Starting out in Tech Diving

[kensuf]

I think the best way to get your answer is find local instructors that can teach tech, and talk to them. Tell them your goals and ask them what they would recommend. It's just a guess, but you probably don't have a big pile of options to choose from, so talking to all the shops in your area that offer tech instruction probably isn't TOO big of a task.

If you can't find tech instruction in your area, maybe better to come here and ask for recommendations on tech instructors to travel to.

After you have talked to your various options, if you still aren't of a clear mind on who to go with, then maybe come back here and ask for input based on what you have learned from the people you talked to?

I would also encourage someone to ask prospective instructors about their own personal technical diving background and experience. Someone that can "teach tech" but never does tech diving on their own may not be the person you're looking for.

 

[Schwob]

I tend to start to think that going by personal recommendations might be a possibly harder, but much better way to find a good instructor than going by the answers to asked questions.
The latter certainly weeds out who can't talk the talk. The point so is to figure out who actually also walks the walk and that at times is a bit problematic to determine by asking the instructor you try to find out about.
It may also matter (to me) that personal references come from personal experience with an instructor tather than having liked what someone said or wrote somewhere.
Luckily some here do report their experiences... or their impression of ... good stuff. Thanks! (although I have no immediate need myself, but am lurking for when I can dedicate more time)

 

[beester]

The best way to find a good instructor is look at the one thing an instructor can't ******** because they have no control over it; their students post certification. Go diving, find divers that you want to emulate--don't look blindly at divers and be, oh, I want to do the dives they are doing, but find divers you want to look like, talk like, think like when in the water. This day and age every Tom, Dick, and Harry with a credit card has a Advanced Nitrox cert.

It can be hard for inexperienced eyes to see the gold through the pyrite, so for you, I would recommend focusing on divers who aren't just good, but ****^ng Gods in the water. Talk with those divers and ask them who their instructors were. They have probably had a couple who improved their diving, but there is always that one who was better, who made them into the divers they are today. See if there are any similarities that start to pop up. If the same names keeps popping up, add it to the short list and investigate. Also, remember to ask them what they liked and disliked about the class, it might provide you with more information and give you more incite into something you hadn't thought about.

CptTightPants (what a name )... THIS IS IT... your whole post nails the question "what to look for in an instructor!".

Don't travel for the fundamentals (be it fundies, which I highly recommend, or a very strict AN/DP). Coming from rec diving you probably won't pass on first try, but at least you won't be stressed if you don't, because a good instructor will let you revisit him regularly and he'll mentor you until you are ready.

Then for the real stuff (normoxic/trimix/full cave) travel and seek out the best instructor you can find.

Anecdote: I'm no where near "god in the water" level but when we finished normoxic class (T1) 4 years ago me and my buddy were on a charter the week after which was full of Russian/Ukranian divers (GUE T2/Rebreather) including a well known Russian GUE instructor trainer. We were diving the same 50-60m wreck (us staying on top of the wreck, they doing a long dive) and we saw them underwater (they jumped in before us) and during our deco. Back on the surface we started talking (not easy they didn't speak english very well except for the instructor)... and we got the nice compliment from the Russians that we looked solid in the water. 2nd question from them, how long have you been trimix diving... well 1 week actually... then the instructor asked who trained us and we told him Mario Arena, and they all went "aaaaah Mariooo!!" (as if that explained everything... and in fact it does).

Worst case scenario (and unfortunately it happens often) is that you spend a significant amount of time, money and effort on a class and come out of it with that queezy feeling that you are not yet comfortable to do the dives you are now certified to do. That means honestly that you are not ready and that in my opinion you shouldn't have passed the class. If you are certified as a normoxic diver with 2 deco gasses and a 200ft max depth, then the first dive after the class you should be able to perform that dive on your own without any stress or questions.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Thank you!!!! i am reading all this and it is making my head hurt!!! how the hell am i supposed to know a good instructor from a bad... i dont even know the questions to ask!!!

I gave one suggestion in Post #44 above. As I said, in his book The Six Skills Steve Lewis covers the topic of "interviewing" potential tech instructors, giving a list of questions to consider asking.

 

[stuartv]

I gave one suggestion in Post #44 above. As I said, in his book The Six Skills Steve Lewis covers the topic of "interviewing" potential tech instructors, giving a list of questions to consider asking.

A truly excellent book! Excellent for any diver, but especially for any diver contemplating to start tech diving. I think it's even a worthwhile read for experienced tech divers, just as a way to get yourself to really revisit some of the basics and get re-grounded. Possibly recognize some normalization of deviance. Maybe even get an instructor to read Steve's questions and consider how or how well he/she would answer those questions if asked by a prospective student.

 

[Frackingawesome]

Coming from rec diving you probably won't pass on first try,

Can you please explain???

I gave one suggestion in Post #44 above. As I said, in his book The Six Skills Steve Lewis covers the topic of "interviewing" potential tech instructors, giving a list of questions to consider asking.

Yes i saw this and i am going through the book now. I have also spoke with Trace and Ed Hayes. i also left messages for Wayne Fisch and Bob Sherwood.

GUE Sounds... interesting... and i really like the idea of, maybe obsessing, over the basics... that is what makes a good diver... And i did have a really good talk with Ed Hayes. I just dont know if i want to invest that time right now... i have to think on that.

Currently my leading picks are either spending a week in Florida (which does not sound like a bad idea anyway) with John Chatterton or going with Trace. Thanks Everyone who helped out!

 

[manni-yunk]

Can you please explain???



Yes i saw this and i am going through the book now. I have also spoke with Trace and Ed Hayes. i also left messages for Wayne Fisch and Bob Sherwood.

GUE Sounds... interesting... and i really like the idea of, maybe obsessing, over the basics... that is what makes a good diver... And i did have a really good talk with Ed Hayes. I just dont know if i want to invest that time right now... i have to think on that.

Currently my leading picks are either spending a week in Florida (which does not sound like a bad idea anyway) with John Chatterton or going with Trace. Thanks Everyone who helped out!

Go with Trace. You wont regret it. And....if you are considering GUE...Trace is the guy that a lot of GUE guys have gone to in order to improve on the GUE requirements. He will do certification courses or coaching days - Ive done both. Several of my crew have trained with Trace and Ive never heard a negative thing from any of them (4 other guys besides myself).

 

[stuartv]

Currently my leading picks are either spending a week in Florida (which does not sound like a bad idea anyway) with John Chatterton or going with Trace. Thanks Everyone who helped out!

Not sure if this has already been mentioned, but Trace does come down and do classes at Dutch Springs....

I also have to agree with earlier comments about doing your initial tech training somewhere close to home so it can take as long as it takes. No pressure to learn it all and be done and certified in 3 or 4 days.

 

[njdiverjoe]

Not sure if this has already been mentioned, but Trace does come down and do classes at Dutch Springs....

I also have to agree with earlier comments about doing your initial tech training somewhere close to home so it can take as long as it takes. No pressure to learn it all and be done and certified in 3 or 4 days.

Another +1 for Trace, I did a coaching day with him at Dutch not all that long ago.

 

[dberry]

Comparing JC and Trace is apple to oranges. I did a day of coaching at Dutch with Trace last month, and it was very helpful for improving my general diving (non-tech). Stuff I would have had to nail down if I had done Fundies, I suppose. John and Trace have VERY different approaches to tech. John is very big on self-reliance, whereas Trace is more in line with the team diving approach. As I said earlier, John's class was a great experience, but I would have gotten much more out of it if I had a longer time to digest stuff (and some pool time to work on basic skills in twinset before hitting the wrecks.)

I believe Trace is spending most of August way up in NY state (Thousand Islands), so he may not be back down at Dutch for a while.