TDI Intro to Tech or AN/DP?

[tursiops]

TDI allows an instructor to augment the courses they teach and make one equivalent, but that isn’t the agency’s standards.

What does this mean?

 

[stuartv]

What does this mean?

To me, it means that TDI ItT does not require the student to use back mount doubles. The student could meet standards using a BM single tank and a pony bottle. But, as an ItT instructor, I could require the student to do it in BM doubles (otherwise, decline to accept the student).

Also, the standards say the student has to demonstrate "adequate" buoyancy and trim. As an ItT instructor, I could choose to interpret that to mean meeting the same standards that another agency uses (e.g. "perform this list of tasks while maintaining a buoyancy window of X feet and staying within Y degrees of horizontal trim"). But, the same TDI standards would allow me to pass a student with trim and buoyancy that are not nearly as good as that.

 

[kensuf]

I have no authority whatsoever to tell someone they SHOULD skip Intro to Tech. Nor did I do so.

but earlier on you said

Well, I have to say that I really disagree with a lot of what has been posted here.

There is no reason to take AN separate from DP (unless the instructor insists on some short schedule that pushes a student through faster than they should). And, there is no reason to do ItT first if you know you want to do AN/DP.

so there's that.

I have even less authority to make a judgment that a TDI AN/DP instructor is somehow wrong if he tells a potential student, who meets all the prerequisites for AN and DP, that he will teach them AN/DP without requiring them to do Intro first.

What is your basis for implying that the OP was offered an AN/DP program that would only hit the bare minimum number of dives? It seems to me that you may have made an unfounded assumption about what the OP was offered and then counseled against accepting that offer (based on said unfounded assumption).

My belief is based on this:

Hi all,
...

I explained that I am interested in technical diving, specifically the Intro to Tech course, to see if it is right for me and to try some of the technical gear and improve my existing diving skills. I made it clear that I have never dove doubles before and do not have any tech gear myself.

The instructor replied to my email and recommended the AN/DP TDI course combo in lieu of Intro to Tech as he believes there is not much to be gained from the Intro course.

First post, guy says "I have zero experience, not sure where I want to go with this, and I'm simply curious" and the instructor responds with "Just sign up for AN/DP and be done with it".

This sounds logical and sensible to you?

THIS is where my issue with your gibberish has been.

 

[kensuf]

I'm unsubbing from this thread before I break a rule and get in trouble.

 

[stuartv]

This sounds logical and sensible to you?

When the instructor is fully aware of the student's experience level and explicitly says he will accommodate (with gear, extra instruction, and extra time), then yes, it sounds like a logical and sensible option to consider, to me.

It is the path I took. I have since had more advanced training from at least 3 different tech instructors (beyond the one that did my original AN/DP training) and none of them have ever expressed any concern whatsoever with any of my "prerequisite" skills, so I am willing to go out on a limb and say that not only did I take that path, it actually worked out well for me.

 

[MichaelMc]

I’m more focused on the Sisyphean task of getting open water students off their knees.

^^^^ The best post.

A rock, a hill, and high tech scuba gear.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

^^^^ The best post.

A rock, a hill, and high tech scuba gear.

I'm a glutton for punishment. Just like the long term goals I have in Greece. My contact there thought I was nuts, until I explained that I have goals that I hope to accomplish before I die (I'm 48, so hopefully I have at least 40 good years).

 

[kensuf]

The student clearly stated in the very first post of this thread that he told the instructor that he wasn't even sure if tech diving was a thing he's interested in and the instructor tried to convince him to take, what you yourself admit, is one of the biggest steps rather than a baby step.

"I am not sure if I would like scuba, I would like to try a DSD."

"A DSD is a waste of time. Just go ahead and sign up for our divemaster course, we will take the time to get you there."

Are you deliberately trolling here? That's all I can imagine...

When the instructor is fully aware of the student's experience level and explicitly says he will accommodate (with gear, extra instruction, and extra time), then yes, it sounds like a logical and sensible option to consider, to me.

It is the path I took. I have since had more advanced training from at least 3 different tech instructors (beyond the one that did my original AN/DP training) and none of them have ever expressed any concern whatsoever with any of my "prerequisite" skills, so I am willing to go out on a limb and say that not only did I take that path, it actually worked out well for me.

 

[rhwestfall]

@kensuf : step away from the keyboard my friend...... (for your own good)

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Marie,

Below is my gear -

Scubapro Hydros BC, Scubapro MK17/S560 1st/2nd stages, Aqua Lung i750TC computer, and Mares Avantti Quatro fins. I recently bought an spg to have a redundant pressure reading to my tank’s transmitter. I am most likely going to buy a Shearwater Perdix for it to be my primary computer and the 750 my back-up. The Perdix looks to be a great dive computer for any kind of diving and if I end up doing tech it will allow me to grow in to it I figure.

You will not use a computer for AN/DP except as a bottom timer. You'll cut or use tables. You'll need another Mk17 and second stage at least. Plus a deco reg and a deco bottle. All with analog SPG's.
You'll also need a BPW with doubles wing or sidemount rig. Don't waste time doing AN/DP unless you have all your own gear because once you do the class you'll want to dive the tech setup more than your other. In fact sell the hydros if you go tech because it'll just gather dust.
What's your SAC rate? You should know that and be proficient with knowing how much gas you have without looking at your SPG.