whats tech??

[Burntchef]

saw this thread on another forum and wanted to see what people thought here.

what make a dive a tech dive and when do you call yourself a tech diver??

[Pez7378]

Every dive is a tech dive. I'm relying on technology to keep me alive and get me to the surface safely. I do not however consider myself a tech diver. Although I'm relying on technology, nothing I am doing is really very technical.

CCR diving is pretty technical regardless of the depth.
Overheads are technical (Wrecks, Caves, Ice)
Deep dives with or without Deco are technical
Scooter diving is technical
Underwater Photography/Videography is technical (Although requires no additional training)

Diving with Joe can be pretty technical............I mean, technically, I don't even have a buddy which means I'm diving Solo, which is technical diving too!

Good topic Howard.

[Joshua Smith]

Ah, people nitpick this one all the time. In my book, tech is:

1- deeper than 130 feet
2- overhead environment- wreck,ice,cave, or decompression obligation.

And that's it. You can add stuff about multiple gasses and rebreathers in, but it just muddies the water, so to speak. That's all stuff we do as a reaction to the environment, IMO.

[DiverDown]

I believe the term "tech" was coined when mix gasses came into play..

[Pez7378]

Ah, people nitpick this one all the time. In my book, tech is:

1- deeper than 130 feet
2- overhead environment- wreck,ice,cave, or decompression obligation.

And that's it.

Hmmmm, Haven't read that book

I believe the term "tech" was coined when mix gasses came into play..

When I read about Chatterton? mixing gasses reaching his left hand, through a hole in the garage, in case he blew it off, I decided that it was too technical for me and it was best left for the professionals! Of course that was before anyone knew anything about blending right?

[Joshua Smith]

I believe you can do a pretty good tech dive on air- that's how it was done, prior to 1990, or so. I'm not saying it's optimal- we have choices available that just weren't there for the civilian sport diver back in the day. So- if you're diving to a wreck on Bikini atoll, breathing the only gas available- 21%eanx- in 190 fsw, and incurring 25-45 minutes of deco- is that a tech dive? I think it is.

[60south]

A non-tech dive is where, if things go wrong, I can immediately surface from wherever I am, chuck the gear in the back of the car, and end the day at a brewpub with my buddy.
:occasion5:

Everything else is tech.

g

[Joshua Smith]

I think this might be the best definition I've ever seen. :occasion5:

A non-tech dive is where, if things go wrong, I can immediately surface from wherever I am, chuck the gear in the back of the car, and end the day at a brewpub with my buddy.
:occasion5:

Everything else is tech.

g

[cardiver]

That's my kind of "non tech" diving............... :occasion5:

[nwbobber]

So what your saying is, if I don't have reasonable access to a brewpub for apres dive libations, no certifying agency is going to sign off without the additional training that would be necessary to insure the correct use of the surface bailout bottle, phase changed H2O, exposure protection for the bailout bottles and H2O, etc. And then we are left to sort out whether filtered brew or bottle conditioned is DIR!

[Sounder]

So what your saying is, if I don't have reasonable access to a brewpub for apres dive libations, no certifying agency is going to sign off without the additional training that would be necessary to insure the correct use of the surface bailout bottle, phase changed H2O, exposure protection for the bailout bottles and H2O, etc. And then we are left to sort out whether filtered brew or bottle conditioned is DIR!

[DiverDown]

I believe you can do a pretty good tech dive on air- that's how it was done, prior to 1990, or so. I'm not saying it's optimal- we have choices available that just weren't there for the civilian sport diver back in the day. So- if you're diving to a wreck on Bikini atoll, breathing the only gas available- 21%eanx- in 190 fsw, and incurring 25-45 minutes of deco- is that a tech dive? I think it is.

21% EANX LOL!

That was when men where men, and they died cause they didnt understand gas laws! You bring up a great point it wasnt that long ago and it seems. Dive profiles change daily, (Hence) technical diving. You probably woudlnt dive Air, or eanx 21% to 190 today. When it was a right of passage 10 years ago!

"More Cowbell"

[Joshua Smith]

You probably woudlnt dive Air, or eanx 21% to 190 today. When it was a right of passage 10 years ago!

Uhhh.....YEAH! Right. Absolutely! Wouldn't want to do that. Bad idea.

[Nwbrewer]

So what your saying is, if I don't have reasonable access to a brewpub for apres dive libations, no certifying agency is going to sign off without the additional training that would be necessary to insure the correct use of the surface bailout bottle, phase changed H2O, exposure protection for the bailout bottles and H2O, etc. And then we are left to sort out whether filtered brew or bottle conditioned is DIR!

There is no question, bottle conditioned is DIR.

[Sounder]

So what your saying is, if I don't have reasonable access to a brewpub for apres dive libations, no certifying agency is going to sign off without the additional training that would be necessary to insure the correct use of the surface bailout bottle, phase changed H2O, exposure protection for the bailout bottles and H2O, etc. And then we are left to sort out whether filtered brew or bottle conditioned is DIR!

There is no question, bottle conditioned is DIR.

Speaking of which, I have some empty bottles for you...

[Pez7378]

Hey, does 21% EANX cost extra? I think I mentioned "Any Deep dive with or without deco" so of course 190fsw on air with 25-45 min deco is a tech dive.

Apparently Bottle hunting is technical diving too.

What about those Saturation guys.....is that technical?

[Joshua Smith]

Another definition I like a lot is the famous supreme court quote regarding pornography- (I forget which justice said it)

"I'm not sure I can tell you exactly what it is, but I know it when I see it."

So if a diver with a single tank dives to 137' for 8 minutes, and picks up a few minutes of deco on his computer, is that tech diving? Not in my opinion. But if another diver in doubles goes to 120' for 20 minutes, with dive tables and a deco plan....is that tech? I would say it is.

It's sort of a "if you have to ask....." kinda proposition.

[Pez7378]

Hmmm Good point................

[Pez7378]

Another definition I like a lot is the famous supreme court quote regarding pornography- (I forget which justice said it)

"I'm not sure I can tell you exactly what it is, but I know it when I see it."

It's sort of a "if you have to ask....." kinda proposition.

Kinda like, if a man and a woman are having sex, and they film it, that's pornographic, But if the woman is chained to a flagpole naked, and allows people to throw rainbow colored macaroni at her, while the man takes pictures, that's art.

Now I'm getting it.

[Sockmonkey]

Another definition I like a lot is the famous supreme court quote regarding pornography- (I forget which justice said it)

"I'm not sure I can tell you exactly what it is, but I know it when I see it."

It's sort of a "if you have to ask....." kinda proposition.

Kinda like, if a man and a woman are having sex, and they film it, that's pornographic, But if the woman is chained to a flagpole naked, and allows people to throw rainbow colored macaroni at her, while the man takes pictures, that's art.

Now I'm getting it.

Using the whole chicken... not just the feather.

Oh sorry... wrong punchline.

-Eric