Any IANTD Nitrox trainers in this forum?

[Ulfhedinn]

I am thinking of taking a IANTD Advanced Nitrox and Deco class.

1. What is the average price?
2. What certifications do you recommend prior to the class?
3. What books or media do you recommend so I can get a jump on it?
4. What exp as a diver do I need?

 

[Ste Wart]

They require 30 dives, Nitrox and IANTD deep diver.

If you do not have IANTD deep diver (no other is accepted) you must do 6 dives for the course instead of the minimum 4, in order that you complete all the Adv Nitrox and Deep diver skills. This will increase the basic cost.

As for reading. The IANTD Tek Lite (terrible name) is all you will need for the course. IANTD do not classify Advanced Nitrox as a tech program, it's listed as a sports divers program. So they do not expect a huge amount of knowledge for the course. That said the Technical programs require a heavy commitment skills wise and knowledge wise, where it is a good idea to read the Tao Of Underwater Survival (terrible name again, but good book, prefer the older version that still had JJ banging on about Hogarthian configuration before he created GUE) a least a month before you start those courses to really digest all the information.

The IANTD courses seem to be a lot more physical than other courses; other instructors can contradict (and I would expect no less on SB ) As such there are some timed swimming tasks that can you leave breathless. But fitness should be a given at the higher levels of diving.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

IANTD Scuba & CCR, PSCR & SCR Rebreather Diver Programs

Not sure about IANTD but a number of other agencies require a significant amount of dives before taking these two courses. Like around 100. And before you even think about doing Adv Nitrox and Deco your buoyancy and trim control should be dead on. Like able to hold a stop for 5-10 minutes and not vary by more than a foot or so. You may need to do this for up to a half hour or more. All of your basic skills should be fluid and instinctual. I'd also recommend you have rescue training. You might want to do an intro to tech before doing this.

Reading material - Tom Mount's Exploration and Mixed Gas Diving Encyclopedia
Steve Lewis's The Six Skills
Mark Powell's Deco for Divers
IANTD Student Manuals for the Two Disciplines

That would be a good start.

Thanks Wart. I only know one IANTD Instructor Personally. Andy Silverman. Just going by what he suggested when I was considering it and my own experience so far.

 

[rongoodman]

I've taken tech courses from both TDI and IANTD, and unless you have an IANTD instructor/shop who you really want to work with(which I did), I would take a look at the TDI programs. They redid the AN book a couple of years ago, and a rewrite of Deco Procs is either here, or will be shortly. I found the IANTD texts to be fairly annoying with all the Eastern mysticism and dietary supplements(and this stuff is in the Power Point presentations too), and not that up to date. The older TDI texts were a little thin, but the newer ones are readable and fairly complete.

Absolutely agree with Jim about Deco for Divers and The Six Skills.

 

[Ulfhedinn]

I have ordered Deco for Divers and The Six Skills waiting for them to come in. Once I complete those I will purchase Tao Of Underwater Survival. Would I need to order the IANTD Student Manuals for the Two Disciplines from a local instructor?

I will also look into TDI. I plan on getting alot more dives in before the class to dial in my buoyancy and trim but Im in learning sponge mod an would like to get a start in the technical direction.

 

[ajduplessis]

Tao Of Underwater Survival is only required for Trimix (also expensive and if you are not going trimix I would not buy it), however it’s very good reading material and will give you ample information to broaden you scuba knowledge especially on the various deco algorithms. The Adv EANx course has its own training manuals and ppt's.

I would recommend doing the deep air course and getting some vital doubles skills under the belt. As mentioned you need to be very proficient with your buoyancy. The course is pretty straight forward, get the skill and only then continue, deco can and will kick hard!!

PS: I did not start with adv nitrox after 100 dives (50 deep dives 140ft+)