Training paths

[KazInAz]

Hey Garrett:

Our orginial intention is to also do some above rec. limits wreck penatration. We are currently on that path although we did get side tracked a bit.
I suggest you take a DIRF class first. Then move on to a cavern class (yes I know how you feel about caves but wrecks ARE overhead enviros, just like a cave) then I would take a deco procedures, then I hear TDI has a good wreck class. I've been told PADI is more of an intro only. I guess you could take that (see Rob) right off the start and see if you're going to like it then do the DIRF. Art and I did get sidetracked on the cave route as you know. We did do several wrecks in North Carolina this summer. All are easy to penatrate and we used our cave training. Daylight could always been seen so it was a good intro. I can recommend some instructors when the time comes. PM/email when/if you want that info.

See ya at the lake!

 

[ppo2_diver]

If you are just starting the with wreck diving, I would start off with a recreational level course like PADI's. However, you should find a good instructor who knows about real wreck diving. You should learn the basics and theory. Gas planning, proper propulsion, trim and buoyancy skills. Master these and then move into more technical wreck diving. Adv. Nitrox and Deco type courses will allow you to explore further into a wreck as well as the deeper wrecks. TDI offers an Advanced Wreck diver course to teach advanced penetration techniques.

In between the recreational training and technical training, you should work on getting a lot of experience on real wrecks. The sunken houseboats in local quarries don't count in my book.

 

[MSilvia]

After doing a rescue class, I'd recommend the following in no particular order: Wreck diver, cavern, adv. nitrox/ deco, DIR-F, intro cave, trimix. You might learn something useful in a PADI specialty course, but if you want to do penetration, I'd stick to training agencies who specialize in technical diving, like IANTD, TDI, GUE, etc.

 

[TSandM]

The Monterey guys do the diving part of their wreck classes in Southern California.

 

[shark.byte.usa]

I don't know if some of you are replying to me or NJmike, but as I said earlier, this is down the road maybe mid to late next year, maybe not until 08', just thought I'd get a jump on investigating it.

I will have taken Rescue, was supposed to take it a month ago but an ear infection kept me out so now I'll have to wait until Spring, my instructor (Rob aka Dive-aholic) only teaches it twice a year. It involves a weekend of camping with scenarios land and water based thrown at you all weekend, goes well beyond the agency standards.

I will probably take the rec. wreck specialty in San Diego with Rob as well, who is a caver, and apparently his class goes beyond the agency standards as well. Should be a good primer and who knows maybe after that I'll say, "screw it, this isn't for me" but I doubt it, I love boats/ships and diving, so it's unlikely.

I suggest you take a DIRF class first. Then move on to a cavern class (yes I know how you feel about caves but wrecks ARE overhead enviros, just like a cave)

I've considered DIR-F, it intrigues me, don't know if I'll be drinking the kool-aid, but wouldn't mind seeing what all the hoopla is about and from everything I hear it would be a solid 1st step into the tech realm regardless. As for Cavern, ya that is another possiblity, I've heard from more than one person that cavern/cave training would be good training for what I want to do. Cavern doesn't sound bad, only problem is having to travel to Mexico or Florida to get the training. Those instrcutors you'll be recommending, I won't have to go anywhere near "the shop" will I (Inside joke)

In between the recreational training and technical training, you should work on getting a lot of experience on real wrecks. The sunken houseboats in local quarries don't count in my book.

Point taken, no quarries or sunken house boats around here that I know of, only rumors of one in the lake. Would be spending most of my wreck time in San Diego. I'm in no hurry either, the wrecks aren't going anywhere soon

The Monterey guys do the diving part of their wreck classes in Southern California.

I checked them out, actually it says they do Wreck I in San Diego and Wreck II in Monterey and I assume the classroom/dry portion of the training is also in Monterey; which is a bit far to run off to for the weekend for me. That's why I ruled them out.

Thanks for the input.

-Garrett

 

[grazie42]

The way I see it there are 3 levels of courses you want to do before you start doing big penetrations. All levels include both penetration courses and courses that will let you breath the appropriate gasses for that level (what gasses you use is a personal decision but I´ve included some courses I think are worthwhile). Between the levels you would ideally spend time diving at that "level"...

Level 1 (No penetration): Rescue, Nitrox, "Basic" Wreck/(preferably from an instructor who dives at the level you aspire to) or perhaps DIR-f

Level 2 (Limited penetration): OE / Cavern / Adv. Wreck or equiv. and also Adv. Nitrox/deco Procedures/ Adv. Recreational Tmx ( different agencies call the courses different things)

Level 3 (your comfortlevel is your limitatio): Tech Wreck/Full Cave or equiv. and Tmx, both normoxic and hypoxic...

The courses listed above aren´t necessarily needed but are more used to exemplify the skill-set that I think you need for the level of penetration at each level.

I´ll admit that I did some pretty hairy penetrations while I´d only taken courses at level one, and more importantly my skills where at "level 1"...You can do it, propably for a long time without issues, in hindsight I just don´t think its a good idea to do so...

Hope I´ve given you some ideas...as always ymmv...

 

[shark.byte.usa]

Hope I´ve given you some ideas...as always ymmv...

Yes, Thank you!

 

[KazInAz]

Those instrcutors you'll be recommending, I won't have to go anywhere near "the shop" will I (Inside joke)
-Garrett

No...no where near "the shop" (inside joke)

 

[Dive-aholic]

Garrett, I asked the same question a few years ago with the same intention. I wanted to dive wrecks and maybe caves. Wrecks were the passion then. I got a lot of different recommendations on how to approach it. Funny, but DIR-F was never a recommendation then! Take a rec. wreck course. Yes, mine is a little more involved than it has to be. Others I've seen get by with the bare minimums. I suggest you also take a cavern course. It doesn't matter what agency you complete it through. Even PADI's course can be good. They recommend one of the other agencies' manuals. I use the NACD manual in my cavern course. From there, you can head a few different directions. Advanced Nitrox and Deco Procedures will be a must. I would also recommend at least Intro Cave. Like I told you last weekend, even if you don't ever do another cave dive again, cave training is some of the best training you can get. It will be worth travelling to Florida or Mexico a couple/three times. Besides, I think you'll change your mind about caves.....

 

[shark.byte.usa]

Garrett, I asked the same question a few years ago with the same intention. I wanted to dive wrecks and maybe caves. Wrecks were the passion then. I got a lot of different recommendations on how to approach it. Funny, but DIR-F was never a recommendation then! Take a rec. wreck course. Yes, mine is a little more involved than it has to be. Others I've seen get by with the bare minimums. I suggest you also take a cavern course. It doesn't matter what agency you complete it through. Even PADI's course can be good. They recommend one of the other agencies' manuals. I use the NACD manual in my cavern course. From there, you can head a few different directions. Advanced Nitrox and Deco Procedures will be a must. I would also recommend at least Intro Cave. Like I told you last weekend, even if you don't ever do another cave dive again, cave training is some of the best training you can get. It will be worth travelling to Florida or Mexico a couple/three times. Besides, I think you'll change your mind about caves.....

Ok, you convinced me, I'll take a rec.wreck course...Oh wait you already had
Cavern as I said is a possibility. After doing some digging and reading, I suppose TDI and to a lesser extent NAUI are the agencies courses that I'm leaning towards at the moment, however that can all change in a year and depends on local/semi-local instruction available. I will stay out of caves and leave that to the A.S.S.E.S (explanation here and here), I seriously doubt there will be any changing my mind on that. I assume a tech. wreck course could accomplish the same thing and I'd never have to penetrate a cave

-Garrett