DIR- GUE Input and Advice on my GUE Training Path and GUE Courses

[OctoHelm]

Hello!

I hope this post finds you safe, healthy, and in good spirits during these challenging times.

Just a little bit of information before I begin:

I'm a 16 year old guy, who is currently in my Junior year of High School. I am currently diving every week for around 3.5 hours in our pool with an instructor who has taken Tech 1 and is familiar with GUE. We are working on nailing my back kick and buoyancy/dead hover, as well as reg removal and replacement, and mask flood / clearing while maintaining buoyancy while in a hula hoop. We are also working on dsmb deployment.

As far as gear goes, I have everything set up for a rec rig, except for a computer, which I think I will buy before I head to back Monterey to actually get into the sea again! I'm debating between the Shearwater Teric and the Perdix.

I'm currently preparing for Fundies, and hope to get there in the next few months. Once I nail my dead hover, buoyancy, and back kick, I will take it and shoot for a rec pass. Now, I have a question for you on what you all think is the right move: Should I stick to getting 100 dives in my current rec rig and then move to doubles and then Rec 2, or should I get some more dives in my current rig and then move to doubles faster and do more dives on doubles?

After Fundies, I am planning on taking Rec 2 in doubles so I can get my tech pass from Rec 2 so I can go on to take Tech 1 thereafter. I am considering taking Rec 2 with a stage bottle as practice for Tech 1. I might as well get used to having it with me.

I am hoping on taking Rec 2 over the summer (if not closer to my birthday in December), so that I can minimize time in between taking Rec 2 and Tech 1. However, while this is not ideal, I may take Fundies over the summer and then take Rec 2 later in the summer if I can.

Does this plan make sense, and if you think there is room for improvement, what should I improve?

Lastly, do any of you have any advice for me as I embark on my journey to become a GUE diver? If any of you have any input, helpful tips or tricks, or anything you think I should know, please let me know!!

Thank you all for taking time out of your undoubtedly busy lives to help me out, I really appreciate it!

Stay happy, healthy, and safe diving!

Respectfully,

OctoHelm

 

[tbone1004]

@OctoHelm the dedication is there, but frankly if you're working that much with a T1 diver, I think you may as well shoot for a tech pass when you take fundies. If you are diving singles in a GUE configuration now, there really isn't anything terribly complicated about going to doubles and I don't see a need to delay, especially since you are in an area where doubles are useful on pretty much all of your local dives since you need to carry the lead for the drysuit anyway. I think you shoot for tech pass fundies and go straight to T1 when you're ready instead of doing Rec2. To my knowledge there is no pre-req for T1 other than having passed fundies with a tech pass.

 

[mer]

Reply sent directly to OP, I'm not an individual-advice-given-publically kinda girl. ;-)

One notable pre-req here for Tech 1 is 18 years old.

Rec 2 cannot be done with a stage. Doubles or singles only.

 

[PfcAJ]

Why do you want to take tech 1?

 

[elgoog]

@OctoHelm There is a huge GUE community in the Bay area - check out BAUE (Bay Area Underwater Explorers). There's a wide variety of experience and certification in the group and you'll get a lot out of it. Once you're done with Fundies, I highly recommend joining.

Have you contacted an instructor already for Fundies and your training plans? Do that first.

 

[tbone1004]

@OctoHelm since @mer piped in, definitely interview her as a potential instructor. She's really bloody good and it's always good to have a different perspective.

 

[OctoHelm]

@OctoHelm the dedication is there, but frankly if you're working that much with a T1 diver, I think you may as well shoot for a tech pass when you take fundies. If you are diving singles in a GUE configuration now, there really isn't anything terribly complicated about going to doubles and I don't see a need to delay, especially since you are in an area where doubles are useful on pretty much all of your local dives since you need to carry the lead for the drysuit anyway. I think you shoot for tech pass fundies and go straight to T1 when you're ready instead of doing Rec2. To my knowledge there is no pre-req for T1 other than having passed fundies with a tech pass.

Hello tbone!

Thank you so much for your reply!!

The one prereq that I do not meet for Tech 1, is that I need to be 18. I'm 16 and 2/3 now, so I don't have that much more time until I turn 18. I also like the redundancy of doubles as well.

Why do you want to take tech 1?

To me, I always want to expand my horizons, and I really like the approach that GUE takes. I could continue with PADI, but I do want to get into cave diving, and I trust GUE with cave training. Cave is a good few years out though, but I want to get the ball rolling.

@OctoHelm There is a huge GUE community in the Bay area - check out BAUE (Bay Area Underwater Explorers). There's a wide variety of experience and certification in the group and you'll get a lot out of it. Once you're done with Fundies, I highly recommend joining.

Have you contacted an instructor already for Fundies and your training plans? Do that first.

The instructor who I am working with right now took Tech 1 from our local GUE instructor, Beto. The two know each other pretty well and communicate regularly. I've been working on this plan with my instructor, and I think she reached out to Beto for his thoughts.

@OctoHelm since @mer piped in, definitely interview her as a potential instructor. She's really bloody good and it's always good to have a different perspective.

Totally! Thanks for that idea. Beto is my local instructor, but I will reach out to her and discuss this with her as well.

Thank you all for your replies! I am so thankful to have such a helpful and kind community!

Cheers,

OctoHelm

 

[tbone1004]

@OctoHelm Beto is a great instructor, but it's always good to have alternate perspectives. What are his thoughts on training progression?

My gut says switch to doubles now since you're being mentored by a T1 diver, and take Fundies at some point in the spring or whatever and dive there for a year until you are ready to do mix dives *very expensive*

 

[OctoHelm]

@OctoHelm Beto is a great instructor, but it's always good to have alternate perspectives. What are his thoughts on training progression?

My gut says switch to doubles now since you're being mentored by a T1 diver, and take Fundies at some point in the spring or whatever and dive there for a year until you are ready to do mix dives *very expensive*

It certainly is good to have multiple perspectives! I reached out to mer, and might put an email together with where I am, and what my goals are for training/GUE. From what Beto said, he wants me to have 100 dives on my current single cylinder rig first. I'd prefer to get the ball rolling on doubles because I see myself diving them more than a single cylinder, but he is the expert, not me. My shop charges $2.00 per cubic foot, so yes, trimix dives are quite expensive.

I've been working on this plan with my current instructor, and I think she has ran it by Beto, but I remain unsure.

Thank you so much for your expertise! I really do appreciate it!

Respectfully,

OctoHelm

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

@OctoHelm,

I don't have much to offer, but to say I'm a bit jealous as you are on the path of becoming an awesome diver and have so many years of amazing dive experiences waiting for you. Enjoy the journey!