Dive gear question
- Thread starter hackman72
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Corigan;446418 wrote: Yeah he did a great job. When you said you highlight dive tables you aren't kidding..
gotten much water time in lately? looking at a couple of trips have an oportunity to make a palau trip for under $3000 for 10 day trip this fall also have a friend asking if I would like to join on a phlippean trip says he goes every few years trip excluding airfare is around $550 for a week and says that even includes rental girlfriend (his terminology not mine)
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I am certified through ssi and my dad is through naui. I got great deals on my equipment through my local dive shop. Used of course but the entire set up was just used for training in their pool never have had a problem out of it.
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SSI did not even teach or try to sell me a computer they kept me strictly with tables. I took my lessons around 2003.
I am speaking without officially checking the facts but I believe the only 2 major certifying agencies still teaching tables are PADI and NAUI which despite all the good natured ribbing are more similar in their instructional approaches than they are dissimiliar. I believe SSI went to teaching computer diving around 2006 I will check that and if I am wrong will post a retraction.
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2006 maybe but i learned tables from them when i got certified cant remember the year right now.
I was certified a 'long' time ago. My instructor was a Navy Seal and I received 5 certifications including the 3 majors at the time, NAUI, PADI and YMCA. The course was a gruelling 10 or 12 weeks (3 hours/wk) plus weekly dive sessions every saturday morning. These guys tied us up with rope with foil in our mask, until we could get free without 'freaking out' (occasionally pulling the regulator out). Do they still do that? From talking to some folks it sounds like training is more staged now (beg/interm/deep water/advanced/etc?). After my course, the only things left (as I remember) were advanced diver (decomp dives and re-breathers), rescue diving, cave diving and dive master. Is there an update/refresher course you can do? How long/schedule/load/hours per week? (like everyone I'm a busy guy) How much?
I got certified at Seaventure. The staff was great. I'd recommend that you rent your equipment for the first couple of dives just to try out a couple of different brands and types. My first open water dive was in Cozumel. Joined a group of experienced instructors and had no problem at all diving the wall and drifting with them.
Certainly don't buy your tanks. A waste of money unless you dive locally -- and I don't recommend Lanier except for basic training. I almost got run over by a boater who ignored the dive flags and another time got entangled in fishing line while diving about 50 ft down to recover an anchor. Luckily I always carry a knife and got free (had a buddy of course but visibility was nil).
Certainly don't buy your tanks. A waste of money unless you dive locally -- and I don't recommend Lanier except for basic training. I almost got run over by a boater who ignored the dive flags and another time got entangled in fishing line while diving about 50 ft down to recover an anchor. Luckily I always carry a knife and got free (had a buddy of course but visibility was nil).
No, today's courses are almost too easy. SSI (used by Seaventures) shows you a dive table as a historical element and then proceeds to teach with a computer. The students that are certified these days can be scary. Most recent dive in Anguilla had a newly wed couple on their first open water dive. She took 20 minutes (truth!) to get down because of clearing problems. He meanwhile was off exploring the wreck by himself. No partner, no concern for himself or other divers. They had expensive shiny new equipment however! LOL
Dive equipment is a very personal thing; a lot like underware. It will feel different to you than it does anyone else. SO find equipment that will function in the enviornments you plan to dive in, leaving room for expanding your dive profile comfort level, and feels good. Being uncomfortable is one of the most common causes of panic and panic is the number one diver killer.
Second, make sure the equipment is readily servicable locally. It is importnat that your equipmnet get regular service to be a peek performance.
Name brand is not always the best choice. I know my wife has been through three AL regulators. All were garbage. I wouldn't let my enemies use them.
Talk to other divers and get thier impressions of equipment. Divers will be brutally honest about equipment perfromance. But ultimatly you need to find the equipmnet that fits your dive style at a perfromance level that will keep you safe.
I've had my equipment for nearly 18 years. Still servicable, still in top shape and still out perfroms many of the new rigs onthe market today. BUt that is my opinion and now you just need to form yours.
Good luck ! Diving is both an adventure and a discipline
Second, make sure the equipment is readily servicable locally. It is importnat that your equipmnet get regular service to be a peek performance.
Name brand is not always the best choice. I know my wife has been through three AL regulators. All were garbage. I wouldn't let my enemies use them.
Talk to other divers and get thier impressions of equipment. Divers will be brutally honest about equipment perfromance. But ultimatly you need to find the equipmnet that fits your dive style at a perfromance level that will keep you safe.
I've had my equipment for nearly 18 years. Still servicable, still in top shape and still out perfroms many of the new rigs onthe market today. BUt that is my opinion and now you just need to form yours.
Good luck ! Diving is both an adventure and a discipline
Sadly enough I like diving lanier. I guess to each there own. Anywhere under 30' and it's freezing and fishing line hazard. I have been entagled a few times. Jetski people and boats are rather crazy. Nobody knows what a dive flag is out there. However in the summer cruising the shallows at 10-15 feet along the shoreline is a blast. Nice warm water (I diving in my swimming trunks/t-shirt alot when I am out there), lots of fish up in the rocks due to the warm water and it's cheap (if you got all your gear and such). Sometimes I go out there in the summer months with a set of doubles and just pull good 3-4 hr dives in the shallow water. To each there own, it's still getting wet and there is some cool stuff to look at above the thermocline in the summer. Crayfish, Sunfish, Bass, Catfish, Stripers, etc are all seen doing their thing. Anywhere under the thermocline and it is a pretty miserable dive.
you are harkening back to the day when instructors prided themselves on the amount of students they forced to drop out or they flunked out.
Which is exactly why John Cronin started Padi, he got tired of not being able to sell dive gear since he was a outside salesman for U.S. Divers. Refresher courses are available thru any dive organization and any instructor can get you updated. The refresher will take a weekend of your time and expect about 4 hours in the water.
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