With GUE as a non-diver, the first levels to be completed before a technical diver training are Recreational Diver 1 to a maximum depth of 21m. After completing the course the Fundamental Rec Pass can be completed which is teaching the basic fundamental skills for a diver and prepares the diver for the Fundamental Tech Pass.
Gear - While the gear remains the same, divers taking an introductory tech class, such as Sidemount, Intro to Tech or CCR air diluent, will notice some configuration differences. Instead of two second stages on one cylindrical, they're divided between two with a separate initial stage for each. The gas planning becomes a more in-depth process, and the harnesses appear to have more chrome.
If you don't want to dive locally but still wish to support your local dive shop you can complete eLearning coursework and training in your home country. To request a referral to your local PADI Dive Center, please contact us.
My first pool sessions were difficult. I felt like an open-water diver once more, strapped into twin tanks and trying valve drills. The Tec 40 and 45 courses were difficult at first, but I soon found that new skills became natural and I enjoyed the course. The joy of Tec diving lies in taking your diving skills, buoyancy, and awareness to the next level. The feeling of knowing that you are capable of handling life-threatening situations at depth and without needing to descend to the surface (dues to decompression requirements) can be quite satisfying. It's satisfying to execute your dive plans with military precision.
While I still haven’t mastered this art quite yet, I am proud to say that after 20 Sidemount dives I am excited to call myself a Sidemount diver and think it is the most comfortable way to dive!
Divers using decompression oxygen mix all types can extend their time looking at wrecks or reefs on the oceanfloor. The sport diver may be limited to two short dives at 100ft. A decompression diver can cruise the seas for 60 minutes or longer, getting more bang for his buck.
Do you want to share the experience? PADI eLearning (r) can be purchased online and shared with a person of your choice. You can purchase the course for a gift or assign it to family members. It's easy!
And then there are the rebreathers…a rebreather is a machine that recycles exhaled gas and is the preferred method for ‘very’ deep dives in order to use the gas carried more efficiently. In this case the exhaled gas is going thru a canister filled with a chemical which is called Sofnolime or scrubber to remove CO2 from the breathing loop and the remaining gas will be inhaled again by the diver. Metabolised oxygen is replaced into the loop to keep the oxygen content in the divers’ body at the desired pressure.
You must be at least a level of fitness and health to dive. You may need to have written permission from your physician if you have chronic health issues, take certain medications or are recovering from recent surgery.
Continue on to the Tec Sidemount Diver program. Here you'll learn additional skills, such switching deco cylinders, and stage and switch deco cylinders.
The benefits of rebreathers include the ability to extend your diving time by avoiding large cylinders and instead recycling the gas exhaled from the diver. They also scrub the CO2 out of the air and inject prescriptive amounts gas from smaller cylinders. This can significantly increase your dive time, especially for deep dives. The configuration of the rebreathers will determine the shape they create. They can be either sidemounted or back.
You can learn the SSI technical diver course and dive with up to four tanks (cylinders), for extended dives. The technical sidemount diver class is a great way for you to start technical diving. You will learn how to manage multiple cylinders during one dive. Also, learn how to configure your sidemount gear and set up a tec harness.
Sidemount Diver was, I must admit, one of the most difficult courses I have ever taken. My instructor Fiona and Big Blue Tech in Koh Tao were able to include a lot more skills as well as dives into my course. We practiced many skills, including mask removal, tank deployment underwater, out-of-air drills and SMB deployment. All the while keeping my trim.
What are you waiting to do? Find a TDI instructor near you today: https://www.tdisdi.com/search/?area=instructors
Have a PADI Deep Specialty Instructor certification or have completed a PADI Deep Specialty Instructor course. Have at least 100 logged dives, including at least 20 enriched air dives, 25 dives deeper than 18 meters/60 feet, and 15 dives deeper than 30 meters/100 feet. You can become a Tec 45 diver.
According to experts, approximately 40% of technical divers enroll in additional education and training programs. This yields a reasonable estimate of approximately 160,000 active technical divers worldwide.
from 170 to 350 feet
While conventional scuba diving has a recommended maximum depth of 130 feet, technical divers may work at depths ranging from 170 feet to 350 feet, and sometimes even deeper.