What Defines a "Tech" Diver

[PfcAJ]

Safe technical diving. Hmmm why so many deceased safe technical divers this year then?

Do you really want to know? Or do you think you know and that’s satisfactory for you?

 

[Tracy]

Probably a 'trick' question Tracy, but I'll bite. Can't say about the dive itself, but IMO the profile is not 'technical' as long as it was not in a hard-overhead environment. I agree fully with what some one else said; if you can directly surface from wherever you are when the proverbial hits the fan - or for any other reason - without a mandatory deco obligation then it is not a 'tech' dive.

That was kind of what I meant. General thought of deep, deco, mixed gases, are technical dives. That dive was on 32% nitrox, with no deco, with an average depth of 15' for 3.5 hours. But it was nearly a mile back in a cave. So yes, trick question.

 

[Celt]

Tech diver is just a label some like to apply to themselves or others, especially training agencies and sales men. but really there's no such thing, some dives are a lot more complex than others and require more experienced to carry out and that can change day to day and dive to dive. Does a tech diver become a rec diver when diving to NDL. or does a rec diver become a tech diver when he exceeds it. Of coarse not.

 

[tursiops]

That was kind of what I meant. General thought of deep, deco, mixed gases, are technical dives. That dive was on 32% nitrox, with no deco, with an average depth of 15' for 3.5 hours. But it was nearly a mile back in a cave. So yes, trick question.

It only shows that depth alone is not a good criterion.

 

[tursiops]

Well even with a deco obligation you "can" go directly to the surface. You may get a little DCS hit which can be treated.

Bordering on violating the TOS, i.e., providing unsafe advice on SB.

This however is approaching surpassing the most ill informed post ever on ScubaBoard

it is a tough call....there's lots of competition....

 

[Kay Dee]

Tech diver is just a label some like to apply to themselves or others, especially training agencies and sales men. but really there's no such thing, some dives are a lot more complex than others and require more experienced to carry out and that can change day to day and dive to dive.

Well there are tech type dives and rec dives, very different dives, so yes there are such 'things'.

Does a tech diver become a rec diver when diving to NDL. or does a rec diver become a tech diver when he exceeds it. Of coarse not.

Well, if your doing recreational dives you are doing recreational dives, you might be a 'tech diver' but you ain't tech diving. Just like someone diving air doubles and doing air deco is not doing a tech dive either, unless in a cave or wreck (but does anyone even do that anymore? Air deco I mean?), nor is a CCR user swimming around in the ocean inside NDL limits / no overhead environment. But go into a cave like Tracy's example above, even if only at 1m / 3ft and you are 'tech diving'.

 

[Kay Dee]

It only shows that depth alone is not a good criterion.

It is no criterion. It is only one of the many ingredients that is possible to mix into / make a tech dive, but depth on its own does not qualify as a tech dive.

 

[tursiops]

Correct, it is only one of the many ingredients that is possible to mix into / make a tech dive, but depth on its own does not qualify as a tech dive.

.....unless it exceeds 130 (or 165) ft.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

.....unless it exceeds 130 (or 165) ft.

No Mel. No. Dropping to 140 feet doesn't make it a technical dive.

 

[Kay Dee]

.....unless it exceeds 130 (or 165) ft.

Not in my opinion. I often dropped below 130ft / 40m on the GBR on a single cylinder (younger and way less wise); was I tech diving? Certainly not.