What Defines a "Tech" Diver

[inquis]

An equivalent question: if you go into a cave with a single cylinder and one light, is it a technical/cave dive? Damn straight, but a very poorly executed one.

Not the same thing. If you have sudden catastrophic gas loss, can you reach the surface?

Are you saying it's a recreational dive if I don't have a sudden catastrophic loss of gas?

Since we're playing hypotheticals, what if I do have an gas issue, does it become a recreational dive again if I have the skills to feather the valve and get out? What if I happen across another diver and make it to the surface that way?

Look, it's like asking what is a decompression dive. There's a sharp black line drawn through a large gray area. The same dive might be a "deco dive" for me but not for someone with a different computer or settings. We're not going to solve either in a global sense because different people draw the line in different places.

 

[MichaelMc]

Redundancy when deep is a deep diver thing, a rec cert.
Redundancy in general is a solo thing, a rec cert.

Gas to surface is a deep diver thing, a rec cert.

I think complexity is a factor. 5 to 10 minutes of back gas deco is not very complex. (see above for the redundant gas aspect of that.) Yes, it is more than NDL, but not really that complicated.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Are you saying it's a recreational dive if I don't have a sudden catastrophic loss of gas?

No

Since we're playing hypotheticals, what if I do have an gas issue, does it become a recreational dive again if I have the skills to feather the valve and get out? What if I happen across another diver and make it to the surface that way?

No. Overheads with "sufficient" swimming required are not recreational.

But what is the definition of "sufficient"? That's the problem with depth.

Look, it's like asking what is a decompression dive. There's a sharp black line drawn through a large gray area. The same dive might be a "deco dive" for me but not for someone with a different computer or settings. We're not going to solve either in a global sense because different people draw the line in different places.

Agreed. Can't draw a line. There are so many factors that this isn't a 2-dimensional diagram anymore.

 

[MichaelMc]

How much is this dive technical?
None, a little bit, definite technical, very technical.

70' 30 minutes on air
AL80 + AL40 pony
GF 55/70 (35/75 had been my planner settings)

Deco obligation:
* 7 min @ 10' (with Subsurface, similar with Baltic Deco)
Gas used: 43 cuft at .4 SAC (my base conservative SAC)
Minimum gas (at 4.0xSAC/+4min@70ft): 43cuft/1,587psi/Δ:-14psi (for the main tank)

 

[Robert H. Diver]

What flavor?

Obviously melted butter, I’ve got some salt with a variety of popcorn seasonings for those who are feeling a bit on the wild side…

 

[FF / EMT]

To me tech is anything that exceeds recreational diving established limits.

So decompression or depth over 130 or overhead environment.

What about solo diving?

 

[TMHeimer]

What about solo diving?

Don't see how that fits in. I always solo dive usually to about 30 feet, which is not tech. diving. I suppose solo or buddy diving both follow whatever the rules are for being called Tech. the same (if we can agree on what those rules are..).

 

[scubadada]

How tech is this dive? Not how is it tech, but how tech is it.
None, a little bit, oh man that is very technical.

70' 30 minutes on air
AL80 + AL30 pony
GF 55/70 (my planner had been set to 35/75)

Deco obligation: 7 min @ 10' (with Subsurface, similar with Baltic Deco)
Gas used: 43 cuft at .4 SAC (my base conservative SAC)
Minimum gas (at 4.0xSAC/+4min@70ft): 43cuft/1,587psi/Δ:-14psi (for the main tank)

That's an easy one, no tech, a recreational dive for me

About 5% of my solo drift dives in S FL are light deco, <10 min. I consider the variables for each dive. I dive an AL80 and an AL19. I dive my Teric at 80/95 and my avg RMV over the last 1,792 dives is 0.36 cu ft/min.

So, if this dive was for 50 min, I would have nearly your 7 min of deco. It's easy to choose a scenario that will fit the criteria you want. I will rate this dive a little bit of tech.

 

[EL1]

Different question, what justifies the distinction in the first place, the need to draw a line? The want to feel anti-mainstream? Being keepers of arcane knowledge, superior to peasant rec divers that know nothing and are told to not even try to learn?

Or just as a circular justification for why some agencies' curriculums have an abrupt and incomplete end?

Yes, virtual or real ceilings may be more dangerous and may need more training than a nice relaxed guided stroll through a shallow reef, but why consider those "not recreational"?

If they aren't to win a competition or to do work, but just to have fun, that's a recreational activity.

 

[Bowers]

Tech diving is any overhead environment weather physical or theoretical that would make it unsafe or impossible to make a direct ascent to the surface.