I'm a rec instructor. I want to be a tec instructor. No tec experience. I'm gonna need your help.
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bamafan
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I am intending to first get familiar with doubles, then take a Fundies class, then next year iantd Cavern and then start the trimix path to normoxic. then maybe intro to cave after that.
I am specifically intending to do the cavern first to get familiar with overhead environment (the deco obligation is a type of overhead as well) and get better buoyancy control before starting deco training. I am also seeing it as an way to reduce stress of trimix stuff when I will be already a bit familiar with hard overhead environment. here the wrecks tend to be medium to low viz diving which I assume can be quite stressful at times so I would think the Cavern training would be perfect for me even if would only wanting to dive wrecks.
it is also normal to practice cave diving techniques in old mines here because of the lack of natural caves and the mine tunnels tend to be at pretty deep levels so one would need the trimix training anyway pretty soon whether going cave or wreck path. cave techniques can be very handy when going into wrecks and under ice so it will never go to waste whatever I decide to do later
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
Cave training never goes to waste. Whatever you learn in a cave is applicable to OW diving, but not everything you've learned in OW is appropriate or even safe in a cave.
Every time I can swim up very close to look at some little something the DM found, and then back up and away without having to wave my hands around or stir up the bottom, I appreciate my cave classes.
He is padi instructor. I used google and found that with padi you can become full trimix instructor without being normoxic instructor first, only tecdeep instructor is needed (50m):
Tec Trimix Instructor | PADI
So, let's say, you are now a after the courses a full trimixdiver, are you ready to progress to instructor? Look at yourself, do you feel comfortable of doing a solodive between 75 and 100m with 3 stages? If not, you are not ready of doing the trimix instructor course. Same of course with the lower level tech courses. To teach a 50m course, you must be able to do such dives easy solo. Only doing the full trimix course and then the exam course without real experience, do you think this is ok?
Do you like to have an instructor to for full trimix who certify you for 100m, but your instructor has only been to 75m? (yes, this happens with instructors). No, I expect an instructor who knows how to dive to 100m. There is a big big difference in diving to 75m and to 100m. The planning at 100m is really more complicated and for sure you need a 3rd stage cylinder (I don't talk about bounces).
And it is not only to become instructor at the highest level, you have to stay current also. Do you have time and money to do at least 20-25 dives on your highest level without teaching?
If you do not like technical diving, you will not be a good instructor. There must be passion. If you really want to become techinstructor, it is possible, even if you don't live near caves or deep lakes. It will costs lots of money and probably you will never earn it back. And you have to stay current, so do funtechdives also. There is no cheap technical diving. Is it still what you want?
Tec Trimix Instructor | PADI
So, let's say, you are now a after the courses a full trimixdiver, are you ready to progress to instructor? Look at yourself, do you feel comfortable of doing a solodive between 75 and 100m with 3 stages? If not, you are not ready of doing the trimix instructor course. Same of course with the lower level tech courses. To teach a 50m course, you must be able to do such dives easy solo. Only doing the full trimix course and then the exam course without real experience, do you think this is ok?
Do you like to have an instructor to for full trimix who certify you for 100m, but your instructor has only been to 75m? (yes, this happens with instructors). No, I expect an instructor who knows how to dive to 100m. There is a big big difference in diving to 75m and to 100m. The planning at 100m is really more complicated and for sure you need a 3rd stage cylinder (I don't talk about bounces).
And it is not only to become instructor at the highest level, you have to stay current also. Do you have time and money to do at least 20-25 dives on your highest level without teaching?
If you do not like technical diving, you will not be a good instructor. There must be passion. If you really want to become techinstructor, it is possible, even if you don't live near caves or deep lakes. It will costs lots of money and probably you will never earn it back. And you have to stay current, so do funtechdives also. There is no cheap technical diving. Is it still what you want?
OK, so let's assume the OP is 100% serious and not trolling everyone with a joke. I'm going to outline the process to become a CCR instructor to give you an idea of the time/energy/effort to get to the top of the food chain.
"AIR DIL DECO CCR instructor".. This would allow you to teach the CCR course most people want when they start (aka MOD1), but does not cover being able to teach mixed gas on a CCR. The steps to get there involve:
1. Become an Advanced Nitrox/Decompression Procedures DIVER. This involves at a bare minimum, four days of your life and six dives. While there are some weak instructors that will pass marginal people through the pipeline quickly, if you're sincere about trying to be a real GOOD tech instructor then expect the process to take longer. Realistically, if you have never ever been in doubles or sidemount, you're going to spend 2-4 days of instruction and 10 to 20 dives to gain some level of basic comfort with the gear, then you may be able to complete the course. Realistically, a motivated person that is extremely comfortable in the water can go from "Tech zero to AN/DP diver Hero" in a week or two if they're diving every day and able to pick up on the gear configuration quickly. Most "weekend warriors" take a couple of months to get there.
TDI Course Standards for the diver level are here. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/u... Diver Standards_07_Advanced_Nitrox_Diver.pdf and https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/u...andards_08_Decompression_Procedures_Diver.pdf
2. Gain appropriate experience to prepare for becoming an AN/DP instructor. Pre-reqs to become an AN/DP instructor include showing proof of logging 150 dives (you probably already have this), 25 on nitrox (you probably already have this), and teaching at least 10 Deep Diver students and at least 10 Nitrox students (you probably already have this). I would also encourage the AN/DP instructor candidate to shadow at least 2 or 3 AN/DP courses to see common problem spots that real world students have and gain some perspective on how to structure an AN/DP course. Some things you may consider during this learning curve include:
* emergency procedures: this includes how much deco are you willing to let yourself and your students blow off if things go south?
* how many deco dives would you be willing to do in a day?
* gaining a thorough understanding of decompression theory, also look at modern info (ten years ago bubble models were all the rage, now not so much), learn how to cut contingency tables on the fly (aka ratio deco, etc).
* gain familiarity with a variety of different tech gear to be able to help your students
* gain some real world deco experiences, I would suggest at a MINIMUM you should have experience conducting 30+ deco dives in a variety of conditions/environments.
3. Become an Advanced/Nitrox/Decompression Procedures INSTRUCTOR. Standards for the IE are here. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/u...p Standards_07_Advanced_Nitrox_Instructor.pdf and https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/u...ds_08_Decompression_Procedures_Instructor.pdf
4. Become a CCR Diver. That means pick a unit and spend a minimum of 5 days of your life taking a MOD1 course. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/u..._30_CCR_Air_Diluent_Deco_Procedures_Diver.pdf Please note, you can become a CCR diver while you are working on gaining experience before becoming an AN/DP instructor.
5. Gain appropriate experience. This includes both diving your CCR and teaching AN/DP. You must log 100 hours and 100 dives on the unit you first become an instructor on, and you must be certified as a rebreather diver (on any unit) for a minimum of one year before you can become a rebreather instructor. Although there are no minimum students taught for Open-Circuit AN/DP, I would recommend running at least a couple of classes to gain some experience. I would also recommend assisting with a few CCR courses during this time.
6. Sit for your CCR MOD 1 instructor evaluation. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/u...ards_24_ADDP_CCR_Unit_Specific_Instructor.pdf
So.. to go from "Tech Zero" to CCR Instructor, able to teach both Open Circuit Advanced Nitrox/Decompression Procedures as well as CCR MOD1, realistically you are looking at a minimum of 13 to 14 months of your life and an investment of anywhere between $10k and $20k between the rebreather and courses, not including travel/etc.
When you start talking about adding in trimix instructor levels, the time/experience goes up from there.
"AIR DIL DECO CCR instructor".. This would allow you to teach the CCR course most people want when they start (aka MOD1), but does not cover being able to teach mixed gas on a CCR. The steps to get there involve:
1. Become an Advanced Nitrox/Decompression Procedures DIVER. This involves at a bare minimum, four days of your life and six dives. While there are some weak instructors that will pass marginal people through the pipeline quickly, if you're sincere about trying to be a real GOOD tech instructor then expect the process to take longer. Realistically, if you have never ever been in doubles or sidemount, you're going to spend 2-4 days of instruction and 10 to 20 dives to gain some level of basic comfort with the gear, then you may be able to complete the course. Realistically, a motivated person that is extremely comfortable in the water can go from "Tech zero to AN/DP diver Hero" in a week or two if they're diving every day and able to pick up on the gear configuration quickly. Most "weekend warriors" take a couple of months to get there.
TDI Course Standards for the diver level are here. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/u... Diver Standards_07_Advanced_Nitrox_Diver.pdf and https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/u...andards_08_Decompression_Procedures_Diver.pdf
2. Gain appropriate experience to prepare for becoming an AN/DP instructor. Pre-reqs to become an AN/DP instructor include showing proof of logging 150 dives (you probably already have this), 25 on nitrox (you probably already have this), and teaching at least 10 Deep Diver students and at least 10 Nitrox students (you probably already have this). I would also encourage the AN/DP instructor candidate to shadow at least 2 or 3 AN/DP courses to see common problem spots that real world students have and gain some perspective on how to structure an AN/DP course. Some things you may consider during this learning curve include:
* emergency procedures: this includes how much deco are you willing to let yourself and your students blow off if things go south?
* how many deco dives would you be willing to do in a day?
* gaining a thorough understanding of decompression theory, also look at modern info (ten years ago bubble models were all the rage, now not so much), learn how to cut contingency tables on the fly (aka ratio deco, etc).
* gain familiarity with a variety of different tech gear to be able to help your students
* gain some real world deco experiences, I would suggest at a MINIMUM you should have experience conducting 30+ deco dives in a variety of conditions/environments.
3. Become an Advanced/Nitrox/Decompression Procedures INSTRUCTOR. Standards for the IE are here. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/u...p Standards_07_Advanced_Nitrox_Instructor.pdf and https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/u...ds_08_Decompression_Procedures_Instructor.pdf
4. Become a CCR Diver. That means pick a unit and spend a minimum of 5 days of your life taking a MOD1 course. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/u..._30_CCR_Air_Diluent_Deco_Procedures_Diver.pdf Please note, you can become a CCR diver while you are working on gaining experience before becoming an AN/DP instructor.
5. Gain appropriate experience. This includes both diving your CCR and teaching AN/DP. You must log 100 hours and 100 dives on the unit you first become an instructor on, and you must be certified as a rebreather diver (on any unit) for a minimum of one year before you can become a rebreather instructor. Although there are no minimum students taught for Open-Circuit AN/DP, I would recommend running at least a couple of classes to gain some experience. I would also recommend assisting with a few CCR courses during this time.
6. Sit for your CCR MOD 1 instructor evaluation. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/u...ards_24_ADDP_CCR_Unit_Specific_Instructor.pdf
So.. to go from "Tech Zero" to CCR Instructor, able to teach both Open Circuit Advanced Nitrox/Decompression Procedures as well as CCR MOD1, realistically you are looking at a minimum of 13 to 14 months of your life and an investment of anywhere between $10k and $20k between the rebreather and courses, not including travel/etc.
When you start talking about adding in trimix instructor levels, the time/experience goes up from there.
Next up, Cave Instructor. The steps to becoming a cave instructor:
1. Become a cavern diver. At a minimum it's 2 days of your life and four dives, usually 3 days and anywhere from 5 to 7 dives. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/uploads/files/sandp/currentYear/TDI/part 2/pdf/individual/TDI Diver Standards_18_Cavern_Diver.pdf
2. Become an Intro to Cave diver. At a minimum it's 2 days of your life and four dives. Usually it's 5 to 7 dives. Sometimes it's combined with Cavern to make the combo course 4 days and 10-12 dives. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/uploads/files/sandp/currentYear/TDI/part 2/pdf/individual/TDI Diver Standards_19_Intro_to_Cave_Diver.pdf
3. Become a Full Cave Diver. At a minimum it's 4 days of your life and 8 dives, AND you had to take AN/DP (Advanced Nitrox/Deco Procedures) somewhere before full cave (see post above about AN/DP). More often then not it's going to be 5 or 6 days of your life and 8-10 dives. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/uploads/files/sandp/currentYear/TDI/part 2/pdf/individual/TDI Diver Standards_20_Full_Cave_Diver.pdf
4. Gain experience before becoming a Cavern Instructor. With every agency EXCEPT PADI, you must have logged 100 cave dives AFTER you have completed Full Cave to become a cavern instructor. You should also assist with a couple of classes during this time.
5. Become a Cavern Instructor. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/uploads/files/sandp/currentYear/TDI/part 3/pdf/individual/TDI Leadership Standards_17_Cavern_Instructor.pdf
6. Gain experience. This includes diving and teaching. You must have logged 150 cave dives after your full cave class before you become an Intro to Cave instructor. You must also teach 3 cavern courses before you can become an Intro to Cave instructor. I would also encourage any potential instructor candidate to assist with a couple of classes during this time.
7. Become an Intro to Cave Instructor. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/uploads/files/sandp/currentYear/TDI/part 3/pdf/individual/TDI Leadership Standards_18_Intro_to_Cave_Instructor.pdf
8. Gain experience. Before you can become a Full Cave Instructor you must have logged 200 cave dives after your full cave class before you can take the IE AND you must have taught at least 3 intro to cave classes AND you must assist with a full cave class AND you must get a letter from a Full Cave Instructor (that is not going to be your evaluator) saying you are ready to do.
9. Become a Full Cave Instructor. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/uploads/files/sandp/currentYear/TDI/part 3/pdf/individual/TDI Leadership Standards_19_Full_Cave_Instructor.pdf
Realistically, the highly motivated person that is diving and teaching almost every day, could potentially go from "Tech Zero" to "Full Cave Instructor" within a year. Maybe a little quicker. During that year you will become a full cave diver (minimum of 12 days of your life with AN/DP in there), log 200 cave dives, assist with a cavern course (2 days of your life), do an cavern instructor evaluation (2 days of your life), teach three cavern courses (6 days of your life), assist with an intro course (2 days of your life), do an intro to cave instructor evaluation (2 days of your life), teach 3 intro courses (6 days of your life), assist with a full cave course (4 days of your life) and do an instructor evaluation (2 to 4 days of your life). And these are MINIMUMS.
Whew.
1. Become a cavern diver. At a minimum it's 2 days of your life and four dives, usually 3 days and anywhere from 5 to 7 dives. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/uploads/files/sandp/currentYear/TDI/part 2/pdf/individual/TDI Diver Standards_18_Cavern_Diver.pdf
2. Become an Intro to Cave diver. At a minimum it's 2 days of your life and four dives. Usually it's 5 to 7 dives. Sometimes it's combined with Cavern to make the combo course 4 days and 10-12 dives. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/uploads/files/sandp/currentYear/TDI/part 2/pdf/individual/TDI Diver Standards_19_Intro_to_Cave_Diver.pdf
3. Become a Full Cave Diver. At a minimum it's 4 days of your life and 8 dives, AND you had to take AN/DP (Advanced Nitrox/Deco Procedures) somewhere before full cave (see post above about AN/DP). More often then not it's going to be 5 or 6 days of your life and 8-10 dives. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/uploads/files/sandp/currentYear/TDI/part 2/pdf/individual/TDI Diver Standards_20_Full_Cave_Diver.pdf
4. Gain experience before becoming a Cavern Instructor. With every agency EXCEPT PADI, you must have logged 100 cave dives AFTER you have completed Full Cave to become a cavern instructor. You should also assist with a couple of classes during this time.
5. Become a Cavern Instructor. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/uploads/files/sandp/currentYear/TDI/part 3/pdf/individual/TDI Leadership Standards_17_Cavern_Instructor.pdf
6. Gain experience. This includes diving and teaching. You must have logged 150 cave dives after your full cave class before you become an Intro to Cave instructor. You must also teach 3 cavern courses before you can become an Intro to Cave instructor. I would also encourage any potential instructor candidate to assist with a couple of classes during this time.
7. Become an Intro to Cave Instructor. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/uploads/files/sandp/currentYear/TDI/part 3/pdf/individual/TDI Leadership Standards_18_Intro_to_Cave_Instructor.pdf
8. Gain experience. Before you can become a Full Cave Instructor you must have logged 200 cave dives after your full cave class before you can take the IE AND you must have taught at least 3 intro to cave classes AND you must assist with a full cave class AND you must get a letter from a Full Cave Instructor (that is not going to be your evaluator) saying you are ready to do.
9. Become a Full Cave Instructor. https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/uploads/files/sandp/currentYear/TDI/part 3/pdf/individual/TDI Leadership Standards_19_Full_Cave_Instructor.pdf
Realistically, the highly motivated person that is diving and teaching almost every day, could potentially go from "Tech Zero" to "Full Cave Instructor" within a year. Maybe a little quicker. During that year you will become a full cave diver (minimum of 12 days of your life with AN/DP in there), log 200 cave dives, assist with a cavern course (2 days of your life), do an cavern instructor evaluation (2 days of your life), teach three cavern courses (6 days of your life), assist with an intro course (2 days of your life), do an intro to cave instructor evaluation (2 days of your life), teach 3 intro courses (6 days of your life), assist with a full cave course (4 days of your life) and do an instructor evaluation (2 to 4 days of your life). And these are MINIMUMS.
Whew.
The way to full cave instructor can be longer if you don't live near caves and have to travel to do some cavedives.
Let's have a look at the different path what is possible if you aren't able to do every week cavediving:
Do cavern, intro, full cave in 1 week. Some call this zero to hero. It is possible if you are good enough. So this takes 7 days and some traveldays.
Then gain experience. With IANTD to become intro to cave instructor you must have at least 100 cave dives. For cavern I don't know exactly by head, but it is a 2 day course/exam.
Let's say you go 1 week cavediving a year and do 12 cavedives. This means then it takes some years to get the 100 dives. If you like it, you can do more weeks of cavediving so it can be done faster. The first question is: if you are only able to do 12 cavedives a year, can you stay current? The answer is no, then enjoy cavediving for fun and forget becoming instructor. To become instructor you must be really motivated and like cave diving.
Then you have to assist in courses and do the instructor exam.
Teach some intro courses and apply for the full cave instructor path.
If you like cavediving, this will take some years if you don't live near caves. But if you want to, it is not impossible. I did my tdi cave course in 1 week in thailand (cavern, intro and full cave). Then went home as certified cavediver. Where I live are no caves, they are a 12 hour drive away and in 3.5-4 hours we have some mines. So I started minediving first and drove to France for cavediving 2 times a year. So I came at around 50 cavedives a year. 4 years later I decided I wanted to become iantd cave instructor (I started as advanced recreational trimix instructor and when I decided I wanted also become cave instructor I was already normoxic instructor), so went in april and october to France to assist and do my instructor course. The next year I did my ccr mod1 instructor course (I already was ccr cave diver also) and went for 19 days to Florida to dive and to do the ccr instructor course. So for me it took 4 years.
The trimix path started with adv. nitrox and adv. rec. trimix first, then certify 12 people and then do normoxic. I did this 1 year later. The next year I did full trimix. So took me 3 years. But also 4 years after being certified as full trimix diver.
The ccr part was 2 years after being certified as ccr diver (I did the mod1 and mod3 in 3.5 months), in april the mod1 instructor, the next year the trimix level.
For me I did sometimes cave and a trimix level in 1 year, that is also possible as it are different disciplines. From the first instructor level at adv. rec. trimix till what I can teach now (tx oc, full cave, sidemount, solo, ccr mod3 and adv. cave sidemount) it took 5 years and costs a lot of money and time. Have been to Belgium, Germany, Austria, France, Florida for my instructor courses. But I am passionated.
The nearest full trimix lake is a 1000km drive. Or for wrecks 1400km. Caves 1200 km.
But you really must like technical diving, otherwise you will get a burnout.
Let's have a look at the different path what is possible if you aren't able to do every week cavediving:
Do cavern, intro, full cave in 1 week. Some call this zero to hero. It is possible if you are good enough. So this takes 7 days and some traveldays.
Then gain experience. With IANTD to become intro to cave instructor you must have at least 100 cave dives. For cavern I don't know exactly by head, but it is a 2 day course/exam.
Let's say you go 1 week cavediving a year and do 12 cavedives. This means then it takes some years to get the 100 dives. If you like it, you can do more weeks of cavediving so it can be done faster. The first question is: if you are only able to do 12 cavedives a year, can you stay current? The answer is no, then enjoy cavediving for fun and forget becoming instructor. To become instructor you must be really motivated and like cave diving.
Then you have to assist in courses and do the instructor exam.
Teach some intro courses and apply for the full cave instructor path.
If you like cavediving, this will take some years if you don't live near caves. But if you want to, it is not impossible. I did my tdi cave course in 1 week in thailand (cavern, intro and full cave). Then went home as certified cavediver. Where I live are no caves, they are a 12 hour drive away and in 3.5-4 hours we have some mines. So I started minediving first and drove to France for cavediving 2 times a year. So I came at around 50 cavedives a year. 4 years later I decided I wanted to become iantd cave instructor (I started as advanced recreational trimix instructor and when I decided I wanted also become cave instructor I was already normoxic instructor), so went in april and october to France to assist and do my instructor course. The next year I did my ccr mod1 instructor course (I already was ccr cave diver also) and went for 19 days to Florida to dive and to do the ccr instructor course. So for me it took 4 years.
The trimix path started with adv. nitrox and adv. rec. trimix first, then certify 12 people and then do normoxic. I did this 1 year later. The next year I did full trimix. So took me 3 years. But also 4 years after being certified as full trimix diver.
The ccr part was 2 years after being certified as ccr diver (I did the mod1 and mod3 in 3.5 months), in april the mod1 instructor, the next year the trimix level.
For me I did sometimes cave and a trimix level in 1 year, that is also possible as it are different disciplines. From the first instructor level at adv. rec. trimix till what I can teach now (tx oc, full cave, sidemount, solo, ccr mod3 and adv. cave sidemount) it took 5 years and costs a lot of money and time. Have been to Belgium, Germany, Austria, France, Florida for my instructor courses. But I am passionated.
The nearest full trimix lake is a 1000km drive. Or for wrecks 1400km. Caves 1200 km.
But you really must like technical diving, otherwise you will get a burnout.
I asked first, wait for your turn!!!
LOL: The OP did not read my offer, or at least did not bother to reply.
However, it was serious.
You're always welcome to audit a class you know!
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