There are several more agencies that provide technical diver training which are more region specific. In general the recommendation is to find a reputable instructor, look for recommendations from trusted sources and choose your instructor accordingly. Trust and comfort during the course are invaluable and will help you to feel confident and comfortable to push your boundaries and gain the knowledge you need to go beyond your current certification level.
One of the big risks for a technical diver is decompression sickness. It occurs when nitrogen gas cannot exit the body thru respiration on ascent as the ambient pressure decreases. Therefore stops have to be executed on ascent in order to avoid a pressure difference too big so nitrogen bubbles can be formed. Buoyancy control is very important to control the stops on ascent and increase efficiency for off-gassing of nitrogen. Another important skill is proper breathing which makes metabolism efficient. Trim, which we call a proper tech diving position such as horizontal with a slight arch in the back, looking forward and knees at a 90 degree angle with fins pointing back. Trim prevents stirring up sediments on the bottom as well as most efficient movement in the water. And of course proper finning techniques to avoid overexertion are mandatory to make a diver achieve maximum performance. Now you might say, we want to have fun when we go diving and not be a machine.
Although the gear selection is important, entry level tech divers will learn how to streamline their equipment and prevent drag. This maximizes propulsion efficiency and awareness.
Although we can teach the SDI course if specifically requested, by default we offer the TDI one. It is possible to take this as a standalone program; however, our students generally combine this with our Apprentice Cave Diver course.
Sidemount diving has become very popular in open water. It is more comfortable than having a tank on the back and allows you to have more fun.
This scuba diving course is also offered by another agency, PADI tec sidemount diving.
How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver LtdSidemount BCDs are a harness that has a bladder and an intricate system of sliding D rings, bungee cables, and clips. They are important for the tank position and trimming later in the water. Your instructor will likely spend quite some time making sure they fit perfectly.
The Sidemount setup for diving is slightly different to the backmount setup, and the equipment is also slightly different.
Sidemount diving requires only an Open Water Diver to begin. Although it's important to have excellent buoyancy and trim, you should also be able handle your equipment independently. Sidemount diving offers a whole new level of skill and equipment setup.
Technical diving can still be fun but is not recommended for anyone who wants to go deeper. Cave and decompression diving are more dangerous. You can reduce this risk by training and planning well in advance. Divers who do these dives are expected to be of a higher standard. Technical diving requires practice. You can't learn enough by reading and researching. Divers will find that the minimum standards for diving are often exceeded during training and technical instructors may do this. Technical training teaches divers redundancy. Problems can be solved from 1500ft within a cave. Then, an exit to the surface is possible. This is a crucial aspect of diving in this environment. It sounds complicated and scary. Technical training is both challenging and fun. It also gives divers the opportunity to explore parts of the globe that are not accessible to them.
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
I’ve just arrived on Malapascua Island in the Philippines, where over the next two months I’ll work my way up to becoming a Tec diving instructor. I’ve been a recreational instructor in Bali for the last two years and want to expand my experience and professional dive résumé. My first taste of technical diving was at Sidemount PCB, where PADI course director and Tec instructor-trainer Tom West molded me into a Tec-50 diver.
Sidemount has many benefits, but it is particularly well-suited for cave diving. (It was cave divers who invent sidemount. These benefits include:
Another scuba diving agency might be of interest to you: PADItec sidemount diving course.
2-3 hours
Even with small cylinders, you can usually dive for 2-3 hours (rebreathers typically have two 2/3l cylinders or one 3/5l cylinder).
5-6 days
Rebreather training classes are typically 5-6 days long, but can be longer depending on a variety of factors such as the training agency, your local conditions, your instructor, and your ability to meet the class standards.
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.