Wreck training/gear?

[grazie42]

Most of the instructors that I know who teach the course don't teach penetration because they don't have any overhead training themselves. Believe it or not you don't need any overhead training or experience to teach this course even though you have the option of teaching penetration.

Uh oh...didn´t know this...
Someone will propably say that this can be helped by interviewing the instructor but as I wont be able to do the course with someone I know before-hand (my local LDS who is semi-padi wont teach this course because the owner/instructor doesent feel we have enough sites to make it worthwile).

Guess that rules out PADI completely...

Thanks for the info MikeF!

 

[NEWreckDiver]

Uh oh...didn´t know this...
Someone will propably say that this can be helped by interviewing the instructor but as I wont be able to do the course with someone I know before-hand (my local LDS who is semi-padi wont teach this course because the owner/instructor doesent feel we have enough sites to make it worthwile).

Guess that rules out PADI completely...

Thanks for the info MikeF!

Sounds like you need to find another shop. Talk to other divers and get their recommendations. Find a qualified instructor and don't worry about the agency.

Good Luck to you

 

[MikeFerrara]

Uh oh...didn´t know this...
Someone will propably say that this can be helped by interviewing the instructor but as I wont be able to do the course with someone I know before-hand (my local LDS who is semi-padi wont teach this course because the owner/instructor doesent feel we have enough sites to make it worthwile).

Guess that rules out PADI completely...

Thanks for the info MikeF!

It can be a good class for a strictly recreational diver who's going to be diving around wrecks. I just don't recommend it as overhead training.

 

[O-ring]

It can be a good class for a strictly recreational diver who's going to be diving around wrecks. I just don't recommend it as overhead training.

I completely agree with Mike here...the wreck training area is relatively weak, in my experience anyway.. I went to FL and got cave training since I think that is the best overhead training that exists (again, just my opinion).

 

[crawford]

I completely agree with Mike here...the wreck training area is relatively weak, in my experience anyway.. I went to FL and got cave training since I think that is the best overhead training that exists (again, just my opinion).

I just finished my Intro to Cave in N. Fl monday, and towards the end of the class I asked my instructor (who is also a wreck diver) how the cave training crosses over to wreck penetrations, and what differences there are. There aren't many, as all the fundamentals (air management, anti-silting techniques, guideline use, redundancy, emergency situations, etc, etc.) carry over to wreck penetration. He did mention that some people start their thirds when they enter the wreck, and he suggested against that, and also some other details, but the fundamentals are largely covered in cave.

You'll also be trained to go cave diving, too!

 

[MikeFerrara]

I just finished my Intro to Cave in N. Fl monday, and towards the end of the class I asked my instructor (who is also a wreck diver) how the cave training crosses over to wreck penetrations, and what differences there are. There aren't many, as all the fundamentals (air management, anti-silting techniques, guideline use, redundancy, emergency situations, etc, etc.) carry over to wreck penetration. He did mention that some people start their thirds when they enter the wreck, and he suggested against that, and also some other details, but the fundamentals are largely covered in cave.

You'll also be trained to go cave diving, too!

Steve doesn't just dive wrecks he DIVES wrecks. He and Sue own a boat that they shuttle back and forth around the Great Lakes during the season.

I've been up to Whitefish with them and hope to get in on the Isle Royal trip this year if it goes happens.

He's been all over wrecks like the Kamloops and he dived the Gunuilda last year.

I'm in the wrong line of work. LOL

 

[O-ring]

Steve doesn't just dive wrecks he DIVES wrecks. He and Sue own a boat that they shuttle back and forth around the Great Lakes during the season.

I've been up to Whitefish with them and hope to get in on the Isle Royal trip this year if it goes happens.

He's been all over wrecks like the Kamloops and he dived the Gunuilda last year.

I'm in the wrong line of work. LOL

Shoot..I forgot about the Kamloops.. She was pretty high on my list at one point. Great, thanks Mike, now I have to reprioritize my list..

 

[crawford]

Steve doesn't just dive wrecks he DIVES wrecks. He and Sue own a boat that they shuttle back and forth around the Great Lakes during the season.

I've been up to Whitefish with them and hope to get in on the Isle Royal trip this year if it goes happens.

He's been all over wrecks like the Kamloops and he dived the Gunuilda last year.

I'm in the wrong line of work. LOL

I have to admit I've considered opening my own business at some point because of Steve. He told me to pick a weekend to do Intro, and if he wasn't in Mexico guiding he drive down there about any time. You gotta love that.

After finishing up my class and a day at Ginnie (He and Sue took the rebreathers and scooters down to the Hinkel and a little beyond I think...minus the scooters), then on tuesday they were off to Eagles Nest.

Some people.......

 

[grazie42]

I do want some kind of overhead training, even if we don´t have a lot of wrecks here there may be some fun things to look at deeper down (which will help me motivate the purchase of doubles and bp/wings to myself...). Reading your posts (and the PADI standards) that pretty much rules out PADI.

Like I said I´m looking for an all-in-one course that will teach me to dive "right" and give me info on deco and the "right" gear for the job. My main goal is to dive wrecks but definetly "ordinary" deco is of interest.

If cave instruction will give me this training then thats fine by me. I don´t much care what it says on the card...

I guess my question is will, let´s say, intro-to-cave adress deco-planning as well as procedures/skills that will serve me just as well on wrecks as in caves?
That seems to be the view of most posters but I´d like it explicitly stated as I don´t feel like commiting to a course (maybe in florida) that won´t give me what I´m looking for...BTW, what are the prereqs for cave training? Maybe I don´t have the experience required? Is cave always taught in drysuits?

Plenty of questions I´m afraid but I just don´t want to make the wrong decision on this as it does involve a lot of money. Speaking of witch, what does intro-to-cave cost?

Thanks for the replies so far!

 

[MikeFerrara]

Like I said I´m looking for an all-in-one course that will teach me to dive "right" and give me info on deco and the "right" gear for the job. My main goal is to dive wrecks but definetly "ordinary" deco is of interest.

If cave instruction will give me this training then thats fine by me. I don´t much care what it says on the card...

I wouldn't expect one class to do it all for you. While cave training does address decompression to a limited extent, the goal of the course is to prepare you for diving in a cave.
Most divers take several classes that teach deep diving, mixed gasses and decompression in addition to cave training.

I guess my question is will, let´s say, intro-to-cave adress deco-planning as well as procedures/skills that will serve me just as well on wrecks as in caves?

Many of the same techniques and skills taught in cave training also apply to wrecks but they are still two very different environments.

That seems to be the view of most posters but I´d like it explicitly stated as I don´t feel like commiting to a course (maybe in florida) that won´t give me what I´m looking for...BTW, what are the prereqs for cave training? Maybe I don´t have the experience required? Is cave always taught in drysuits?

Lots of divers do their cave training and cave diving in wet suits. For prereqs for cave training check the web sites of the cert agencies and/or talk to an instructor.