all require that.

Pretty much in a tech course you're going to be getting the same basic knowledge base regardless of the agency teaching it. There maybe some differences such as choice of tables and so on but overall its working towards the same goal. Some instructors maybe better than others, some instructors methods may please or displease some groups of people - everyones style is different.
A good technical instructor will push you to the absolute limit on the course to the extent you're glad to get out of the water in one piece, may have "died" a few times but eventually you emerge with a big grin having managed to solve everything theyve thrown at you. If you arent pushed to your limit on a tech course, its not done correctly no matter who the agency or the instructor is.

As far as recognition goes, all of them, world wide. No issues.

 

[JeffG]

Fair enough ... but by the time one gains adequate diving experience to start down a tech path, there's no reason to go in blind. You'll have enough of a diving context to do some homework and ask some good questions.

Ummm...we will have to agree to disagree here.

For what I have seen, the entry level tech divers really didn't know what to look for. And now have some plastic TDI cards that could get them into big pile of dodo.

They told us about their checkout dives and quite frankly...I laughed my butt off.

For myself, think I just got lucky.

 

[Steve R]

Well, I could name names. I know of a great TDi instructor. I also know of another that faked his instructors credentials. (When caught...he was just forced to take the instructors class again.) In TDI trimix...the student is required to do valve drills. What does it say, when the instructor is unable to do them himself.


Now...some diver in Alberta looks for a tech instructor. Does a search for TDI instructors. Whats the odds of him/her getting the good one or the bad one?



good thing I'm not a GUE instructor then.

Maybe Bob, you might want to ask how on earth Jeff and I keep seeing the same things, and coming up with the same names..........

You want high quality with consistency amongst instructors?, then GUE is clearly your best bet, hands down.

 

[JeffG]

I think Fundies as a basic is best.

I think all wannabe tech divers should take fundies regardless if they want to go DIR or not.

The experience will not only make them a better diver, it would also open their eyes on how they would look at a potential instructor.

 

[String]

...unless of course they get a crap instructor for that.

And therein lies the problem. GUE is no more immune to that than any other agency.

 

[JeffG]

How is TDI or IANTD a "mismash of classes" ? Its a clear defined line. TDI for example Advanced Nitrox and Deco Procedures (best taken combined). Extended range is NOT a requirement and may well be dropped. After Adv EAN/Deco Proc you can enroll on trimix.

I am not familar with IANTD, but for TDI, some instructors insist that a student takes Extended range before trimix.

 

[Steve R]

...unless of course they get a crap instructor for that.

And therein lies the problem. GUE is no more immune to that than any other agency.

lol, ya OK.

Personalities aside, the 'average' GUE instructor is miles ahead of your 'average' ABC instructor. Just take a look at what it takes to become an instructor for either.

Of course you would know that if you knew what to look for, which is THE problem for the OP.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

First of all, Bob, you called me a GUE diver, I did not, so it has nothing to do with any perceived bad reputation that GUE has, and everything to do with your attitude towards the agency. Get your facts straight.

What's more, my comment is very valid, and I have a fair amount of info to back that up.

As Jeff says, by design they're all over the board, which can be good, but more often than not, it's a bad thing.

And that's a rational, factual and responsible post.

I'm not interested in an argument ... or in reading responses from someone who can't answer a question without resorting to name-calling ... it's not my idea of a responsible answer to the OP's question.

My facts are based on (a) the context of having read your posts over time (since you choose not to put any facts in your profile, (b) having taken GUE classes and workshops, (c) having worked for one of the better-known GUE shops on the planet (Fifth Dimension), and (d) having exposure to a fair percentage of GUE's instructors.

Perspective is everything ... in the Puget Sound area we're fortunate to have good technical instructors. Only one resident instructor is GUE ... and he's only a part-time resident. Several are NAUI Tech ... some of those have taken GUE classes, and incorporate a very similar approach and standard into their own classes. Many are IANTD and TDI, have been teaching for years (or decades) and have excellent reputations locally. As Perrone said, you can often judge the quality of an instructor on the students they turn out ... and not all of our well-regarded local divers have GUE training.

In any case, answering a question by making broad statements about "blithering idiots" isn't a responsible answer ... and it doesn't contribute anything useful to the conversation.

Those sort of responses are better left to the boards that are dominated by the GI3 wannabes of the world ... as someone who puts effort into educating my own students about their choices for technical education (including ... and in some cases emphasizing ... GUE as an option), responses like that just make it harder to convince the newer diver that it's anything but ego-driven.

... and if you believe that my own attitude about GUE is anything but positive, then you should get a reality check with some of my students ... many of whom are active on this board.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[JeffG]

...unless of course they get a crap instructor for that.

So where are these crap GUE instructors?

And therein lies the problem. GUE is no more immune to that than any other agency.

and here you are just out and out wrong.