Best Tech Instructors

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mathauck0814

mathauck0814

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Scuba Instructor
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Vermont, California, Australia and the Upper Keys
There's a fair few technical instructors out there and there are more than a fair few technical divers on this forum. I've personally trained with Chris Brown (Silent World) for some of my deep ocean diving and Avery Chipka (Indian Valley Scuba) for cave training (Both, incidentally, I would work with again without hesitation).

Who have you all used? For what? What were your observations?

Is there an elite group of folks that could be distilled into the "must train with" crowd?
 
I suspect you're just going to get recommendations for whoever people trained with, but the two GUE Tech 2 instructors in the U.S. come to mind. One is Jarrod Jablonski, the other is Bob Sherwood. I've never met Jarrod but trained with Bob and can truly say he's worth seeking out. Judging by the number of people who fly him out for classes, it would appear I'm not alone.
 
The best of the best tech instructors are those who routinely evaluate prospects for tech and turn them away, with a recomendation for specific improvements that need to be met prior to training them.

The stuff I am starting to see on tech trips is as wonky as the stuff seen on ndl trips. It is not comforting to anyone, least of all to the divers who think they are "good to go".
Eric
 
waterpirate:
The best of the best tech instructors are those who routinely evaluate prospects for tech and turn them away, with a recomendation for specific improvements that need to be met prior to training them.

The stuff I am starting to see on tech trips is as wonky as the stuff seen on ndl trips. It is not comforting to anyone, least of all to the divers who think they are "good to go".
Eric
Click to expand...

OK - but rather than a rant, how about posting the names of those instructors you feel are actually doing this (as was my intention when I posted the thread)
 
If you felt that was a rant, you clearly are not familiar with my work. lol

Mentioned allready:
JJ
Bob sherwood

I would add:
any GUE/UTD people,

This is really a geographic specific secret
mid atlantic:
SB players= Jim Lapenta
Steve Lewis
Michael Fisch

Abridged legend list= John chatterton
Ritchie Koehler
Dan Crowell
Ted Green
Gary Gentile
J.T. Barker

I am sure I left out alot of folks from the mid atlantic. Every region has a long list, unless you live in the desert with JAX. One interesting observation is that few of these people own or work out of any shop.
Eric

Are you shopping? or just making a list?
 
Ron Akeson, Adventures Down Under, herd nothing but great from this guy and he does more tech charters than any other here in Washington waters an BC waters.
 
waterpirate:
If you felt that was a rant, you clearly are not familiar with my work. lol

Mentioned allready:
JJ
Bob sherwood

I would add:
any GUE/UTD people,

This is really a geographic specific secret
mid atlantic:
SB players= Jim Lapenta
Steve Lewis
Michael Fisch

Abridged legend list= John chatterton
Ritchie Koehler
Dan Crowell
Ted Green
Gary Gentile
J.T. Barker

I am sure I left out alot of folks from the mid atlantic. Every region has a long list, unless you live in the desert with JAX. One interesting observation is that few of these people own or work out of any shop.
Eric

Are you shopping? or just making a list?
Click to expand...

Great company and thanks but I am, for the time being, primarily a recreational instructor and just venturing into the tech realm. I only offer TDI Nitrox and Intro to Tech along with the HOG Equipment course. Some of my recreational courses though do incorporate what some may consider technical skills and knowledge, such as use of stage bottles, deco planning, and limited overhead. I would not want to mislead anyone into thinking they can get something like trimix or advanced overhead training at this time. My own planned training for the future includes Adv Nitrox and Deco and Advanced Wreck. Most likely using Sue Smith from Michigan. Dive Girl Scuba - Sue Smith scuba diving instructor in the Midwest - exceptional scuba instructions in recreational and technical diving
 
Jim Lapenta:
Great company and thanks but I am, for the time being, primarily a recreational instructor and just venturing into the tech realm. I only offer TDI Nitrox and Intro to Tech along with the HOG Equipment course. Some of my recreational courses though do incorporate what some may consider technical skills and knowledge, such as use of stage bottles, deco planning, and limited overhead. I would not want to mislead anyone into thinking they can get something like trimix or advanced overhead training at this time. My own planned training for the future includes Adv Nitrox and Deco and Advanced Wreck. Most likely using Sue Smith from Michigan. Dive Girl Scuba - Sue Smith scuba diving instructor in the Midwest - exceptional scuba instructions in recreational and technical diving
Click to expand...


Jim,
Stop being so bashfull. My point was that by the time someone absorbs and passes your curriculum, the chances of them being accepted by someone teaching at the next level would most likely be automatic.
Eric
 
My basic training is credited to Addison Chappell (Padi - New York). This was done as a series of high intensity Padi Specialities. He must have done a good job because every subsequent instructor wanted to know where I learnt because my core skills were a "cut" above most students that arrive on their courses.

My wreck training was from Duane Johnson (TDI - Chicago). I think he was fantastic. Again, my cave instructors were impressed that I already was proficient in running and managing a line, lights out drills, etc. To be honest, after Duane's course Cave Intro was easy.
 
Last edited:
I did my cave training with Larry Green. I highly recommend him. If he felt you did not do well enough on a drill, you redid it. Then you redid it multiple times even after you got it right.
 
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