What Defines a "Tech" Diver

[MichaelMc]

none of them provided a concise dictionary definition.

Dictionary definitions are concise, but often at the cost of not having precise accuracy, including everything that belongs and excluding everything that does not. A tight bound in both directions.

Maybe that is not required as long as we can talk about the specifics of each dive near the border (prep, mindset, gear, depths, time, gases, contingency). And opinions there may vary.

People are fuzzy to classify. Dives are less so. Tech divers do tech dives is the easier starting point.

 

[tursiops]

Tech divers do tech dives is the easier starting point.

I agree...so long as you add that not all dives that tech divers do are tech dives.

 

[MichaelMc]

I agree...so long as you add that not all dives that tech divers do are tech dives.

Yes. Seemed clear to me.

There are simple tech dives and advanced tech dives, but they are still tech dives.

Expanding on that and using rec as short hand for non-tech and not commercial, public safety, military or scientific,
there seem:
rec, advanced rec, simple tech, moderate tech, advanced tech.

One minute of 10' planned deco, with contingency, mindset, etc in otherwise ideal conditions, is roughly the simplest tech dive possible. With three and five minutes not far behind. In one dimension of tech. Another is 10' into the cave proper, not the cavern.

130' within NDL, with contingency, planning, deep mindset, etc, is an advanced rec dive in one of the dimensions of possible complexity. Other dimensions are solo, ice, high current, etc.

70' for 15 minutes is a moderate rec dive, despite 60'+ being deep and AOW.

 

[Bob DBF]

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?

What if tech gear, tech training, tech planning hadn't been invented yet, would one be a tech diver if they took 15 minutes to remove an artifact from a wreck at 200' using air as the only available gas, using DIY training and planning? A higher risk is always involved once one is outside recreational limits.

 

[tursiops]

If they did deco, and the dive was planned, then yes....a primitive tech dive, but one nonetheless. But the high risk of that kind of dive -- especially cave diving -- was why so many tech diving techniques and gear got invented. Death is the mother of invention.
The point of tech diving is to mitigate all that higher risk outside of recreational limits...

 

[Lorenzoid]

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

View attachment 760796​

I would prefer the outer circle be called “sport diving.” But it’s not commonly used in the US.

 

[tursiops]

I would prefer the outer circle be called “sport diving.” But it’s not commonly used in the US.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

What if tech gear, tech training, tech planning hadn't been invented yet, would one be a tech diver if they took 15 minutes to remove an artifact from a wreck at 200' using air as the only available gas, using DIY training and planning? A higher risk is always involved once one is outside recreational limits.

I guess Sheck Exley wasn't a cave/tech diver, because, you know, he didn't take a class.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

So at the end of the day, this thread feels similar to the definition of a "Decompression Dive" thread a couple weeks ago...

EVERY dive on compressed gas in fact involves decompression and is in FACT a decompression dive , however, our industry generally recognizes the term "Decompression Dive" as a dive involving a mandatory or required Decompression Obligation.. Maybe the difference is as simple as whether or not the first letter is capitalized? My take is that in the non capitalized version........."decompression" dive is a verb. But in our industry, I believe the capitalized and recognized version......."Decompression Dive" is a noun.

Maybe the same... Verb vs Noun logic applies to the terms "technical dive" vs "Technical Dive".

PS. I don't consider myself a Technical Diver (noun) even though I feel that I have completed "technical dives". (verb).

I recall a dive in Crescent Lake to look for a 1920's Chevy that we never found. (my fault for bad location info). Myself and a buddy were on HP 120's with 19cf Pony's, on AIR only. We always stop at Crescent Lake on the way home from Neah Bay for a "high pressure" rinse of all our gear! The vis there in the fall is 100ft plus+++ We hit 165ft for less than 5 minutes, didn't find our target, then ascended "VERY SLOWLY" with plenty of gas and plenty of time for a nice long SS. We did have a minor issue with a freeze up on a first stage but that's another story.

Bottom line is that I don't consider that a Technical dive as an industry recognized noun but it was definitely a technical dive as an industry non recognised verb.

 

[tursiops]

So at the end of the day, this thread feels similar to the definition of a "Decompression Dive" thread a couple weeks ago...

EVERY dive on compressed gas in fact involves decompression and is in FACT a decompression dive , however, our industry generally recognizes the term "Decompression Dive" as a dive involving a mandatory or required Decompression Obligation.. Maybe the difference is as simple as whether or not the first letter is capitalized? My take is that in the non capitalized version........."decompression" dive is a verb. But in our industry, I believe the capitalized and recognized version......."Decompression Dive" is a noun.

Maybe the same... Verb vs Noun logic applies to the terms "technical dive" vs "Technical Dive".

PS. I don't consider myself a Technical Diver (noun) even though I feel that I have completed "technical dives". (verb).

I recall a dive in Crescent Lake to look for a 1920's Chevy that we never found. (my fault for bad location info). Myself and a buddy were on HP 120's with 19cf Pony's, on AIR only. We always stop at Crescent Lake on the way home from Neah Bay for a "high pressure" rinse of all our gear! The vis there in the fall is 100ft plus+++ We hit 165ft for less than 5 minutes, didn't find our target, then ascended "VERY SLOWLY" with plenty of gas and plenty of time for a nice long SS. We did have a minor issue with a freeze up on a first stage but that's another story.

Bottom line is that I don't consider that a Technical dive as an industry recognized noun but it was definitely a technical dive as an industry non recognised verb.

If you mean adjective rather than verb....it might make more sense.