UTD coming to Colorado

[boulderjohn]

Many of you may have followed with varying degrees of interest the movements in one facet of the dive industry that led former GUE director of instruction Andrew Georgitsis to form UTD (Unified Team Diving) this past year. This is a new training/certification agency similar to GUE. For the past year, Ocean First Divers in Boulder, the shop with which I am associated, was piloting a new tech program led by a TDI instructor, and a number of people (including myself) obtained various TDI certifications.

As the pilot comes to an end, the shop decided to switch direction and align itself with UTD instead of TDI. Those of us who were part of the way through the TDI program will have to switch to UTD instruction. That won't be as big a switch as people may think, because the TDI program we were piloting looked a whole lot like UTD (or GUE) to begin with. (Yes, that does indeed mean DIR.)

The progam is beginning pretty much immediately, although it will be a while before the information is offically broadcast on the web site, etc. Not every UTD class will be available at first. It will take a while until the entire program is implemented. The focus will be on the tech and tech/rec classes. OFD is a PADI 5-Star facility, so it cannot offer the purely recreational UTD classes.

 

[BigBubbaJ]

This is very interesting. I have been looking into taking GUE-F as a starter.

I am going to look into UTD.

Thanks!

 

[reddiver970]

I haven't been in OFD for awhile, will they or are they carrying more tech related gear back plates
wings ect...

 

[Rainer]

Which UTD instructor is doing the teaching?

 

[boulderjohn]

I haven't been in OFD for awhile, will they or are they carrying more tech related gear back plates
wings ect...

They already do--Salvo.

 

[boulderjohn]

Which UTD instructor is doing the teaching?

Will send PM--don't want to send out personal names without the person's permission.

 

[amascuba]

He's listed on the UTD website. I happened to notice it the other nice. Congratulations!

 

[TSandM]

This is wonderful news! I'm always amazed by the number of divers in Colorado, given how far you guys are from what I would consider to be interesting diving. Now you'll have home-grown DIR instruction available. That's cool!

 

[rollerboi]

The focus will be on the tech and tech/rec classes. OFD is a PADI 5-Star facility, so it cannot offer the purely recreational UTD classes.

What does being a PADI rated facility have to do with not being able to teach UTD rec classes? Are they contracturally bound, and is that a valid contract? Seems a bit much to me.

I'd be interested in making the drive from Utah and taking rec classes. Sigh. Oh well..

Do keep us updated on the progress of the program, though. I remain interested.

 

[TSandM]

I wonder if Essentials would be considered in competition with PADI? Essentials is a rec class, but not like anything PADI offers. I can see why PADI would not want one of their facilities offering UTD OW, but Essentials is different.