TDI INTRO TO TECH DIVER COURSE
QUICK OVERVIEW
The TDI Intro to Tech Diver course is designed for sport divers who wish to perfect basic diving skills and learn how to use redundant cylinder configuration. The techniques and knowledge learned during this class prepare students for more advanced and technical training programs.
IN A NUTSHELL
Back-mount configuration, aka twinset or simply “twins”, is the more straightforward configuration for technical diving, used since practically the beginnings of modern technical diving.
The TDI Intro to Tech Diver Course with CDT Mexico focuses on getting students ready for any type of technical deep or cave diving. We will have a deep look into this classic equipment configuration and how to adapt in different environments.
Students will learn how to configure their kits themselves with CDT Mexico and will understand it closely, and not merely dive it.
After exiting our course, divers also are proficient with the fundamental techniques of technical and cave diving, such a close to perfect buoyancy and trim control, breathing control, advanced propulsion techniques including modified frog-kick, reverse kick and helicopter turns.
Gas planning on land and gas management under water are also a new areas of discovery for sport divers as they enter technical diving. We will look at the rule of thirds and the concepts of conservatism as well as awareness of the gas supply and maintaining gas redundancy while underwater.
Finally, you’ll learn sequences and how to be efficient in all areas, such as do/doff sequences and water entry/exit protocols.
SUBJECT AREAS (non exhaustive)
During our TDI Intro to Tech Diver Course, we will focus on the following aspect (on top of reviewing everything else from previous levels) Underwater: - gas management (awareness, reading and keeping reserve gas) - valve drills (opening/closing/switching regulators and valves) - gas donation - hand and light communication - basic fundamental techniques : breathing, buoyancy, trim, propulsion, and positioning - advanced propulsion techniques : mod frog kick, mod flutter kick, reverse kick and helicopter-turn - problem solving : mask replacement, light failure, etc. - leakage and haemorrhages : valves, regulator first and second stage, free-flow, LPI hose, etc. - lift bag deployment On land: Land-drills and simulations of procedures - configuration and set-up - pre-dive checks and team’s dynamic - do/doff sequences - communication - gas donation simulations - valve-drills simulations Briefings and de-briefings - pretty much everything… White board presentations and discussions - awareness and mind-set - rule of 1/3 and conservatism - keeping gas redundancy - dive planning - potential failures and counter-measures - emergency and safety procedures - psychological and physiological considerations - mind-control and stress recognition and management
MEET NEW CHALLENGES
Diving a twinset is more complex than the usual single cylinder of course, and also heavier in the water. Wings and backplates are new equipment for most sport divers, and a higher level of awareness is required, as the complexity of the equipment configuration increases. Intro to Tech divers also need a deeper understanding in gas planning, as they carry redundant cylinders and apply new rules and new concepts such as conservative thirds, rock-bottom reserves, gas matching and eventually cylinders matching. It is obviously extremely interesting to learn, and if you’re curious enough, you’ll find addicted to the theory side as well as the diving part! Well, ok, almost as much!
PRE-REQUISITES
Students must be 18 years old, and - certified as an SDI Open Water Scuba Diver (or equivalent) - have a minimum of 20 logged dives
DURATION (and the meaning of "performance based training")
The TDI Intro to Tech Diver Course has a duration of 3 days with CDT Mexico. The duration of the course, and the number of dives necessary are performance based. We train until you're adequately prepared to plan and dive in an autonomous manner with a teammate without supervision. Merely performing skills is not enough. Students must show an overall high level of mastery in the following fields: - fundamental skills (breathing, buoyancy control, trim, propulsion) - dive planning (maps readings, orientation and route, gas needs & limitations, cave conservatism) - awareness (self, global and situational awareness) - team’s dynamics (active & passive communication, positioning, pacing & placing) - mindset (positive non-egoic motivation, cave conservatism, cave etiquette, risk assessment) - stress recognition & management (capacity of acting rationally under stress) The evaluation of this qualities of course is quite relative and reflects the perception of the instructor. CDT Mexico instructors are very experienced and specialized in teaching cave and technical divers. We are caring and conscious of the efforts provided by our students during this demanding course(-s). Surely, we put the bar quite high, but we also help and direct you to reach it in the shortest possible time, always keeping the quality and the safety at the centre of our attention. “Train Hard – Dive Easy”.
DURATION & PRICE OF THE INTRO TO TECH DIVER COURSE
TDI Intro to Tech diver= 3 days - $900 USD
PRICE OF TRAINING
Technical diving courses are charged per day of training, since the courses are performance based and additional days of training are sometimes necessary. The training fee is $300 USD per day / per person. (If two divers are taking the course, the daily fee is $540 USD and $720 for three students.)
WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE PRICE, WHAT'S NOT?
The daily fee includes transportation to the dive site and back. Obviously, the teaching, the use of properly rigged cylinders (80cu / 11lt alu) either for sidemount or backmount configurations, with EAN32 as a standard gas, weights and some parts of the equipment if necessary. Also, we always have enough fresh drinking water, O2 kit, complete toolbox and spare parts. The daily fee doesn’t include the basic equipment (wetsuit/dry-suit, fins, masks, computer, etc) nor the entrance fees to cenote parks nor your food, nor the TDI e-learning codes.
BEFORE STARTING THE COURSE / BOOKING
Students need to complete the TDI e-learning before the start of the course (unless previously done). Codes are paid in advance together with a down payment of 1 day of training (non-refundable) for the final booking.
HOW DO I PREPARE FOR THE COURSE?
Preparing for a technical and/or cave diving course is essential to a successful experience. Before enrolling, fundamental skills must be mastered and knowledge from previous levels is expected. Participants should ensure that their equipment is well maintained/prepared and that they are familiar with it. We send you the gear list for your course on demand or you can simply download it yourself here. Most TDI courses have an e-learning, and it is a pre-requisite for us. We’ll require a digital copy of it if previously done, or we will send a TDI e-learning code to you, attached to CDT Mexico directly with several benefits.