kwesler
Contributor
Look friends, can't we keep at least one thread a civil discussion of an interesting question?!
GUE Open Water Diver Course?
- Thread starter Rick Murchison
- Start date
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large_diver
Contributor
FIfthD is already teaching a DIR-like OW course in that they incorporate DIR into the training (although the cert is from NAUI or SSI).
GUE is pondering offering an OW certification class. Supposedly this is coming soon.
Regarding the gear -- if it is an OW course, they will be flexible with gear. Heck, you can take DIRF now with a jacket BC (there was a womna in my class with one), but they do want you to have a primary hose that is at least 5' long and the back-up "necklaced". They will look at your gear and make suggestions, but if your goals are "rec", than they are offered as suggestions. If you are moving into riskier tech or cave diving courses, then yes, they will be more stingent in their gear requirements.
Relationship between DIR and GUE. DIR pre-dates GUE. GUE was formed by tech/cave diving folks who were not satisfied with tech training standards at other agencies (and probably to make some money). They started with tech and cave training, moved into the rec world wth DIRF, and will eventually be offering an OW cert course.
Here is my repor on the DIRF course for some backround reading (course was $300):
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13471&highlight=DIRF+and+boston
The GUE site will give you background on courses, locations, dates, etc. as well as what is taught at each level and the gear and skill requirements. Click on classroom and then on the course you want:
http://www.gue.com/
Fifth Dimension is a bricks and mortar and online scuba shop in the Seattle location owned by Andrew Georgitsis, the training director for GUE. Andrew is probably the most active instructor for GUE, traveling around the world teaching everything from the DIR fundamentals course to the various tech courses.
http://www.fifthd.com/
Enjoy
GUE is pondering offering an OW certification class. Supposedly this is coming soon.
Regarding the gear -- if it is an OW course, they will be flexible with gear. Heck, you can take DIRF now with a jacket BC (there was a womna in my class with one), but they do want you to have a primary hose that is at least 5' long and the back-up "necklaced". They will look at your gear and make suggestions, but if your goals are "rec", than they are offered as suggestions. If you are moving into riskier tech or cave diving courses, then yes, they will be more stingent in their gear requirements.
Relationship between DIR and GUE. DIR pre-dates GUE. GUE was formed by tech/cave diving folks who were not satisfied with tech training standards at other agencies (and probably to make some money). They started with tech and cave training, moved into the rec world wth DIRF, and will eventually be offering an OW cert course.
Here is my repor on the DIRF course for some backround reading (course was $300):
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13471&highlight=DIRF+and+boston
The GUE site will give you background on courses, locations, dates, etc. as well as what is taught at each level and the gear and skill requirements. Click on classroom and then on the course you want:
http://www.gue.com/
Fifth Dimension is a bricks and mortar and online scuba shop in the Seattle location owned by Andrew Georgitsis, the training director for GUE. Andrew is probably the most active instructor for GUE, traveling around the world teaching everything from the DIR fundamentals course to the various tech courses.
http://www.fifthd.com/
Enjoy
ericfine50
Contributor
I took a DIR-F class in august and it was very hard, but good. They broke down all the basics again and really made you work to get that proper skills down.
highly recommended.
Eric
highly recommended.
Eric
kwesler
Contributor
I think it would be valuable to have a GUE OW course...
If I understand the tenets of DIR, rather than the gear specific recommendations, the course would address some ideas in a more specific and emphasized way than the PADI, NAUI etc courses. Please bear in mind that I am NOT an instructor, and trained under PADI so if the other agencies do address the following, then I stand corrected:
1) Buddy skills
2) vertical vs horizontal ascents/descents and the advantages/disadvantages of each
3) streamlining-advantages and what different gear configs offer in that regard
4) consistent gear configuration among dive teams-advantages and disadvantages
5) a brief examination of different gases and advantages/disadvantages of each.
6) More aggressive examination of the role of fitness in safe diving.
Probably more I am not thinking of
Ken
If I understand the tenets of DIR, rather than the gear specific recommendations, the course would address some ideas in a more specific and emphasized way than the PADI, NAUI etc courses. Please bear in mind that I am NOT an instructor, and trained under PADI so if the other agencies do address the following, then I stand corrected:
1) Buddy skills
2) vertical vs horizontal ascents/descents and the advantages/disadvantages of each
3) streamlining-advantages and what different gear configs offer in that regard
4) consistent gear configuration among dive teams-advantages and disadvantages
5) a brief examination of different gases and advantages/disadvantages of each.
6) More aggressive examination of the role of fitness in safe diving.
Probably more I am not thinking of
Ken
In theory, other than horizantal ascents and descents these skills are being tought. However...
Buddy/team diving skills are usually only given lip service.
the way streamlining, buoyancy control and finning techniques are usually tought is an absolute joke.
I could go on for many pages and have in the past.
Buddy/team diving skills are usually only given lip service.
the way streamlining, buoyancy control and finning techniques are usually tought is an absolute joke.
I could go on for many pages and have in the past.
kwesler
Contributor
I know...we are back to the same issue aren't we? Agencies and their standards vs instructors and their standards. Sometimes they line up, sometimes they don't.
Ken
Spectre
Contributor
This is one of my biggest issues with some of the mainstream agency courses. How many training dives in OW, AOW, etc, truely have buddy teams, and how many are more follow the leader? Sure, OW drills are done as buddies, but after you've followed the leader to a point where you all keel down, you buddy up, do the drills with the person next to you, then break buddy formations and go back to follow the leader.
This is one of the many reason I'm strongly against unecessary required dives. I can do it safer on my own with a true buddy than in a class where the instructor has 1/2 dozen buddies to look after.
Anyone out there associated with GUE that can answer this part of the original question? Does GUE intend to join the RSTC or charge off on their own?
E. moria
E. moria
There is no one on this board that can answer that question... but if you really want an answer it would probably be better to ask it at www.gue.com ...you might want to leave off the last part as it makes your inquiry sound less than sincere.
OP
As far as I know all entry level courses call for buddy diving. If it isn't being taught and practiced during training that's an error - it's certainly not the way I read the standard. Our shop requires *lots* of buddy diving practice in addition to the standard drills; we teach being a buddy team - and we have our students dive as buddy teams doing buddy stuff for the lion's share of the time spent on their six OW qual dives.
Doesn't everyone?
I know, silly question.
Rick
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