What age is too old for Tech Diving.

[73diver]

The best wreck dives around here involves at least a little deco (i.e. tech diving). A local term of "techreational" is sometimes used. So, at the age of 67 I started tech diving classes. I can carry LP85 doubles and a 40 deco tank into and out of the water OK. I have not tried them getting on and off a boat yet. I'm having trouble with the valve drill. I've thought about moving to side mount. However, a more fundamental question might be: When is one 'too old' to be doing tech diving? Wreck divers that I talk with locally tell me to "press on" and keep practicing and learning. Then again, I am the oldest guy in whatever group I find myself in. What is the experience of the Grumpy forum?
Regards,
Ken

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I have a friend in his early 80s who still dives wrecks every month. You might want to consider a rebreather. Lots less weight.

 

[JMBL]

Got a buddy in his late 70s, been diving almost 50 years, dives trimix regurlarly, one of the most amazing guy I've ever seen underwater. Really wish to be like him when I'm as old as he.

 

[Wookie]

I have 2 clients who I adore. Both on rebreathers. One 73, one 76. Full trimix, one goes to a wreck in 300 feet just to shoot lionfish with a Hawaiian sling. The other carries a hammer and chisel and knocks portholes out of wrecks. He gives the portholes away to the young pups who are too tired to swing the hammer themselves.

 

[KD8NPB]

Just remember that blood circulation does not get better with age.

You will likely retain more nitrogen than a younger person.

I would pad my last stop by 3-5 minutes to be on the safe side.

 

[TSandM]

My cave instructor guides a lady in her late 70's who comes down to dive every year. My husband is 66 and an active cave diver. I intend to continue until I'm too demented to remember which direction the cave lies in.

 

[Wookie]

My cave instructor guides a lady in her late 70's who comes down to dive every year. My husband is 66 and an active cave diver. I intend to continue until I'm too demented to remember which direction the cave lies in.

You know, if you can figure out which way the cave arrow means, you're all set. And if you can't, you probably won't know when the end comes.... That's way better than having the end come on the 6th floor of generic general hospital.

 

[Scott]

I was in my very late 40's when I took up tech. One of my fellow students enrolled in the course as a retirement gift to himself at age 65.
There are ways around gear handling depending on the environment. My fellow student on a coupe of dives donned his rig on the surface and we helped lift it out at the end of the dive. Ideal in every application, no.

I would be more concerned with nitrogen retention than gear weight. Just keep the dives conservative as Richard M mentioned above.

 

[Tony387]

An encouraging thread. I've pondered this question myself, as someone who got a late start in diving.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[Ricky B]

Just remember that blood circulation does not get better with age.

All things being equal, it is true, but all things are not always equal. If you take someone who was pudgy and unfit in his 30's through his 50's, he might be in better shape, and his circulation might be better, in his 60's than he was in his 30's if he undertakes a proper exercise regimen--at least, according to what I've read. Will a fit 20-year-old be fitter than a 65-year-old? Yep. But a 65-year-old can be sufficiently fit for diving, for 100-mile bike rides, for marathons, and so on. Where I live (SF Bay Area), we see lots of uber-fit people in the 60's and 70's.

None of this is to suggest that a diver not be conservative for whatever condition he is in.