What Defines a "Tech" Diver

[EFX]

A simple swim through might be only a few feet long, with bright sunlight and no complications. They can then be more complicated, with greater length, darkness, obstacles, silt, etc. The presence of these complications creates greater risk, and greater risk calls for greater training, skill, and/or equipment. It is up to the diver to determine the level of risk the swim-through presents and use good judgment about his or her ability to manage it. In general, the same kind of criteria that differentiate between a cavern and a cave apply to the line between recreational and technical.

The additional risk in some longer swim throughs may not be obvious to the average recreational diver. A few years ago I was diving in Cozumel with a group from the local dive shop. We did a swim through of Devil's throat (not sure if this is the right name) at about 100 ft of depth for about 20 ft. About eight of us went through single file with no more than a few feet between us. I became deeply troubled when I realized there was not enough room for two divers to share air side by side and in some spots barely enough room to turn around. I had divers ahead and behind me. If one of the divers ahead of me had trouble or panicked I could not turn around and exit easily.

At Devil's den in Florida which is a cavern dive open to recreational divers there are some swim throughs of greater than 10 ft that are restrictions, and present problems similar to those presented above. Since I dive on a 7-foot primary I can offer that to an OOA diver and we can exit single file. But, what if I need air? The other divers use traditional octo setups. I avoid going through those longer swim throughs for that reason.

I think most technical divers recognize the hazards restrictions pose but not recreational divers for these longer swim throughs.

 

[formernuke]

Again the request was for a definition.

Someone who drives is a driver, I they have a license they are a licensed driver, etc.

So to define a tech diver you first have to define a tech dive. This thread has shown no set definition of a tech dive. So you however you define a tech dive, a tech diver is one who does those dives.

If they have the certification then they are a certified tech diver.

By my definition I became a tech diver not when I started thr classes, not when I did the pool stuff, not when i planned the dive, not when I got on the boat, not when I entered the water. I became a tech diver when I exceeded NDL and had a virtual overhead. That is based on my definition of a tech dive.

Others, can, may and probably will disagree with me.

 

[boulderjohn]

The additional risk in some longer swim throughs may not be obvious to the average recreational diver.

Yep. Therein lies the danger of the "just say no to overheads" approach to instruction. Where will students get that information?

My struggle with PADI over the language of overhead environments began with this very issue. I wrote a course called Understanding Overhead Environments, and it took a very long time and a lot of negotiating to get it approved by PADI. I had to make it a classroom-only course, although I could add kicking skills to it. The course identifies the kinds of hazards that may exist in overhead environments and the kinds of skills, training, and equipment appropriate for each. In a nutshell, it teaches students the steps between a simple swim through and a full cave dive, and it helps them understand why being able to dive one does not mean you should dive another.

Here is a true Devil's Throat story to illustrate your stated concern. A friend descended from the surface to the entry of the Devil's Throat, swam through the reasonably level opening section, and then plunged down the throat. Seconds later he got an urgent signal from the diver behind him--he was OOA! My friend shared air with him, using his 7 foot hose, and they exited. Back on the surface, they discovered that the diver's tank had about a liter of water in it, and it did not have a dip tube. The tank was perfectly full, but as soon as the diver went head down, the opening to the valve was covered.

 

[tursiops]

There are recreational dives, i.e. not especially deep, no real or virtual overhead, that need no special equipment, training, planning, or experience.
There are technical dives, i.e. dives that really need the additional equipment, training, planning, and experience, typically involving depth, deco, multiple gases/cylinders, and overheads.

There are recreational divers, i.e. divers with no special equipment, training, or experience.
There are technical divers, i.e. divers that have the additional equipment, training and experience.

There are recreational dives done by technical divers; this does not make them technical dives.
There are recreational dives done by recreational divers; this is good.
There are technical dives done by technical divers; this is good.
There are technical dives done by recreational divers; this is stupid.

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Adding one more circle to the Venn Diagram, because I believe recreational diving encompasses both recreational dives and tech dives.

 

[tursiops]

I became a tech diver when I exceeded NDL and had a virtual overhead.

But doesn't that just define the dive? If you do a tech dive but without the associated tech gear, training, planning, etc, are you actually a tech diver, or just someone that is taking a higher risk?

 

[formernuke]

But doesn't that just define the dive? If you do a tech dive but without the associated tech gear, training, planning, etc, are you actually a tech diver, or just someone that is taking a higher risk?

Once you do it you have done a tech dive and therefore a tech diver. Doing it without the training gear etc means your also an idiot, as I have mentioned previously.

 

[tursiops]

Once you do it you have done a tech dive and therefore a tech diver. Doing it without the training gear etc means your also an idiot, as I have mentioned previously.

Hmmm, I guess I can agree it ought to be a tech dive, but I'm hesitant to call it one unless it is also dived like one....and doing it as a stupid dive is not the same as doing it as a tech dive.

 

[formernuke]

Hmmm, I guess I can agree it ought to be a tech dive, but I'm hesitant to call it one unless it is also dived like one....and doing it as a stupid dive is not the same as doing it as a tech dive.

Shrug, hence 25 pages in this thread without a solid definition. Until Webster comes out with a set definition this topic will be debated with no solid resolution.

 

[tursiops]

Shrug, hence 25 pages in this thread without a solid definition. Until Webster comes out with a set definition this topic will be debated with no solid resolution.

Webster only reports what is the common definition; it is not proscriptive. And we don't have a common definition tht Webster can repeat back to us!
We are swirling around whether a dive is defined by who does it, or how it is done. I'm reluctant to define it by who does it; by analogy, we'd call all cars race cars if they are driven by race car drivers. So, my preference is to define it by how the dive is done. If it is done as a technical dive -- with requisite planning, equipment, execution -- then (and only then) is it a technical dive.
Maybe we need a formal category of, should-of-been-a-technical-dive.

 

[formernuke]

Webster only reports what is the common definition; it is not proscriptive. And we don't have a common definition tht Webster can repeat back to us!
We are swirling around whether a dive is defined by who does it, or how it is done. I'm reluctant to define it by who does it; by analogy, we'd call all cars race cars if they are driven by race car drivers. So, my preference is to define it by how the dive is done. If it is done as a technical dive -- with requisite planning, equipment, execution -- then (and only then) is it a technical dive.
Maybe we need a formal category of, should-of-been-a-technical-dive.

I remember a incident report from a long time ago.

Gas, air
Depth, 130 feet
Time, 30 minutes.

I would define that as a tech dive. The guy was a well breathing moron as he did it single tank and didn't even do the 3 min stop at 15 feet.

You would say should have been a tech dive since it was done without training equipment etc.

Someone else would define it differently.

We are all right and all wrong about the definition.

For the record he spent just enough time on the surface to switch tanks and then repeated the same dive, and then got surprised when he surfaced the second time and wound up taking a helicopter to the chamber.