Depth progression question.

[NWdiver]

don’t mind what it costs

If you're going to dive with people in GUE circles then Fundies /Tech 1 is a good shout. If you don't move in those circles then it's probably not the best solution (although Fundies is never a bad thing to do).

I'd avoid PADI for no other reason than it's too incremental for me, and it leaves out the helium until your at 50m, which is too late in my opinion.

Leaves, TDI / IANTD etc. Find a well recommended instructor, do an ART or AN/He course and dive it to 45m. Then buy a rebreather.

[Chrisch]

The next stage from PADI is decompression training. If you are comfortable to 40m at present then you are ahead of the game and need to start things like gas planning and a bit more understanding of deco requirements.

Any of the entry level "tech" courses will be a good start. Advanced Nitrox or Advanced Recreational Trimix (ART) give a good grounding. I would look at who is available locally rather than get bogged down in which agency to go for. Personally I like some helium beyond 40m and so I would suggest the ART course. It is good for 48m and a bit of deco. Deeper open circuit in expensive as helium is not cheap and you burn so much of it. I'm afraid a lot of people are going to suggest a rebreather at this point. That makes sense if you dive often enough but it's a bit like starting over.

The missus and I did our ART in the Italian lakes. You learn a lot and it is a good and worthwhile thing. We were lucky and got a lot of help with using twin cylinders and so on. Again it is going to be down to the instructor or school and how much time they have and probably who else is on the course with you.

Hopefully someone a bit nearer to you will have some suggestions on schools etc.

[Iain Smith]

If you're going to dive with people in GUE circles then Fundies /Tech 1 is a good shout. If you don't move in those circles then it's probably not the best solution (although Fundies is never a bad thing to do).

I'd avoid PADI for no other reason than it's too incremental for me, and it leaves out the helium until your at 50m, which is too late in my opinion.

Leaves, TDI / IANTD etc. Find a well recommended instructor, do an ART or AN/He course and dive it to 45m. Then buy a rebreather.

It is worth being aware that GUE don’t accept anyone else’s qualifications for progression. If you think you might want to train with GUE, Fundies is where you want to start. That will give you a twin set + nitrox ticket (if not already held). A “tech pass” from Fundies is essentially the only route into Tech 1.

Some have used GUE qualifications as a basis for further training with other agencies, however, I don’t know if these are “recognised” routes, or if instructors look at students on a case-by-case basis.

(For context, my route was BSAC AD+Adv Nitrox, TDI Deco Procedures, TDI Trimix, GUE Fundamentals, GUE Tech 1. A decade and more later, I’ve not quite got round to doing Tech 2, though I stepped sideways to Cave 1 & 2 and might have done a few dives beyond Tech 1 limits (ahem) though most of these have been in caves).

[matt]

From what you have said I would go with my favourite approach of choosing an instructor rather than a course and being guided by them.

Mark Powell is on here, I would start with him. I would also trust he won't sell you something you don't want or need and if another instructor is a better fit he would say so.

Cheers
Matt.

Thanks for all the replies, and apologies for not giving enough info. Just got started posting and seemingly half of Eastern Europe wanted me to back my Swedish leviathan into a nasty site in Acton. I do so love delivering to London...

All my diving is UK based, most of it having taken place on the west coast of Scotland, just shy of 500 dives, quite a few of which have been between 30 and 40 metres. Re-reading my OP, and thinking about the advice so far, it’s probably safer to say that I’m looking at the “next step” from PADI AOW, in terms of depth. I’m not bound to PADI either, and don’t really care who I train with, as long as it’s quality training. Same goes for gear, I’m fully kitted out with loads of cylinders, it’s my fetish, lol, don’t mind what it costs, given that as a Yorkshireman it hurts to spend any amount of money

[DarrenA]

Contact Mark Powell or Ian France. Either of them will explain the options available and both will have you sorted out in a weekend or two at NDAC at Chepstow.

If you are moving to twinset (I assume some kind of twins, indies, sidemount) then make sure the dive centre you choose to dive with abroad can accommodate you. A surprising number dont have any twinsets and dont do that kind of diving.

Lastly, try and find (if you havent already) a buddy who wants to progress the same as you. It makes the post training diving much easier to organise.

Have fun!

[Ian_6301]

Fundies and tech1 was my route, others are available.

Probably the biggest advantage is that I have yet to meet a GUE T1 diver that I wouldn't be happy to be Insta buddied with for a 50 dive...

[Nickpicks]

back my Swedish leviathan into a nasty site in Acton. I do so love delivering to London...
<snip>
given that as a Yorkshireman it hurts to spend any amount of money

Swedish Leviathan
Delivering to London
Yorkshireman...

It's not a blue and white Scania is it?
Do you have a minion onesie?

[Ian_6301]

Swedish Leviathan
Delivering to London
Yorkshireman...

It's not a blue and white Scania is it?
Do you have a minion onesie?

It's a PUPPET!

[graham_hk]

...

[M-J-J]

[QUOTE=MPW1964;414597]Folks.

Am thinking about next years’ holidays at the moment, assuming that neither Armageddon nor my death get here first...(Although I’d pay good money to see Death astride a fiery charger )

Some of the places I’m contemplating are a shade deeper at 50-ish metres than my current qualifications, (PADI Rescue), so I’m wondering what to do about training for deeper diving. FWIW, I work away all week so weekends are precious, therefore I don’t want to commit to a lot of weekends in a BSAC stylee, as it wouldn’t be fair to my OH. I’m quite happy to do a couple of long weekends’ training, or maybe even a week, but not sure how best to proceed.


Thoughts or advice


Consider what training/experience YOU NEED to do the dives, that doesn't always match the course. . .

I would break it down by saying 50m dive gives me maybe 4 minutes bottom time before i hit deco.

1. To make the dive worth while i need to be able to plan for deco, gas consumption and failures.

That done then looking at the same dive at 50m now for 30 mins with my new deco knowledge i am looking at some 8000 litres of air.

To make it logistically viable i need to use a separate deco gas to speed up deco and provide enough gas volume to safely complete dive.

2. I need stage handling, gas switching and access to high o2 nitrox skills.

With those tidied away I would be saying how narced am I comfortable being when i have to manage the above processes underwater, bottom line is I have a gas with me that can kill me if I cock it up.

I want a clear head when making gas switches, it's one of the biggest killers of oc Tec divers, I don't need an increase in my base stupidity to stack the odds against me.

3. So consider using trimix...

You may well be comfortable with one or more of those and that will help you choose, if not the IANTD ART and equivalent courses will give you all three, deco, high 02 and HE, plus the plastic which you may be required to give to the holiday boats to do dives and get the gas.

You can self learn by taking baby steps, but it takes a long time (to do with a reasonable degree of safety), doesn't give you the plastic but doesn't cost with the caveat that you may miss something important...you don't know what you don't know etc.

You can go diving with someone who does this stuff already (actively!!!) and is willing to take you through everything. You can learn quick from a mentor and in your own time frame, no cost but no plastic.

You can bsac which is quicker but not quick and gives you plastic with moderate cost. The website lets you see locations, times and prices and lets you book now as well.

Iantd/tdi etc offer a single course which is 4 or 5 days so it's quick, gives you plastic, latest techniques etc and the cost is appropriate to that. Around £700 - £800.

I would have no hesitation in booking a week off work and spending the money to do a course with Ian France.

This coming from someone who refused to get the plastic to match their actual diving for 11 years. I did a course under duress as i wanted to do a trip which was plastic or sod off, however, some of the best pounds I have ever spent! Speak with Ian and explain what you want to achieve, top bloke couldn't recommend him more highly.

Mark Powell is active on here and is also excellent.

There are many other instructors across all agencies on here who will no doubt be along shortly but I have name dropped the chaps above from personal experience.

Where is the holiday?

[MPW1964]

Swedish Leviathan
Delivering to London
Yorkshireman...

It's not a blue and white Scania is it?
Do you have a minion onesie?

Yes, and yes.

*sigh*

[Nickpicks]

Yes, and yes.

*sigh*

Sorry.

[MPW1964]

It's a PUPPET!

No it isn’t.

*bigger sigh*

[MPW1964]

Sorry.

Not required, but thank you anyway.

Suffice it to say, a change was needed, and Mal was happy with it. And as I told Steelemonkey, if anyone is bothered by it, DILLIGAFF?? Because I honestly no longer do. I’m all out of fucks, so if anyone needs one, look elsewhere.

Anyroadup, back to talking about diving

[Chrisch]

...

Anyroadup, back to talking about diving

Well I can only hope you don't need to cross the channel next year.....

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/commercial-road-haulage-in-the-eu-if-theres-no-brexit-deal/commercial-road-haulage-in-the-eu-if-theres-no-brexit-deal

Ooops read that as "driving"...