Suggestion Wreck diving

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Rhone Man

Rhone Man

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It has always slightly bothered me that Wreck diving is a sub-forum of the T2T forum. It means that if anyone wants to start a thread about a wreck diving issue, even if it is nothing to do with Tec diving (say: wreck preservation, or most popular wreck dives, or whether the PADI wreck diver specialty is worth it) then they either have to limit it to the Tec community, or they have to squeeze it into some less appropriate forum.

I think two wreck diving forums might be excessive, but might it be possible to "elevate" wreck diving into a less restrictive forum?
 
Very good topic Rhone Man!

I am a PADI Wreck Specialty Instructor, and was "taught" how to teach PADI Wreck Specialty by a brand new PADI Course Director who had just become PADI CD quicker (from non diver to CD) than any PADI CD in history (at that time). It seems highly unlikely that Simon had a Tech Wreck cert. He and I even did a no-reel penetration of the Duane, up the staircase to the wheel house and out a window (iirc), while my MSDT Prep classmates waited outside. They are also PADI Wreck Specialty Instructors, but I do not know if they have ever been inside a wreck.

Then I went off to Hawaii, where I have guided recreational divers on many "wreck dives", some hundreds of times, including minor no-reel penetrations, although I have never certified a PADI Wreck Specialty Diver.

:idk:

By the way Rhone Man; did you initially post this thread here or was it moved here?
 
It's definitely worth consideration.

Wreck diving is a very broad spectrum of activities and interests. I do feel there is a place for 'technical' wreck diving discussion - mainly focusing on the penetration aspects. However, bringing wreck diving discussions into the line-of-sight of non-technical divers would definitely contribute towards increasing awareness and safety. It'd also open up debates on other wreck diving issues, as Rhone Man has mentioned.

I think that a fairly large proportion of the serious diving community are very attracted to wreck diving. In many areas, that is the primary choice of diving location.

For those reasons, my opinion is that we should have a distinct 'wreck diving' forum - with sub-categories differentiating stuff like:

Recreational Wreck (defined as; no more than 40m linear from surface, daylight zone, no restrictions - aligned to recreational wreck courses)
Technical Wreck (defined as; all beyond recreational wreck - aligned to technical wreck courses)
Wreck Preservation & History (defined as; non-diving topics relating to historical and conservation issues regarding ship wrecks&#8203:wink:
 
If this were elevated to a higher level sub-forum. Which main forum should it go under?

Is it an underwater activity or should it be in Scuba Diving Central?

If it was elevated to a 2nd level sub-forum (instead of a 3rd level now) - what about other specialty types of diving that are also 3rd level forums.

(just for clarity)

Top Level forum is like:

ScubaBoard Matrix
Scuba Diving Central

Second Level is:

Basic Scuba Discussions
Technical Diving Specialties

Third Level:

Side Mount
Cave Diving
Wreck Diving

etc....
 
Rename, or just re-define, Advanced Diving into 'Specialist Diving Activities'

Chuck them all in there at 3rd level.... cavern, wreck, side-mount, ice - aligned to 'main agency' recreational courses & limits


Leave the tech-specific (different alignment) ones in the relative tech areas. i.e. tech wreck, cave and deco
 
Rename, or just re-define, Advanced Diving into 'Specialist Diving Activities'

Chuck them all in there at 3rd level.... cavern, wreck, side-mount, ice - aligned to 'main agency' recreational courses & limits


Leave the tech-specific (different alignment) ones in the relative tech areas. i.e. tech wreck, cave and deco

A lot of "adult discussion" could happen in a "Seriously" Advanced forum ... kayak, adv nitrox, recreational trimix ...

That said, the emergence of mainstream solo courses at a recreational level does present a case that the activity is no longer deemed as a 'technical' activity.

I think (and surprisingly agree with Halemano) that Solo could move into the bailiwick of the Advanced forum. It'd look nice sitting next to 'nitrox' and 'recreational trimix' sub-forums.

Wow... how modern would we be then! :D
 
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