TDI adv.nitrox+deco.pros

[Teemu]

Hi all.

I was playing with the idea of doing TDI adv.nitrox and deco.prosedures during liveaboard. And after checking
what TDI says from those courses I'm still wondering if I should do them. Are they "rough" courses? I mean do
I have time left for normal diving between course dives. And what kind of water drills are there to be done? And
also how much reading is to be done? But mainly i'm conserned about water skills. I have 50+ dives in my belt
and most of them done in cold water with drysuit and in dark waters (read less visibility). And by the time I'm
going to that liveaboard I'll have done close to 90 dives. And how about equipment. I have dir hosing for
doubles and I could rent alu doubles to liveaboard but do I need oxygen clean regulator+first stage? And also how many dives that course includes, 6?

Thanks.

-Teemu

[Jonathan]

if they are providing those course they should be providing or have available to rent most of the equipment needed.

How are they going to handle the confined water sessions?

Doesn't sound much fun for a holiday as there is a lot of theory to cover as well as the diving aspects.

Jonathan

[Teemu]

I was going to buy oxy clean reg+1stStage so why not buy it for that trip if I go to that course. And cant that confined water be done in shallow water. And how much of theory those courses would include? 6 class hours + some reading?

[ianr33]

I am doing these courses in September. There is no confined water training.Course is 5 days,.8am to 5pm ,6 dives in total. I am not looking on this as a vacation.......................

[cyklon_300]

the courses...I'm learning a great deal, but I can't say that it is what I'd describe as 'fun.'

There's some real effort required to get the skills down pat. Burning vacation time to do this seems like less than a great idea to me.

[Jonathan]

There is no confined water training

There was when I did it 3 years ago - I can't see them dropping it or was it an extra my instructor threw in?

There certainly is on IANTD and DSAT - apart from anything else you get to configure your twinset up in the pool and try it for fit. Sending up a bag from 1 m is kind of interesting too....

Jonathan

[ianr33]

[QUOTE]Jonathan once bubbled...

Are you sure
[B]


Well yes,kind of..........

The TDI Instructor manual I downloaded states

4.4 Student Instructor Ratio
Confined water (Swimming Pool like Conditions) N/A

4.6 Course Structure.........requires 4 open water dives ,makes no mention of confined water

So I am kind of inferring there is no confined water requirement . Should find out in september :)

[O-ring]

A couple pool dives and then a couple quarry dives before heading out into the ocean..

[rdriver]

I have to Agree With Cyclon_300 I'm in the middle of my classes right now and I wouldn't claim it to be too much fun either.
Rob

[VaJames]

I took both courses in June and I didn't have any confined water work in them.

[Ontario Diver]

Boils down to the instructor...

I did the courses last summer and had lots and lots of pool time.

[Teemu]

So it's not piece of cake? But how about those water drills? What kind of drills you have to complish?

[cyklon_300]

include stowing/retrieving the stage bottle, deploying the stage reg/backup light/wetnotes/cutting device, S-drills, valve shutdown procedure, shooting liftbag, hover, heli turn, light signals, maintain proper buddy contact, etc.

Doesn't sound all that challenging, but transitioning from a single cylinder to doubles/stage/canister light, it can be a handful. I'd prepare to have your self-esteem drop-kicked at least a few times...

[O-ring]

cyklon_300 once bubbled...
include stowing/retrieving the stage bottle, deploying the stage reg/backup light/wetnotes/cutting device, S-drills, valve shutdown procedure, shooting liftbag, hover, heli turn, light signals, maintain proper buddy contact, etc.

Doesn't sound all that challenging, but transitioning from a single cylinder to doubles/stage/canister light, it can be a handful. I'd prepare to have your self-esteem drop-kicked at least a few times...
But without the heli turns and add using a wreck reel..

[bridgenet]

Took both courses myself a few months back. First couple of days were tough but after that it really was fun and some of my most favorite dives. First dive was in doubles, first time, and was hit with all the drills. Talk about overload. Doubles take a bit of getting use to when you have never used them before. By the end of the course loved them. Much depends on your instructor as well. Mine started the course with doubles, ended with (2) 80's and (3) 40's, 150' for 1 hour and 1 1/2 hours deco. Welcome to tech diving...

Also found out when I went back to a single tank and recreational diving my breathing rate has improved drastically. If you do the courses, do home study to prepare and you'll enjoy it. Find out what software your instructor will use for deco and learn it ahead of time.

Kev

[sasdasdaf]

Does anyone else find it a little strange that you are allowed to take a 'technical' diving class without prior experience in doubles? It scares me a little that after a little instruction and a few dives in doubles/stages that you're doing deep and deco dives. And that is before factoring in narcosis.

I would expect that these skills should be done with proper trim and buoyancy - highly unlikely after just a few dives in doubles.

Did anyone else notice this?

[Jonathan]

No!

People starting these course should have got it already licked as recreational divers. I for one found no problems converting from singles to doubles and the courses teach you to do the drills in a controlled manner.

You don't given a set and told to go down to 40m and do gas shutdown drills - at least I wasn't.

I don't think my IANTD instructor has passed anyone on the minimum amount of dives either.

Jonathan