DevonDiver
N/A
Bear in mind that the Tec40 (along with many Adv Nitrox course equivalents) allow participants to dive with a single cylinder. However, the cylinder must be fitted with an 'H' or 'Y' valve for redundancy (two independant regulators).
Whilst I do not recommend that for students who have any inclination to progress onto further technical training, it may be just fine for divers who just want to sharpen up their recreational diving and allow for some very minor deco (or extra capacity to deal with emergency deco). If you may go onto subsequent technical courses, you are far better served by getting your initial tuition in full technical rig.
Tec 40 Equipment Requirements
The following lists the equipment that is required for the Tec 40 course.
• Any one of the following appropriately labeled and marked options:
- A single cylinder with a dual outlet valve (eg H valve or Y valve).
- A single cylinder with single outlet valve and a pony bottle. Pony bottle should have same gas as main cylinder, or be breathable at the deepest planned dive depth. The minimum size cylinder is one with a free gas capacity of 850 litres/30 cubic feet.
- Back mounted doubles with dual isolator manifold
- Two side mounted cylinders (sidemount configuration)
• Two complete regulators, one with a two metre/seven foot hose for air sharing and one with SPG. Where two, unmanifolded cylinders are used (sidemount or pony bottle), each regulator must have an SPG, carried and/or marked in such a way as to avoid confusion between them.
• Stage/deco cylinder with attachment hardware and a single second stage regulator and SPG. Note: It is recommended that each diver have and use individual stage/deco cylinders. However, it is acceptable for students to practice required skills with a shared cylinder.
• BCD with D-rings or other attachment points for a stage/deco cylinder. (See note below.)
• Two dive computers, or one computer with a backup timer and depth gauge with dive tables.
• Exposure suit appropriate for environment and dive duration (if students will use dry suits, they should be trained/experienced in their use in recreational diving prior to using them for tec training or diving).
• Argon dry suit inflation system (as needed for environment)
• Weight system (If required. Note: Students and staff should weight for the contingency of decompressing with near-empty cylinders.)
• Jon line (as needed for environment)
• Inflatable signal tube, whistle and/or other visual and audible surface signaling devices. Note that a sausage type DSMB may double for the inflatable signal tube.
• Reel and lift bag (bright yellow preferred) or DSMB. A suitable DSMB has sufficient buoyancy to help steady a diver during a drifting decompression, and is unlikely to spill when deployed from the underwater.
• Knife/cutting device and back up
• Slate
• Back up mask (optional)
• Compass
• Lights (optional – as required for dive environment)
• Backup buoyancy control – the student must have a reliable means for controlling buoyancy and maintaining decompression stops in midwater with a failed primary BCD. This is usually accomplished with a backup BCD (double wings) or, when using light weight cylinders, the use of a dry suit is permitted.
Note that in cases where the student is carrying a relatively small quantity of overall weight (e.g., a single cylinder only) one source of buoyancy control may be acceptable at the instructor’s discretion, provided that there is a reliable alternative method for maintaining decompression stops, such as ascending along a mooring line or decompressing on the bottom if topography allows.
