Curricula

Try Doubles

This is an experience dive in confined water for those who would like to try the additional capacity/challenges of using a technical rig. It involves a short discussion, then fitting into a backplate and wing, assembly of a set of doubles, then a dive. Total time is about two hours with about an hour and a quarter or so in water. No skills are required, no card is issued, but the instructor will demonstrate some basic skills including: trim, buoyancy, propulsion techniques and air sharing, allowing students to participate as desired. Additional demonstrations of technical gear and techniques may be presented as time and student desire allow.

Prerequisites:

PADI Advanced Open Water or Equivalent

Cost:

$25/student

Logistics:

Two students/session, maximum

Introduction to Technical Diving

This is the entry course for those interested in getting into technical diving. It is intended to provide the student with the building blocks needed for successful technical diving. It is a prerequisite for advancing to the next level. This course is also suitable for those who wish to broaden their horizons and improve their diving skills in general.

Academic Topics:

Introduction to technical diving

Buoyancy and trim

Equipment configuration

Propulsion Techniques

Situational Awareness

Communication

Dive planning/gas management

Land Drills:

Team organization/protocols

S-Drill, Valve Drill

Equipment familiarity

Propulsion

Pre-dive checks

Surface marker deployment

Required in water skills & drills:

Demonstrate safe attitude throughout.

60ft underwater breath hold swim, swimsuit only.

300yd surface swim in under 14 minutes, swimsuit only.

Participate in pre-dive briefings and post dive de-briefings.

Demonstrate team member awareness.

Demonstrate adequate trim and buoyancy control through all drills.

Proficient mask clearing.

Proficient mask removal and replacement.

Regulator removal, exchange.

Long hose deployment.

Air sharing as both donor and receiver, with both a continued swim and a slow ascent to the surface. (4 drills total).

Demonstrate propulsion suitable for silty environments (frog, modified frog, modified flutter).

Deploy a spool and surface marker.

Valve drill.

Prerequisites:

PADI Advanced Open Water or equivalent & PADI Enriched Air Diver or equivilent

It is strongly recommended that additional buoyancy practice/training have been undertaken.

Equipment:

Class will be conducted in doubles, configured with a long hose and mounted on a backplate/wing. A dry-suit is not required but is highly desirable. The equipment configuration must be discussed with the instructor prior to enrollment.

Logistics:

There will be one four-hour classroom session with no exam or reviews. There will be one/two confined water dives and four or more open water dives for this course as required for mastery. A maximum of two students will be taken at a time.

Materials:

Instructor provided, also using 5thD-X DVDs for skills demos.

Cost:

$300.00/student includes TDI certification card.

Advanced Nitrox/Deco Procedures

These courses are offered together, though they can be split for students with particular needs. This would have to have advance discussion/approval.

 

The TDI Advanced Nitrox Course qualifies divers to use enriched air nitrox from EAN 21 through EAN 100 to a depth of 40 metres/130 feet during dives that do not require staged decompression.  Advanced Nitrox is also a great course for those wanting to extend their bottom times in shallower depths, such as scientific divers, and is a must for aspiring rebreather and decompression divers. 

The decompression procedures course prepares divers for conducting staged decompression dives using oxygen-rich mixes to accelerate decompression thus extending their available range of bottom times.

Equipment:

Students will be required to obtain the bulk of the required equipment for the course. A complete list is found below.

• Mask: Low Volume, black preferred for low visibility environments, slap strap preferred for low breakage/entanglement.
• Fins: Non Split fins with spring straps.
• Primary Regulator: a quality regulator with a DIN first stage and a seven foot hose. The LP inflator hose for the wing is also attached here and is 22-26. This regulator is attached to the right hand post of a set of doubles.
• Backup regulator: Second stage is mounted on a necklace bungee on a 22-24 hose. The SPG is also attached to the DIN first stage of this regulator on a 24 hose.
• Pressure Gauge: Quality brass gauge should be easy to read and reliable.
• Buoyancy Compensator: Wing style. Non-bungeed, single bladder. Must have appropriate lift.
• Harness and Backplate: Harness should be a single piece with a single sturdy buckle. There should be one D-ring on each shoulder and a single D-ring on the left waist belt. There should be a crotch strap with two D rings, one towards the front and one towards the back. Steel or aluminum backplate.
• Primary Light: Hip-mounted, canister-style light; The light head should include a Goodman handle.
• At least one hand held Back-Up Light. This is mounted on the harness.
• Thermal Suit: Appropriate to keep diver alert and comfortable. A dry suit is needed in Decompression Procedures.
• Blunt cutting device and ability to waist mount it on ones harness.
• Hip mounted pockets for holding spools, wet notes, spare mask etc.
• Alternate Lift Device: One SMB and one lift bag of at least 50LBs capacity required.
• At least one spool with at least 100ft of #26 line on it will be needed. This spool should have knots every 10ft.
• Wrist mounted depth gauge/bottom timer.
• Wrist mounted compass.
• Wet notes or wrist slate.

Prerequisites:

Introduction to Technical Diving or equivalent (like GUE fundamentals, UTD intro to tech, NAUI intro to tech)

Academic Topics (for both):

Advanced Nitrox

1.      Physics

2.      Physiology

3.      Formulas

4.      Equipment

5.      Dive tables

6.      Dive computers

7.      Dive planning

8.      Mixing procedures

9.      Decompression

Decompression Procedures

1.      Physics

2.      Physiology

a.       Mechanics of bubble formation

b.      Advantages of hyperoxic mixes in decompression

c.       Nitrogen absorption/elimination

d.      Carbon dioxide toxicity

e.       Ascent/descent rates

f.        Hyperthermia

g.       Hypothermia

h.       Psychology

i.    Task loading

ii.    Stress

iii.    Panic

iv.    Time management

v.    Equipment

vi.    Team/situational awareness

3.      Decompression options

a.       Air

b.      Nitrox

c.       Oxygen

4.      Equipment considerations

5.      Dive planning

a.       Methods of decompression planning

i.    Computer

ii.    Preprinted tables

iii.    Computer generated tables

iv.    Ratio deco

b.       Gas requirements

c.      Emergency planning

6.      Procedures

a.       Back and decompression gas

b.      Failures and loss

c.       Analysis and logging

d.      Descent

e.       Ascent

f.        Decompression methods

i.    Up-lines

ii.    Reels/lift bags

iii.    Free drifting

iv.    Self contained/surface supply

g.       Support

Land Drills/skills:

1.      Participate in all pre/post-dive briefings

2.      Proficient selection and preparation of appropriate equipment including:

a.       Analysis and labeling of all cylinders

b.      Appropriate testing of all needed components

3.      Proficient pre-dive planning including:

a.       Depth, time and navigation

b.      Demonstrating two methods of decompression planning

c.       Gas planning and team gas matching

Pre-dive in water drills:

1.      START

a.       Bubble check before every dive

b.      S drill as both donor and receiver at least once per day of diving

c.       Modified S-drill when full S drill is not conducted

d.      In water gas matching

e.       Team plan review

In water drills/skills:

Note that during all dives the instructor may, at his discretion, introduce failures to evaluate the dive team's response. The response to these failures will be part of the overall evaluation of the student's readiness to conduct this sort of diving. Failures can include mask loss, buoyancy compensator failure, simulated first and second stage regulator failures, light failures and loss of decompression gas.

 

1.      Demonstrate adequate buoyancy control throughout.

2.      Demonstrate adequate team/situational awareness at all times.

3.      Demonstrate comfort in swimming at the surface and underwater with a single stage/decompression bottle.

4.      Demonstrate dropping and picking up a decompression/stage bottle from a fixed line.

5.      Demonstrate a safe and robust gas switch with team confirmation.

6.      Demonstrate team response to deco gas loss (buddy breathing, switch back and forth, pass bottle).

7.      Tired/toxed diver tow at depth and on surface for at least 90ft ea.

8.      Confined water breath hold swim for 20 meters in full gear

9.      Demonstrate the proper deployment of a lift bag/SMB.

10.    Demonstrate an ascent on an SMB/lift bag.

Logistics:

There will be approximately 8 hours of classroom time with knowledge reviews and one examination for Advanced Nitrox and one for Decompression Procedures. There will be one pool session as a review of basic skills and introduction of additional skills (stage handling). There will be a minimum of two shallow open water skills dives, at least four dives to moderate depths, one or more involving simulated decompression, and a pair of decompression dives to between 100-130, depending on conditions. Two students at a time, maximum. The class can be completed in 3-4 weekends depending on the location and the student's progress.

Materials:

The TDI Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures manuals will be required. Students are responsible for obtaining the materials.

Recommended materials include:

1.      5thD-X series of skills DVDs

2.      Dress For Success by Dan MacKay published by GUE

Cost:

$750.00 for both together, $400.00ea if split out. Includes TDI card processing. Does not include materials.

 

Nitrox Gas Blending

This course provides the training required to allows candidates to competently and safely blend Nitrox gas of any mix. The course will train candidates in the proper procedures, equipment requirements and hazards involved in blending Nitrox gases for scuba.

Academic Topics:

1.      Gas blender responsibilities

2.      Diving Gases

3.      Oxygen Handling

a.       O2 hazards

b.      Causes and prevention of O2 fires

c.       O2 system design

4.      Gas production equipment

5.      Mixing techniques

a.       General considerations

b.      Continuous blending systems

c.       Denitrogenated air systems

d.      Pre-mix systems

e.       Partial pressure blending

6.      Oxygen analysis/Cylinder handling

Students are required to complete all knowledge reviews and the final written exam.

Practical Application:

The candidate must blend and analyze five cylinders and have the final result be +- 1% of target.

Materials:

The TDI Nitrox blending manual and a calculator.

Prerequisites:

PADI Nitrox Diver or equivalent.

Logistics:
The class can be completed in a single long day or two 4 hour evening sessions.

Cost:

$250.00 this includes TDI registration. Does not include materials. There is a discount if this is taken with Advanced (Trimix) Gas Blending.

Advanced (Trimix) Gas Blending

This course enables the successful candidate to engage in the blending of all oxygen and helium diving gases. The course will train the candidate in the proper procedures and precautions in the preparation and blending of high quality Nitrox, Heliair, Heliox and Trimix gases.

Academic Topics:

Subject areas are similar to Nitrox Gas Blending with the addition of helium blending considerations. Some of the topics covered are:

Diving Gases

Oxygen Handling

Gas Production Equipment

Mixing Techniques

Analysis

Students are required to complete all knowledge reviews and the final examination.

Practical Application:

Candidates must blend 5 Nitrox cylinders and 3 Trimix cylinders.

Logistics:

This course can be completed in one long day or two 4 hour evening sessions.

Materials:

TDI Advanced Gas Blender manual.

Prerequisites:

Certification as a TDI Nitrox gas blender or equivalent.

Cost:

$275.00 which includes TDI registration. Does not include materials or blending gases (Helium). There is a discount if this is taken with Nitrox Gas Blending.