New PADI Specialty

PADI introduced a new Specialty for divers that are interested in testing the water in tec. Details are below, I'll publish a schedule of my first class soon.

PADI Tec Basics

(New this August 2007)

Course Overview: The course is designed to be a bridge from PADI courses to DSAT courses providing recreational divers an opportunity to gain exposure to tec diving and learn and practice entry level tec diving skills. It introduces recreational divers to tec diving without them having to make the larger commitment (in terms of equipment, time and cost) of the DSAT Tec Deep course. PADI Tec Basics dive scope is within recreational limits, using segments from DSAT Tec Deep 1. Likewise, this specialty course may be credited toward DSAT Tec Level 1. In addition, the course provides DSAT Instructors a recognition level for students who choose not to continue on to full technical training.

Diver Prerequisites

1. PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or qualifying prerequisite certification.

2. PADI Enriched Air Diver or qualifying prerequisite certification.

PADI Rescue Diver is recommended.

Student Equipment Requirements

1. High capacity single cylinder with Y or H valve. Twins with dual manifold and isolator valve are recommended.

2. Primary and secondary regulators – primary regulator must have seven foot / two meter hose for air sharing.

3. SPG

4. Harness with shoulder and rigid hip D-rings.

5. BCD – wings (redundant buoyancy is not required for this course; however, students should be aware that redundant buoyancy device is required for Tec Diver 1)

6. Dive Computer

7. Appropriate Exposure Suit

8. Weight System

9. Dive Reel

10. Knife / cutting device

11. Slate

12. Compass

13. Lift Bag

Required Student Materials

DSAT Tec Deep Diver Manual

Minimum Age:

18 years of age

Maximum depth:

80 feet.

Dives (Confined Water)

2 dives

Dives (Open Water)

2 dives

Academic Content:

Students must read chapters one and two in the Tec Deep Diver manual and complete the Knowledge Reviews for each. This must be done as pre-study. There will be one classroom session to review missed questions on Knowledge Reviews and any other questions students have.

Practical Applications:

Divers learn how to calculate turn pressures based on rule of 3rds, SAC rates, standard gear configuration and additional tec diving basics

Confined Water:

Conduct Training Dives One and Two as outlined in the Tec Deep Dive manual where divers practice shut-off drills, S-drills, deco bottle staging and deployment of lift bags.

Open Water:

Repeat Training Dives One and Two in open water applying the skills to the open water environment. Students calculate a turn pressure based on thirds and write it on their slate. Students also list the skills for each dive on their slate.

Course Credit:

Since the PADI Distinctive Specialty Tec Basics is actually a portion of the DSAT Tec Diver 1 course, Tec Basics may credit toward Tec Diver 1. Tec Basics divers should know that if they choose to move up to Tec Diver 1, their instructor may request a repeat of some confined water sessions and practical application sessions, depending on the interim between Tec Basics certification and the start of Tec Deep 1. Divers who do not complete Tec Basics in doubles and / or have not been diving in a technical rig should have sufficient time for practice in doubles prior to doing any dives in open water. Training Dives One and Two, Practical Applications One and Two and Knowledge Reviews One and Two may be credited toward Tec Diver 1.

What's so Technical about Tec Diving?

Tec Diving, DIR, GUE, Hogarthian, Cave Diving, Wreck Diving, CCR, Open Circut Twins.... The list of terms goes on.
So how does Tec Diving differ from "recreational diving? The simple explanation is that technical diving is that diving world that lives beyond the standard recreational world we learned about in our Open Water Course. It often includes depths beyond the recreational standard limits of 130 feet; or dive times that require decompression stops. Essentially, if you couldn't do a CESA (Controlled Emergency Surface Accent) without harming yourself you are entering in to the area of tec.
So, what's the "tech" part of the sport? Well, the technical aspects come into play when you consider that without the opportunity to "humm" yourself to the surface if things went bad you need to have a plan, gear, skills and experience to get home ok. Let's look at each of those to see how the tech gets into the label.

• Dive Plan In the Open Water course you learned how to use a set of dive tables to calculate your nitrogen loading, surface interval and maximum NDL (No Decompression Limits). In Tec Diving, you not only calculate your nitrogen loading; but your gas usage and needs, alternate gas switches and any decompression stops if necessary. Plus, a set of plans if you happen to go too long or have to go too deep.


• Tec Gear In recreational diving we get by with a dive that if we forgot something; or a piece of equipment failed we would just end our dive an go home... with technical diving we may not have that option. So the gear and configuration of that gear needs to provide life support even if we had something really bad happen like blowing a high-pressure hose at depth.


• Dive Skills This and experience are probably the most overlooked and dangerous elements of technical diving. You can go buy a set of twins. You can plan to dive to 185 feet. You can stay down there for 20 minutes...But, if something was to happen would you instinctively know what to do. Remember, you'll be narc'd, scared and flustered. That's why most good Tec Classes are intensive and expensive. If you want to get Cave Certified; it's a week long course and they will screw with you. Period. Too many dead cave divers.


• Experience So you take a tec course, get certified to dive to 165' now what. You should build experience and keep the skills fresh.
  

Alright, so is Tec Diving for everyone? Absolutely not. But it is the way to safely dive beyond 130'. It is the way to have a 45 minute dive at 90' in Truk on the wrecks. It is the way to venture into gin-clear caves. And it is the way to venture into wrecks and see how the inside of a shipwreck looks. I would argue that it's the only way to do those things.