When to take fundies..... An example...

[TSandM]

I believe there IS a process for upgrading, and it is a day of test diving. Whether you pay for it or not is at the discretion of your instructor. Unlike the conversion of a provisional to a pass, which must be completed within six months, you can do the tech upgrade any time.

I highly, highly recommend doing Fundies in a single tank (at least for people who aren't wunderkinder like the guy in the original post) for a rec pass, and taking your time to move into doubles and practice before doing the tech checkout. You will build GOOD habits from the beginning -- and there is an awful lot of good diving out there that doesn't require doubles. One of the best instructors I've ever had said, "Do all the dives you can do with the certification you have, and when you're totally bored, get more training." I think people rush to get into technical training and miss a lot of fun diving along the way.

On the other hand, there are caves . . .

 

[Lorenzoid]

Your post makes me feel like a dork for having signed up for Primer (July, assuming it isn't rescheduled again) because I didn't think I was ready for Fundies. But dorky or not, I think I've made the right decision for me. I don't think I had even seen someone dive with a BP/W or doubles until a year or so ago when I forced myself to do some diving outside of the tropical resort/liveaboard rut I had comfortably settled into. I've never had the benefit of a mentor to show me any other kind of diving. I suspect your guy had a mentor to help him get to the point he was at after only 10 dives.

 

[rlynch]

I would not draw any personal conclusions from this. My path was much longer (multiple full 5 day fundamental classes as I progressed from provisional on up to tech) and 2 primer classes. So I'm the counter point.
Each persons path is different.

 

[rjack321]

Just being still is a huge hurdle for some. At least for most of us, "stillness" is probably more diffcult than 2/3rds of the actual action skills.

+1 on taking the class in a single tank. Far far too many GUE people in particular seem obsessed with doubles. You only have one spine, take as little crap as possible in the water and it will last longer.

 

[rlynch]

I agree being still is the most challenge thing.
Fundies does not require doubles, if you don't need it, don't take them.

 

[ScoobaChef]

I would also recommend getting your gear sorted and take the time to get used to it as far in advance as possible. One of my classmates changed over to long hose and bungee on the first day of class and it added another level of stress and difficultly during skills testing.

there's a lot of information to be gained and anything you can do to smooth out the learning curve will help you get more out of the class.

 

[alewar]

I also want to take the fundies course, even though I have less than ten dives. The thing is that it would cost me like $1000 and if I pay that much money I want to be sure to pass with tech grade. That's why I'll be waiting until next year and continue practicing the skills in the meanwhile.

 

[TSandM]

alewar, I think you're thinking through this wrong. Take the class in a single tank as soon as you think you have a reasonable chance to pass it that way (rec pass). Then you will do your practice with GOOD skills and habits, and you can transition to doubles and practice with them and do a checkout dive when you are ready. There is enough GUE presence in Germany to be able to do that reasonably (not like some of the places where you have to fly in an instructor to do the class).

 

[lamont]

I also want to take the fundies course, even though I have less than ten dives. The thing is that it would cost me like $1000 and if I pay that much money I want to be sure to pass with tech grade. That's why I'll be waiting until next year and continue practicing the skills in the meanwhile.

Every single person going into fundies thinking that, inevitably comes out thinking that was a mistake
[*].

The other classical mistake is switching all your gear up, particularly putting on doubles for the first time, a few dives before fundies.


[*] Like every rule, there are exceptions, but inevitably there's a whole lot of support and talent that goes into producing tech passes right out of the gate -- and having been on the side of mentoring someone who did, it is *******ing exhausting work.

 

[Griffo]

I also want to take the fundies course, even though I have less than ten dives. The thing is that it would cost me like $1000 and if I pay that much money I want to be sure to pass with tech grade. That's why I'll be waiting until next year and continue practicing the skills in the meanwhile.

If you are serious about getting into Tech, $1000 is loose change, so the cost of the fundies course shouldn't be a decider. I'll agree with the others, do it in singles as soon as you have decent buoyancy control (you need to be able to hover) and spend the next year diving in proper trim, with proper kicks, and doing controlled ascents etc.