Headed For Tech...

[100days-a-year]

Spend the $25,get the breakdown on dive injuries from DAN.A fried did that for his bio. thesis.Somevery interesting trends.Can't compare apples to oranges tho,I agree with Warhammer.And exactly what does politics have to do with Diving?

 

[TexasMike]

"And exactly what does politics have to do with Diving?"

Lots of both happen in Florida?

"I'm sorry, your c-card has a hanging or pregnant chad and doesn't count"

 

[100days-a-year]

Sorry Mike,this transplanted Texan finished the 4th grade and no problems with punching a stylus through a hole completely ,once.Seriously tho guys,the easiest way to piss off 1/2 the people you're talking to is talk politics.esp on a forum for a sport that obviously crosses so many cultures.

 

[old_mike]

now, cut the politics and stop ribbin us poor, thin-skinned DIR folk ;-)

seriously though, the DIR kit seems to work for me even when hunting Calico Bass in thick kelp forests off of San Clemente Is. If one is interested in getting into mixed gas and OE, one could check http://www.gue.com for some additional info. A couple caveats however, is that DIR is more than just a backplate and wings, and some proponents of DIR are more vocal, and how shall we say, indelicate, than others. It can be a chore to wade through the flame wars, but much interesting info can be found.

As for freediving, well freediving rules! Its like soloing 6000 meter peaks or trad rock climbing. Its just one of those things that puts a fellow in contact with the big outdoors in a silent, sensory-overloaded way that using SCUBA, car camping or having the radio on all the time doesn't allow.

 

[uwsince79]

First off O.W. to Tech in one year is wrong. But this is MY OPINION. If you are going on this path or just looking to buy good equipment you can grow into, follow this advice.
1.) Go to EBAY. I cannot tell you how much tech equipment I buy off ebay. So many divers try tech diving and do not like it. You can buy great equipment there.Others up grade and sell there used stuff in great condition.
2.) Join a tech e-mail list in your area (if you don't know any, email me and I will send you some) You can get very good equipment on these lists and meet divers in the area and if you are looking to learn they are willing to teach. They will tell you the same as I and if you dive with them they will limit your diving to a safe level until you show them you are ready to move on.
3.)As for Regs these buy new. Scuba-pro, Posiden, Sherwood,what ever the brand do a lot of research. Look at the divers WHO ARE DIVING in the area you wish to dive (ie:tech, cave, wreck). Ask many questions.
Do you want side exhaust vs. bottom. adjustible vs. non- adjustible,etc.
4.)Dive, dive, dive, a hundred dives is not enough to start hitting agressive technical dives. (A technical dive is not just depth.)
5.)Know your tables cold. Use bottom timers. Computer do not work at 300ft on a mix.
6.)and be ready to spend a lot of money.

If you like I can share a story on a simple tri-mix to 200 fsw where a similar person spent who spent 6 months in traning from ow to tri-mix and almost drowned in a very simple emergency.(And I lost a 7,500 dollar camera and housing too saving her ass!!!!)

 

[buff]

Uwsince79 is right. I work in medicine and when you review errors, by far the majority of them are not mechanical failures, or lack of oversight on small details but just forgeting the basics-I and my collegues usually walk away saying "But, I can't believe they forgot to do- (insert blank here). People loose sight of the big picture and focus on small - relatively unimportant things-which regulator to buy,etc.- and not logical, problem solving skills and knowledge of fundemental emergency procedures.
Know more about the diving principles and less about the diving products.


Uwsince77!!!!

 

[old_mike]

i think that 100 dives really isn't enough, especially 100 dives in benign warm-water conditions. Try 100 dives off of New England or the Scapa Flow or the Pacific Northwest or Southern Calif in the spring plankton. Then, i feel that one could be ready for Tech. Looking back, in retrospect, i was not ready for tech after my first 100 dives (and i didn't think that at the time) and even now, i tend to be veeery conservative when planning the dive and diving the plan (and backup plan, and backup-backup plan).

 

[Lost Yooper]

I agree with Mike to the extent that cold water divers learn task loading at a much higher rate than warm water divers and therefore may be able to venture into more advanced dives earlier.
I was entering wrecks (albiet simple stuff, but which some would call "tech) on my 10th dive and haven't stopped since, so I can't arbitrarily put a number of dives on when to start "tech" diving for someone else. I was playing with deco on about my 60th dive as well, but I was always extremely comfortable in the water which makes all the difference in the world. It's all about absolute comfort, knowledge (not necessarily fromal training), and proper gear IMO. When ever these three things co-exist you're ready.

Good luck.

 

[buff]

That last statement Looper made is what I tell everyone who asks me "Do you think I would do well at scuba diving" and my reply is "you have to be comfortable in the water"-I think that sums up the whole thing. I feel like I was meant to be in the water and I'm sure other divers would say the same thing.