Mod 3 readiness

[ccrprospect]

Hi,

I am curious to know the more experienced members thoughts on what they think should be nailed to a tee before starting a CCR hypoxic/mod 3 course. I completed my mod 2 last year, and already have more than the requisite number of hours/deco dives to be able to enroll in the mod 3 course. Being cognizant of the significant depths and associated risks involved, I am in no particular rush but also often feel like I am “good enough” for that next level. At this stage however, what “good” is “good enough”?

Many thanks.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

• Buoyancy control including holding stops
• Bailouts/gas switches
• Situational Awareness
• Complete understanding of deep diving physiology
• Shooting a bag

To name a few. I am sure others will chime in. Also ask your instructor what s/he thinks.

 

[Alex Ouroboros]

Based purely on your attitude of your post I’m fairly certain that your ready, (the old hands will know what I mean)
The honest question to put to yourself is this,
Can you handle a 100m dive in which you could hypothetically ;
Have a solenoid failure resulting in running the machine manually, be able to dil flush and check your cell readings, bailout on to open circuit and do a full blue water (or black in the uk) ascent, (juggling 3-4 bailouts) with no visual reference point, holding all stops within 1m and safely exit the water alone..
I’m aware there is room for myself to be criticised in what I’ve written but the honest truth is that this is the level that your training to and if we’re honest most of it you have covered and conversant with from mod2, you will of course have classroom work covering the hypoxia side of things and importance of gas matching, but in water skills are basically diagnosing problems and ability to correctly deal with them, I would say that if you want to practise a skill in preparation then handling 3 bailouts will help and give you some entertainment / fun, don’t forget the breathable one always has to be accessible on top, I’m a stacker myself so creates much fun,
I’m sure popping a bag, loosing it, swimming without a mask and all the other things from mod2 are second nature

Practise, enjoy, best of luck

 

[kierentec]

I tell my students if they can hold a 20ft/6m stop indefinitely and comfortably, they are probably ready. Everything else can be managed if you’ve got a super stable platform to work from.

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

Based purely on your attitude of your post I’m fairly certain that your ready, (the old hands will know what I mean)
The honest question to put to yourself is this,
Can you handle a 100m dive in which you could hypothetically ;
Have a solenoid failure resulting in running the machine manually, be able to dil flush and check your cell readings, bailout on to open circuit and do a full blue water (or black in the uk) ascent, (juggling 3-4 bailouts) with no visual reference point, holding all stops within 1m and safely exit the water alone..
I’m aware there is room for myself to be criticised in what I’ve written but the honest truth is that this is the level that your training to and if we’re honest most of it you have covered and conversant with from mod2, you will of course have classroom work covering the hypoxia side of things and importance of gas matching, but in water skills are basically diagnosing problems and ability to correctly deal with them, I would say that if you want to practise a skill in preparation then handling 3 bailouts will help and give you some entertainment / fun, don’t forget the breathable one always has to be accessible on top, I’m a stacker myself so creates much fun,
I’m sure popping a bag, loosing it, swimming without a mask and all the other things from mod2 are second nature

Practise, enjoy, best of luck

Outside of pure mechanics of being "better" at mod1/2 skills diving such as stops and handling stages, what's the biggest additional risk or complexity of mod3 that you need to prepare for? And might ultimately make you decide that it's not for you?

I have no clue (yet) as I'm just about to do mod2, but my thoughts for ocean diving were:

• Hypoxic gases - deep bailout unbreathable on the surface
• Team diving - it might be impossible to carry enough bailout to get to a drop bottle alone with a decent safety margin
• "Expedition" setup - safety divers, different risk management than "standard" mod2 dives in terms of weather, boats, team planning, ...
• Diving with failures that you mentioned above - staying on the loop at depth

Is that completely off the mark?

 

[Alex Ouroboros]

Outside of pure mechanics of being "better" at mod1/2 skills diving such as stops and handling stages, what's the biggest additional risk or complexity of mod3 that you need to prepare for? And might ultimately make you decide that it's not for you?

I have no clue (yet) as I'm just about to do mod2, but my thoughts for ocean diving were:

• Hypoxic gases - deep bailout unbreathable on the surface
• Team diving - it might be impossible to carry enough bailout to get to a drop bottle alone with a decent safety margin
• "Expedition" setup - safety divers, different risk management than "standard" mod2 dives in terms of weather, boats, team planning, ...
• Diving with failures that you mentioned above - staying on the loop at depth

Is that completely off the mark?

Yeah pretty much exactly what you’ve mentioned there, the hypoxic gas mixes and understanding / complications that come with it, this includes to bov or not to bov (bov dsv debate) being good at gas matching, fully understanding the oxygen (cns) clock, team bailout and self reliant bailout,, there’s a couple of realities you must come to terms with here realistically and that is when your deep you really can be on your own,, unless your with a genuine dive partner (someone you know, trust and have a lot of dive time in with) the chances of people rushing to your aid when you have major complications at depth in reality is low, it’s sobering but true, to this end if I’m not entering the water with an old friend I’m either literally on my own or effectively on my own, this is more realistic for those deep hypoxic dives,
You need to be second nature with juggling the bailouts, that’s the big one here, because as I’m sure your more than aware you now have minimum and maximum gas depths,
But the key skills are all the same, as you work through the tec courses one does build on another and some people take years to go through them if the feel they want training to get ever deeper, I personally did a course every year or two, and I won’t lie by the time I was doing the next course I was sort of at that depth anyway, as long as you understand what you need to be capable of both in and out of the water and are with old hands I think it’s natural progression, it looks like a wall of learning with endless skills, physics, etc etc, but if your interested and want to take small realistic steps it’s fine.

 

[Alex Ouroboros]

Outside of pure mechanics of being "better" at mod1/2 skills diving such as stops and handling stages, what's the biggest additional risk or complexity of mod3 that you need to prepare for? And might ultimately make you decide that it's not for you?

I have no clue (yet) as I'm just about to do mod2, but my thoughts for ocean diving were:

• Hypoxic gases - deep bailout unbreathable on the surface
• Team diving - it might be impossible to carry enough bailout to get to a drop bottle alone with a decent safety margin
• "Expedition" setup - safety divers, different risk management than "standard" mod2 dives in terms of weather, boats, team planning, ...
• Diving with failures that you mentioned above - staying on the loop at depth

Is that completely off the mark?

“Staying on loop at depth” yeah I loved getting to that stage, when you have to learn to not just bail because something is not right, just like the instructor rammed in to your mind, so unlearn and learn a different approach, personally it was perfectly timed for me as I had naturally “arrived” at the conclusion that just because a type of drama was unfolding that normally you would bail out for didn’t really mean you should or even would be the best action to take,,, speaking of which there’s using the rebreather as a “gas extender” I missed from the list, it’s possibly not taught now, but you used to have to drive the ccr with off board exhaled bailout gas, monitor the backup ppo2 display and use the ccr as sort of semi closed,,,(imagine the main electrics are fried and onboard gas gone) clever and makes a real difference to how quickly you chomp through the bail gas, it’s a skill I’m not sure they teach now when you look at how everything is all shearwatered up with plug ins for external gas etc.

 

[AJ]

I missed from the list, it’s possibly not taught now, but you used to have to drive the ccr with off board exhaled bailout gas, monitor the backup ppo2 display and use the ccr as sort of semi closed,,,(imagine the main electrics are fried and onboard gas gone) clever and makes a real difference to how quickly you chomp through the bail gas, it’s a skill I’m not sure they teach now when you look at how everything is all shearwatered up with plug ins for external gas etc.

I'am thought those skills in my MOD 2 class 2 years ago. It could be dependant on the instructor though. My instructor has been tech diving for more than 30 years with several types of rebreathers and did multi 100 meter plus dives.

Anyhow, I'am glad I have learned those skills. I experienced there are very few reasons to bail out, and if they may occur, there's no doubt you should bail out. I still train these skills regurlarly.

 

[Alex Ouroboros]

I'am thought those skills in my MOD 2 class 2 years ago. It could be dependant on the instructor though. My instructor has been tech diving for more than 30 years with several types of rebreathers and did multi 100 meter plus dives.

Anyhow, I'am glad I have learned those skills. I experienced there are very few reasons to bail out, and if they may occur, there's no doubt you should bail out. I still train these skills regurlarly.

Brilliant, yeah the better instructors do the dives they teach and the added skills and way of dealing with problems you are taught are based on experience rather than memorising things from the syllabus,
You undoubtedly have the correct attitude and outlook to be getting in to the deep stuff, you’ll be right I’m sure.

 

[bubblemonkey2]

Not all that much more difficult objectively for someone who mastered Mod2 skills, but it will be expected that you have the highest level of preparedness. Problem solving abilities in excess of simple skill circuits. Very good team dynamic and communication. The dives should not feel difficult, despite combined tasks. Well rehearsed dives and problem solving with no weaknesses in planning, execution, awareness or communication.

Your instructor shouldn't take you deep until you show readiness, and by then deep dives will seem easy. It is very easy to just descend to 100m, do a skill and ascend to deco. But problems occuring at depth have less margin for correct and calm management.

Instructor should come away feeling that you have more calm and controlled expertise than is required.