How many rebreathers do I need to teach?

[wrecktek]

IMHO I think it should be only one or 2 that a person dives often - notice i didnt say regularly - Many Old time instructors may be certified on many units but really only dive one particular unit with any regularity to be truly competent with that one unit. If you have a instructor diving a different unit then you are diving in your course - i would ask for my money back. Some still do this because a training agency may allow it and a long tie ago it was a necessity since the actual number of rebreather instructors was truly small. Most of the old instructors are certified on many units because they picked a unit some time ago and as their needs or the market changed they changed units. Its best to ask what unit does that instructor typically dive when they are not teaching a course. It come down to experience with a particular unit, not the number of units. - just some thoughts for discussion.....


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---------- Post added November 29th, 2013 at 06:57 AM ----------

CHEEZZZZ - i need to proof read the post before i hit reply... I regularly and often need to be reversed and can you say spell check
Can i blame it on too much turkey and not enough coffee.....


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[Deep Thought]

Having owned and dived extensively 11 ccrs and 4 differend scr’s , I have developed “Biases” on these units based on many facets. The impetus for owning all of these units was initially a love of the subject and obsession to learn more and more…. But this is a small industry full of small companies, where you get to know the owners fist hand. It is hard to represent all of them without some hurt feelings, and impossible to represent more than one or two without B.S politics. If someone says they are “un biased” oh boy! Sorry cant swallow it. “Bias” may be a derogatory term, but it really means that a person has opinions based on experience. I see very public figures who only represent one model of rebreather in an industry that has far too many for a small demand. If this is not self evident that these people have some motivation to support one brand more than another I don’t know what is?

What I think is silly is that all too often these forums are full of consumers who criticize the instructors for being profit motivated, or biased by reason of profit. Good Grief Charlie Brown, get real! People who have the discretionary income to have a hobby such as diving rebreathers, think it is ok for them to have the income and means to enjoy a hobby, but anyone who profits from this hobby is evil?

Why not focus on the quality of training you will receive from an experienced professional. And consider the post training support. Will this person be a mentor and follow up with continued learning post classroom, and will they be there to support any service, warranty, upgrades, etc….

When people email me about rebreather demos or learning about rebreathers, I tell them that the goal is to give them as much information as possible and let them choose. I can’t help being biased by the fact that it is easier or more favorable for me to work with one manufacture more than another, but I do not turn away a student who chooses one brand over another. And I try my hardest to be impartial….

 

[caveseeker7]

Whenever people ask me about rebreathers I tell them to research the subject, the available units and instructors as thoroughly as possible. Looking at it from a diver or potential students side, I couldn't care less how many unit tickets an instructor holds.

Dave summed it up well:

I don't think I could be an effective instructor if I spread myself too thin.

IMHO the instructor's experience and proficiency on the rebreather I want to dive is among the most important issues for choosing him. A statement like that tells me more about the instructor than the number of models he could teach. I can read the manuals for both the rebreather and the class, but it's a good instructor that makes it worth both the effort and the price of going through the training in the first place.

The worst thing that can happen to any student is an instructor who isn't proficient on his rig, whose experience, if at all, was eons ago. If he still has that unit available for himself in the first place. A huge problem with rebreathers that have been out of production for a while.

So unless you plan on buying, servicing, supporting and diving several rebreathers you might as well skip the thought.
You'll do yourself and your students a huge favor if you're a good instructor on one rebreather rather than a mediocre or bad one on a bunch them. Just my 5 cents.