Rec to Cave: Training and Equipment

[Max Speed]

Depending upon how long you plan to stay at intro level... several agencies will expire your doubles cert after one year. TDI does not.

 

[Germie]

I started with a twinset after my dm course. Did an adv. nitrox course and then the cavern-intro-full cave course in once. I had about 180 dives with a twinset before doing the cave course. A friend decided to join me on the cave course and did not have any doubles experience (only an aow card). We moved the course a little bit so we had 6 months to dive a twinset for her. Every time possible we borrowed a wing and twinset so she could get used to dive with it. She has done about 50 dives with doubles and then did successfully the cave course.
An intro to tech course can be usefull. It is your choice and how often you can dive/practise.

 

[Doppler]

I would be doing the cave training in north central Florida and I can easily travel down to the keys for the tec trainning.

For some totally unfathomable reason, I thought you were based in Europe.

OK, it's my belief that Cave training is the foundation of ALL technical diving... the skills that form the basic building blocks for all types of technical / advanced diving, were designed in the overhead environment. Therefore, my advice would be to focus on Cavern / Cave and see where that takes you.

Most instructors will put together for you a suggested schedule to get "there from here" based on a initial assessment of your awareness and inwater skills. Get that done in gear you are used to, then follow a plan regarding backmounted doubles, sidemount, CCR or super-long snorkel... take your time. Speak to active, working, experienced instructors who are not focused on pushing you far and fast to earn a buck.

Good luck.

 

[FinnMom]

There are a lot of basic skills you can hone yourself or training with a buddy: bouyancy control while doing tasks, valve drills, SMB/reel/spool handling, different kicks and even travelling single file and communicating effectively with lights. The more you have down pat the more new, interesting and challenging things you will have time to do in your cavern or cave class. Arrive with your "homework" well done and you will get vastly more out of the class.
If you don't have someone who can teach you these skills to then practise on your own, maybe you should hire an instructor just for this or try an Intro to Tech class. I would recommend having these things down pretty well before going into cavern or cave 1; you can learn it there too but you could do so much more if this isn't necessary.

 

[nimoh]

Depending upon how long you plan to stay at intro level... several agencies will expire your doubles cert after one year. TDI does not.

which agencies?

I have never even heard of a doubles certification.

 

[uncfnp]

There are a lot of basic skills you can hone yourself or training with a buddy: bouyancy control while doing tasks, valve drills, SMB/reel/spool handling, different kicks and even travelling single file and communicating effectively with lights. The more you have down pat the more new, interesting and challenging things you will have time to do in your cavern or cave class. Arrive with your "homework" well done and you will get vastly more out of the class.
If you don't have someone who can teach you these skills to then practise on your own, maybe you should hire an instructor just for this or try an Intro to Tech class. I would recommend having these things down pretty well before going into cavern or cave 1; you can learn it there too but you could do so much more if this isn't necessary.

The down side of this approach, other than not needing an SMB in cave, is learning these skills wrong or developing bad habits. A skilled mentor, yes, a dive bud, not so much.

 

[ucfdiver]

which agencies?

I have never even heard of a doubles certification.

I believe the NACD/CDS still limit intro with doubles to one year and then it reverts back to intro in a single tank. Ginnie Springs is the only site I know of which has ever enforced this rule and even they are hit and miss.

 

[Max Speed]

which agencies?

I have never even heard of a doubles certification.

NSS/CDS, NACD for certain.

 

[halocline]

I never heard of the 'doubles certification' course but I remember different restrictions for the use of doubles and single tanks for cavern and intro, something like penetration limits of 1/3 tank pressure for single tank, 1/6 for doubles in the intro class.

 

[uncfnp]

I never heard of the 'doubles certification' course but I remember different restrictions for the use of doubles and single tanks for cavern and intro, something like penetration limits of 1/3 tank pressure for single tank, 1/6 for doubles in the intro class.

To my limited knowledge, this is (bold added) true for NSS-CDS and PSAI. Interestingly, at least in the workbook, NSS-CDS differentiates Intro Cave (single cylinder) and Basic Cave (doubles). In either cases (1/3 for singles, 1/6 for doubles) the penetration limit is identical. I see nothing in the workbook and don't remember hearing anything during my cavern course through NSS-CDS about Into Cave (or doubles) having time limitations. I know that Intro Cave with PSAI is not time limited.

However Appendtice is time limited to 1 year for both PSAI and NSS-CDS then reverts to lower level.