Anyone up for GUE Fundies class this weekend?

Diver_C · Post by **Diver_C** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 3:06 pm

The GUE/DIR Fundamentals course starts this Friday, that is if one additional person signs up. Right now, I am the only one. The cost is $450 and is Friday to Monday. Course description can be viewed here! The class essentially helps and evaluates basic diving proficiency such as equipment configuration, diving trim (how horizontal are you

), diving awareness (where's your buddy/team

), emergency drills (ooa

, valve drills, et cetera). Don't need to be in double tanks, singles are just fine, but do need backplate and wing set-up. There is no workbook to complete, and the book is easy reading (I have it if you want to borrow it). If interested, please contact Steve White at stephenawhite@hotmail.com.

Rich

DiverDown · Post by **DiverDown** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:47 pm

Sounds like a good course, any training is good training IMHO. I have heard that if you dont pass your "fundies" in that weekend you have to pay for the full course again? Good luck Diver_C, im sure the training will be money well spent.

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:00 pm

1) Its not about passing or failing, its about being a better diver.
2) If you aren't quite up to standards there's a provisional rating, you'll have 6 months to get re-evaluated, no charge. Regardless, Steve's a very good instructor.
After 6 months or if you need more instruction and are unlikely to get all the skills without it, yes you will need to take the class again.

Diver_C, if this doesn't come together for you on short notice, contact dsteding on this board there may be space in the upcoming class he's booked.

Richard

dsteding · Post by **dsteding** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:08 pm

Darn it, our class is full. I'm almost tempted to come out and do the class with you . . . and then do it again in April.

Matt, no comments from the peanut gallery

Diver_C · Post by **Diver_C** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:25 pm

With summer coming, the time for this class is waning, at least until late fall, so hopefully someone signs up. That valve drill will be the death of my shoulders though.

](*,) I'm doing the class in my doubles only because I can reach those knobs easier. I'm right handed, but my right shoulder is a little messed up. It aches a little just thinking about that drill. Sigh...

lamont · Post by **lamont** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:30 pm

I took this class with only 25 dives. Everyone, if you just think you aren't 'ready' yet and need to practice more, then you're probably 'ready'.

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 1:12 am

This class was probably the single best thing I've done for my diving. It made me more comfortable, more stable, more maneuverable, and a better dive buddy. Steve's a great teacher, and I obviously believe that, because I just subjected myself to three more days in the pressure cooker, doing Rec Triox!

Diver_C · Post by **Diver_C** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 1:36 pm

No one signed up for the class besides me, so Steve cancelled it this morning. Oh well...

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 10:02 pm

Don't give up -- give it another try later in the year. It's well worth doing.

It always makes me shake my head when one of these cancels, although I'll admit nobody makes much of an effort to publicize them.

Sergeant Pepper · Post by **Sergeant Pepper** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:09 am

How many people does he need to sign up to do the class. I won't be doing it this time around, but you never know. I'd have to get some equipment first, and that $450 is a choker, but I'm scottish, so that automatically makes me ...

Diver_C · Post by **Diver_C** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:19 am

Evidently three students is max for class, as the April class is full and there are only three students signed up. Yes, $450 sucks, but there are three long days of class, and some on the fourth day, so it's not just some cake-walk of a class and there are more people involved than just the instructor.

dsteding · Post by **dsteding** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:07 pm

Diver_C wrote:Evidently three students is max for class, as the April class is full and there are only three students signed up. .

Six is actually the max, we organized the class with three because GUE allows a three person class to be done over three full days. With the larger student/teacher ratio of a six person class GUE requires 4 days of instruction.

Given our busy schedules, keeping the class to three people made sense. I actually worked with Steve on scheduling this class for myself and two friends, it took a while to sort out schedules, but I think it will work out great.

When it comes down to it, $450 is a bargain for the training. With Steve (usually) in town, he's more than willing to dive with his students and work you towards getting up to standards. I am a bit of a kool-aid drinker to boot, and I like the GUE/DIR philosophy-especially the clear route to the use of helium through rec triox (Matt, stop groaning).

Honestly, I'd recommend finding two friends and setting up a class like we did. Schedule it well ahead of time, and get to know each other by diving together a bit.

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:14 pm

You get what you pay for training-wise. I definately didn't learn much in my $99 OW class (back in '92). I'm still surprised I survived my first ~60 dives afterwards.

Anyway, IMO $450 for 3.5 full days is CHEAP! $\:D/$

My Cave1

(including tanks, fills, entrance fees, and MX national taxes) was $1300 for 5 days... plus airfare, plus hotel, plus rental car. I think the current price is $1650 (for 5 days).

dsteding · Post by **dsteding** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:38 pm

CaptnJack wrote: My Cave1 (including tanks, fills, entrance fees, and MX national taxes) was $1300 for 5 days... plus airfare, plus hotel, plus rental car. I think the current price is $1650 (for 5 days).

It will end up a lot more expensive than that . . . what with the now-required annual trips to MX.

Diver_C · Post by **Diver_C** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:45 pm

My goal is to get to Tech 1. Beyond that, I don't know...

Sergeant Pepper · Post by **Sergeant Pepper** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:53 pm

If you can convince my wife that $450 is cheap, I've got beer and pizza waiting for you when you get here. $\:D/$

dsteding · Post by **dsteding** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:53 pm

Diver_C wrote:My goal is to get to Tech 1. Beyond that, I don't know...

That is about as far as I'd like to take things as well. Sounds like we should go for a dive together at some point, I'd be very interested in finding two or three people (the guys taking fundies with me may not pursue tech 1) to train with and get to tech 1.

My timeline isn't that aggressive. Fundies in April, rec triox when I'm ready, tech 1 after that. I'm right around 100 dives, I figure Tech 1 is at least another 200 dives off (I log about 100 dives a year).

PM me if you'd like to get a dive in at some point.

-Doug

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 4:12 pm

If $450 is too expensive you might want to reconsider scuba, there are less expensive sports. You really don't want to cut corners on life support equipment or training, since you can't breath water.

$450 is less than most good BCs, and a 1/3rd the price of a typical drysuit. And that's for knowledge which will significantly impact your safety, comfort and enjoyment UW. Its still a bargain price for what you get IMO.

Richard

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 4:16 pm

dsteding wrote:
CaptnJack wrote: My Cave1 (including tanks, fills, entrance fees, and MX national taxes) was $1300 for 5 days... plus airfare, plus hotel, plus rental car. I think the current price is $1650 (for 5 days).
It will end up a lot more expensive than that . . . what with the now-required annual trips to MX.

Ummm, that just annual ain't gonna cut it. I'm aiming for biannual trips of a week+.

Its warm, beer is cheap, and the diving's awesome. Why go anywhere else?

Grateful Diver · Post by **Grateful Diver** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:00 pm

dsteding wrote: I am a bit of a kool-aid drinker ...

Serious understatement ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:18 pm

Grateful Diver wrote:
dsteding wrote: I am a bit of a kool-aid drinker ...
Serious understatement ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I think Doug pees Koolaid.

dsteding · Post by **dsteding** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:40 pm

lamont · Post by **lamont** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:38 pm

Diver_C wrote:My goal is to get to Tech 1. Beyond that, I don't know...

when i had 25 dives i wanted to take DIRF and RecTriox and that was it

when i had 100 dives i wanted to take Tech1 and that was it

now with 250 dives i want to take Tech 2 and Cave 1 and that's it.

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 8:36 am

Sounds like you need a 12 step program.

BbbleMkr · Post by **BbbleMkr** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 2:06 pm

Lamont, at some point your body is just going to give in and grow gills. It's like the man heading back to the drink in a happy form of devolution in action.

dd