My journey into tech

[Marie13]

I believe they're also available in black

And not currently available in my size...

 

[Marie13]

After some more research, I ended up going with the Deep 6 fins in white. A friend pointed something visible in our murky quarry would be a good thing. The smallest size is only available in the soft version, which can't be a bad thing for my knees. I'll be able to work on frog with them in the pool over the winter before my SM class in the spring.

 

[RayfromTX]

My wife likes her Deep6 small fins. You are correct that the softer material is easier on her ankles than the RK3s that she has. The white fins really help your buddies in the murk. I worry that the combination of the smaller size and the softer material will leave her at a disadvantage in instances where she needs power, such as working against current. She seems to have enough power and the stress being less means that she will probably be able to dive every day for 12 days without getting a stress injury so it is a good balance. We have the orange ones so people on the boat tell us we are easy to spot. Congratulations on your decision.

 

[divezonescuba]

Try the Aquatec fins also sold as UTD and HOG. I used to get cramps all the time and had to temporarily go to splits. No problems with those.

 

[Marie13]

My wife likes her Deep6 small fins. You are correct that the softer material is easier on her ankles than the RK3s that she has. The white fins really help your buddies in the murk. I worry that the combination of the smaller size and the softer material will leave her at a disadvantage in instances where she needs power, such as working against current. She seems to have enough power and the stress being less means that she will probably be able to dive every day for 12 days without getting a stress injury so it is a good balance. We have the orange ones so people on the boat tell us we are easy to spot. Congratulations on your decision.

I love the fins! Got them Tuesday and took them to the pool Wednesday evening. I ended up alternating 10 lengths with the different fins, so 40 lengths with each. I can frog decently in my splits now. It felt danged weird in the new fins. Took me a while to get used to them.

My arse was something awfully sore from the pool session Wednesday with the new fins, so I only used splits today. Knees were also a bit sore, but I'm just putting that down to having to get used to the new fins.

 

[Chilly_Diver]

Needing a smaller BC isn't an issue if you dive a BP/W. Simply adjust the webbing as needed. Luckily my wetsuits (3/5/7) will fit me a good while yet.



I'm doing things slowly in a very deliberate order. SDI SM, with a full season of diving SM at the quarry (2018). Then TDI SM (2019), and AN/DP the following year (2020). Getting very familiar with SM before I start anything tech related (including stage bottle handling) is the goal for doing it this way.

Just a heads up, TDI sidemount only adds one more skill over its SDI counterpart. Waste of time to take both unless they are being offered for free.

 

[JohnnyC]

Just take TDI sidemount. Don't bother with the SDI side of it. You can see the standards online. You don't have to combine AN/DP, so all the dives will be at recreational depths well within your limits. You're going to want to know the skills taught in the TDI course.

.....At least if the instructors teach to the posted standards.

 

[Cowfish Aesthetic]

I plan on going tech in the future. There was never any question it would eventually happen. I'm not interested in caves at all, but deeper wrecks, especially on the Great Lakes? Heck, yes! My goal is the Thomas Hume in Lake Michigan, at 145ft (very pretty wreck that went down in 1891, very well preserved). I'm Great Lakes wreck obsessed and have been for something like 25 years. My wreck class with limited penetration is this weekend. I've already been diving some Great Lakes wrecks.

What skills do I need to have down cold before I begin any tech training?

I'm currently at 62 dives. Have Advanced rating and Nitrox, as well as drysuit. I'm planning on the SM class next season (BM doubles are not possible due to knee issues, period). Solo/intro to tech in 2019. AN/DP maybe in 2020. Advanced Wreck and trimix, who knows when. I figure it may very well take me 5 years to get to the point where I can dive the Hume.

Earlier this summer I had the opportunity to observe an AN/DP class working on dropping and retrieving stage bottles at the local quarry (they came to the platform I was working on). That was very interesting to watch.

I'm looking for info such as: need to be able to hover within x amount of deviation (1ft, or whatever it is), etc. That sort of thing. Would like to know what exactly I need to work on. I'm something of a long-term planner. Thanks!

Marie, thank you for this post. I, like you, am a beginner diver (30 dives) with an eye towards eventually being able to exceed NDL limits on Chicago-area wrecks. Much of the advice here has been very helpful (though much of of it less so). Hopefully we'll run into each other at the quarry or on one of the shallower wrecks once things warm up a bit.

 

[Marie13]

Just a heads up, TDI sidemount only adds one more skill over its SDI counterpart. Waste of time to take both unless they are being offered for free.

Heaven forbid if someone actually wants to spend extra time getting essential skills down before advancing to the next level!

 

[Chilly_Diver]

Heaven forbid if someone actually wants to spend extra time getting essential skills down before advancing to the next level!

I figured if someone is ready to progress to doubles, they are ready to work on their skills independent of being supervised by a dive professional after receiving their initial training.