What Defines a "Tech" Diver

[TMHeimer]

I always viewed tech. diving as below 130 feet, planned deco, and usually using Trimix of some blend or another (not my interest).

 

[Bob DBF]

The popular use of the term technical diving can be traced back to the cover story of the first issue of "aquaCorps" magazine (1991 through 1995), in early 1990, titled call it "High-Tech" Diving by Bill Hamilton, describing the current state of recreational diving beyond the generally accepted limits, such as, deep, ...

Before that, it was just another recreational dive, other than being rather specialized, which it actually is now.

 

[Bob DBF]

Experience, knowledge, and fortitude.

Endeavor to persevere.

 

[happy-diver]

Vale Dr Bill Hamilton

The Prince of Gases: Dr. R.W. “Bill” Hamilton (1930-2011)

Rarely in life do we encounter someone who was as impressive yet unassuming, humble, and gracious as R.W. “Bill” Hamilton, Ph.D. On September 16, 2011, Bill died surrounded by his family and close friends. Within hours, e-mail and telephones reached thousands of people and the news of his...

xray-mag.com

I dive with some really cool tech divers, sitting in their cool groups, of 2 or 3, each group
too cool to communicate their plans to each other or to plan to stagger their jump times

so as not to end up clumped together, ten of them fighting for two metres of anchor line

all the way up

and I love it when they all look at each other and play who's going up to the next stop first

THE FIVE WAYPOINTS AND SIMPLE ASCENT BEHAVIOR

“You’ll always miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.” Wayne Gretzky, the only NHL player to have his number (99) retired across the league – Born January 26, 1961 Wit…

decodoppler.wordpress.com

 

[rongoodman]

Also Nitrox over 40% and any trimix.

So a dive within NDLs using something like 30/30 would be a tech dive?

 

[Angelo Farina]

That dive is now a technical dive, if you do it unplanned and without proper training, you're an idiot.

Point is that here in Europe we use to train rec divers to plan and execute dives with some deco stops.
Each organization or commercial agency defines the boundary between recreational and technical differently.
Just note this: I am a NOT a technical diver nor a technical instructor. My first OW license, indeed, certifies me for using the ARO (CC pure-oxygen rebreather) to a max depth of 10 meters.
Using CC rebreathers is now considered "tech" by most agencies, and still my first CMAS-FIPSAS certification, purely recreational, was allowing me to dive with a CC rebreather.

 

[Erich S]

Some agencies consider Ice diving as tech.

 

[rhwestfall]

My original "Scuba Diver" certification (1988 - YMCA) included how to plan a decompression dive.... Not that I would have considered attempting one, or a dive in excess of the recreational limits in the early stages of my diving.

Much later I did take classes for the topic of "technical diving" certification.

Accelerated DECO was really the defining line to my "technical diving" knowledge base, but certifications are quite different now vs. then...

 

[sheeper]

Lots of answers and only a few are right.

I define Tech Diving for my students as anything that exceeds recreational limits AND requires additional training/skills. So, you can tech dive a 60-foot reef if you exceed your NDL and have to do a staged decompression.

 

[100days-a-year]

2Kt current and 6" vis in 30' with numerous entanglement hazards count?
Otherwise anyone wearing a Zeagle Ranger or BWOD and all black gear.
Anything unpaid is recreational.