Fundies: Like the idea, but not the equipment requirements?

[TSandM]

Well, ND, you CAN do all the non-silting kicks in splits. I've done it. They feel funny, and it's not as crisp and precise, but you can definitely do them. I think it would be much harder to learn them in splits, though, because you don't get the proprioceptive feedback. I say this because I did the first day of Fundies in a pair of Razors, which are cheap plastic fins, and pretty floppy. I just couldn't get the frog kick at all. I watched the video and I was really disappointed. I bought a pair of Jets that night, and the next day, I went down and everything clicked -- the kicks came together.

My guess is that you could probably borrow a pair of paddle fins for the class, so you wouldn't have to invest in them, and then take the "feel" you got from that home to translate to your splits.

I have an agenda . . . I think anybody who dives in a high silt area should be able to pass through a dive site and leave the viz unchanged. I think people will enjoy the sites much more, if they can mill around and look at something interesting, without watching the viz go to zero as they do it. I also think people will have much more FUN with their diving, if they feel as though they are in better control of where they are in the water, whether that's depth, trim, or position. And I think dives will be safer if buddies have better tools to stay together.

That's why I thought I'd write something about this class, because it DOES remove one of the big hurdles people told me they saw between them and a Fundamentals class. It may not work for you, ND, but it may work for somebody.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Yes.

You could start by having your mind open enough to consider that someone else's mind may be open, but have different motivations than yourself - and that for them, "kick efficiency" is not the be all, end all motivator.

For example:

a). My split fins are already bought and paid for. Not everyone has the luxury of buying endless amounts of new gear just because they may want to.

b). Medical issues involving my knees (which are not OEM) make split fins much preferable to non-split fins (and yes, I have tried both).

Ah, I see.

I hate e-bay But I understand your point.

I could probably stuff my foot into my wife's paddle fins (although, I dunno how stiff they are). But at the end of the day, I'm still going to be using my split fins (see previous post as to why). I'm not seeing the point behind paying for a class if I am going to only make use of a fraction of the material - esp. given other priorities. But still - it's nice to see someone offering a techniques class without AS MUCH OF the gear requirements as GUE has - and I appreciate your OP

Thanks!
nd

I wouldn't let a preference for split fins be a deal-breaker. Borrow some blade fins for the class. At worst you'll come out with an understanding why they require them (for the curriculum), and will perhaps learn a couple techniques that you can adapt to your own equipment and preferences. I doubt you'll ever be able to back up in splits (I never could), but I was able to develop a reasonable frog kick and helicopter kick with them. Once I got used to the blade fins, I realized how much "fine control" I was giving up with splits ... but as you say, there are trade-offs that are more important to some than to others. If the splits are kinder on your knees, than by all means keep on using 'em ... but the class may well help you learn to get better use from them than you otherwise would ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Gombessa]

Why bother taking fundies-lite if it still has some gear requirements? You can still work on gear trim, buoyancy and finning on your own?

The gear requirements for Essentials is minimal. You can probably borrow some paddle fins from a friend, and a 5ft hose is maybe $20-30. It depends of course, but this also makes it VERY viable for the instructor to loan/rent out the minimum gear needed for the class. That's a lot harder with Fundies.

You can definitely practice on your own, but having demonstrations, instruction and feedback from a real instructor was invaluable to me - one hour spent with them was worth more than a month trying to monkey around by myself.

Also, as someone who has taken both Essentials and Fundamentals, I strongly believe there's a place for both. There are certainly people who have dived enough and are competent enough in the water to jump straight to Fundies. But a lot of newer divers or those who have never had to think about buoyancy/trim/finning techniques who would get a lot more out of the more informal and meausured pace of Essentials.

 

[Jasonmh]

. . . I think anybody who dives in a high silt area should be able to pass through a dive site and leave the viz unchanged. I think people will enjoy the sites much more, if they can mill around and look at something interesting, without watching the viz go to zero as they do it. I also think people will have much more FUN with their diving, if they feel as though they are in better control of where they are in the water, whether that's depth, trim, or position. And I think dives will be safer if buddies have better tools to stay together...

Brilliant.

 

[Nemrod]

They got penicillin for this stuff.

N

 

[mikemill]

That is still quite a bit of gear requirements. For me I'd have to replace my Air2, get a second stage and hose, replace the hose on my primary (ok that I can see given my current setup anyways), and maybe get new fins (depends if forcefins count as non-split ).

At this point I don't see a lot of benefit of it vs says peak performance buoyancy. Not all of us like kool-aid.

I can see the primary hose and even the fin if the kicks can't be done easily with splits. IMO air sharing drills should be done using the gear you are actually going to dive with.

 

[Lj82]

Well, now you don't have to. Although a class called "Essentials" has been available in the Bay Area for several years, there were only a couple of instructors, so it was a very local thing. This class is now available up and down the West Coast, and in a number of other US sites, and in Singapore (as well as other places by arrangement with the instructor). Essentials is sort of the first half of Fundies -- It focuses on buoyancy and trim, introduces the non-silting kicks, and goes through air-sharing procedures. The only specific equpment requirements are that you must use a long-hose/bungied backup regulator configuration (which might require buying a 5' hose) and non-split fins.

This class is designed to be taken in a single tank, and is another option (in addition to Fundies, cavern, or the variety of Intro to Tech classes) for people to get the buoyancy, trim and propulsion instruction that people rave about from Fundies classes. Essentials is taught by Unified Team Diving.

Disclaimer: I am not associated with Unified Team Diving -- I don't teach for them or work for them. My husband DID take Essentials, and really liked the class.

I never knew that UTD conducts classes in Singapore.
Any idea which operator they hooked up with?

 

[Lj82]

Ok I just saw on UTD website the instructor is Chew Poh Chang.
I do know that he is a NAUI technical diving instructor, didn't know that he provides essentials classes as well.

 

[spectrum]

I think the point of this is that it lowers the bar. Those with an interest they can enter a realm of training that is not commonly available in many areas.

If a diver is not open to considering that certain gear may serve them better in the long run then for heavens sake save your time and money and go dive what you have. If you are diving under control, not making a mess of things and are not a compulsive student it's just not for you.

Personally I'd be tempted by a local opportunity.

Pete



.

 

[Gombessa]

I never knew that UTD conducts classes in Singapore.
Any idea which operator they hooked up with?

Chew Poh Chang's Page - Unified Team Diving

Chew Poh Chang of Rainbow Reef Divers