Question Outdated training manuals

[Troglodyti 4.0]

How do you fill the void when novice technical divers are complaining of skills being left out or not thoroughly explained because of the lack of information in manuals or from the instructor being a dud? Do you talk to the instructor about it? Find another instructor and start at the beginning. Change agencies. Ask a buddy. Look on the internet: Youtube, Facebook, forums like Scubaboard.

 

[Alekseolsen]

As a novice technical diver myself, I'd say it depends what you think off. Did you content advocate for OTU counting, shallow stops (low GF low) and air deeper than 30/35/40 (pick you limit!), I'd argue you'll be fine for starting tech-lite diving. If you keep up diving and have a wish to progress there will be more classes, a variety of buddies to discuss with, and for us on here, a bunch of Scubaboard reading.

If you in the other hand can't hold a stop - one shouldn't start on the class to begin with

 

[happy-diver]

Use brain get ticket go diving who cares

 

[grantmac]

I recently did the online component of TDI AN/DP. I must admit aspect of the course were lacking (namely actual gas planning). Also there seemed to be an emphasis on bubble models which seems dated at this point.

That said the actual in person instruction hasn't happened yet because I'm traveling for several months.

 

[Marie13]

How do you fill the void when novice technical divers are complaining of skills being left out or not thoroughly explained because of the lack of information in manuals or from the instructor being a dud? Do you talk to the instructor about it? Find another instructor and start at the beginning. Change agencies. Ask a buddy. Look on the internet: Youtube, Facebook, forums like Scubaboard.

Deco for Divers by Mark Powell (make sure you get the 2nd edition) and Technical Diving by the same author are very good books to fill in the gaps. Not cheap, but well worth it.

 

[BlueTrin]

@Troglodyti 4.0 please can you give examples of things you need to work on?

 

[boulderjohn]

I recently did the online component of TDI AN/DP. I must admit aspect of the course were lacking (namely actual gas planning). Also there seemed to be an emphasis on bubble models which seems dated at this point.

That said the actual in person instruction hasn't happened yet because I'm traveling for several months.

Deco for Divers by Mark Powell (make sure you get the 2nd edition) and Technical Diving by the same author are very good books to fill in the gaps. Not cheap, but well worth it.

Interesting juxtaposition of comments. As someone who used to teach TDI AN/DP and owns Deco for Divers, I assure you that the outdated focus on bubble models in AN/DP comes directly from Deco for Divers--including the graphics. Mark Powell is a major player in TDI.

Here's the problem. Creating learning materials for a course is a major financial investment for an agency. Once they have spent all that money and made all the books (etc.) they are not in a hurry to change things when new information comes along that makes the old stuff obsolete. The PADI trimix course says that deep stop instruction and practice is required, but a few years ago they sent out a notice to instructors telling them to ignore that requirement, since deep stops were no longer considered to be a good thing to do on decompression dives. They are planning to rewrite the whole course, but it is not a priority because trimix diving does not have the huge numbers that recreational diving has, and they still have books on hand.

 

[grantmac]

TDI AN/DP was fairly vague about requirements, they recommended a certain program for dive planning but no particular model was actually required.
My instructor and I both use Shearwater computers with GFs in accordance with modern thinking. If I was required to get a VBM computer to meet course requirements I'd be considering a different path.

 

[Tracy]

TDI AN/DP was fairly vague about requirements, they recommended a certain program for dive planning but no particular model was actually required.
My instructor and I both use Shearwater computers with GFs in accordance with modern thinking. If I was required to get a VBM computer to meet course requirements I'd be considering a different path.

The planning aspect is taught during the actual classroom portion. Different instructors cover it in different ways. If the student wants to use VPM, that is fine. It isn't my normal choice, but I don't really care if they have a reason for doing it. Student pick their own GFs and explain the reasoning for them. Some students use vplanner, some use multideco, some use ideco, some use random web based planning software. Again, it doesn't really matter what they choose, as long as they can use it competently.

 

[EFX]

When the group does a deco dive do you decide on a plan using the same algorithm or do you let each student follow their own plan using their own algorithm and settings?