Technical Diving

 

Technical (Tec) diving means going beyond recreational scuba diving limits. But, Tec divers will tell you that it’s really about the challenge and adventure of exploring places that no one else has ever seen. Tec diving is not for everyone, but it does attract experienced divers who want to go beyond their current limits and are willing to accept the added risks, training, investment and commitment it demands. If this is you, then PADI TecRec courses are your ticket to extreme adventure.

 

What is technical diving?

 

Technical scuba diving involves going beyond recreational scuba diving limits and includes one or more of the following:

 

• Diving beyond 40 metres/130 feet

• Extensive theory revision regarding safety, redundancy and equipement requirements

• Required stage decompression

• Diving in an overhead environment beyond 40 linear metres/130 linear feet of the surface

• Accelerated decompression and/or the use of variable gas mixtures during the dive

• Use of extensive equipment and technologies

 

In technical diving the surface is often inaccessible in an emergency, so tec divers use extensive procedures, equipment and training to manage the added risks and potential hazards. Although founded on extensive open-circuit scuba technology, Tec diving has been revolutionized by the development, availability and reliability of closed circuit rebreathers (CCRs). CCRs have numerous benefits and provide Tec divers with significantly more time underwater.

 

The PADI TecRec Difference

 

PADI TecRec courses are the quality benchmarks in the Tec diving world due to their rigorous, yet logical, training sequence and the PADI educational materials that support them. TecRec courses are instructionally valid and have a seamless course flow that takes you from a new Tec diver to one qualified to dive to the outer reaches of sport diving. Each level introduces you to new gear and procedures to extend your dive limits.

 

Discover Tec – €125.00. This is the basic introduction to Tec Diving and equipment requirements although useful full technical equipment is not necessary for this introduction to the PADI TecRec course range.

 

Tec 40 – €350.00. This is the entry level Tec qualification with an introduction to Tec Diving procedures, decompression theory and shutdown procedures and the use of a single stage cylinder for a maximum period of 10 minutes accelerated decompression with a mix up to 50% O².  Minimum dive experience 30 dives of at least 30 metres.

 

Tec 45 – €480.00. Course is similar to Tec 40 but with a deeper depth limitation and decompression with a stage cylinder(s) with EAN or Oxygen for accelerated decompression. Tec 40 is a condition for entry to Tec 45 and a minimum dive experience of 50 dives with 12 using Enriched Air deeper than 18 metres and 6 deeper than 30 metres with or without EAN. Course Price includes equipment and certification but excluding Crewpack/Manual.

 

Tec 50 – €550.00. Course extends the skills and takes Tec diving to 50 metres maximum and builds on the experience of Tec 40 and 45. Further requirements with regard to dive theory. Minimum dive experience of 100 dives with 20 dives deeper than 18 metres using Enriched Air and 15 deeper than 30 metres with or without EAN. Accelerated decompression with two stage cylinders with EAN or Oxygen.

 

Tec Trimix 65 - Price on application.  Formerly known as Tec Deep, this course refines the dive and multiple decompression theory used in the Tec 40, 45 and 50 courses and introduces the diver to the use of EAN, Oxygen and Trimix with 18% or more oxygen for dives up to 65 metres using standard open circuit, multiple cylinders (backmount and/or sidemount).

 

As well as the basic Tec Courses there are also and can be incorporated Tec Sidemount, Tec Gas Blender, Tec Trimix Gas Blender.

 

Why would I want to be a tec diver?

 

Many spectacular, untouched wrecks lie at depths well below 40 metres/130 feet. Deep reefs have organisms you don’t find in the shallows. Some people enjoy the challenge and focus tec diving requires. Still others love being involved with cutting edge technologies. These reasons make tec diving rewarding. However, you can be an accomplished, avid top-notch diver your entire life without making a tec dive. Tec diving does require significantly more effort, discipline and equipment, which means it’s not for everyone.

 

How long has technical diving been around?

 

Explorers have always developed new techniques and equipment to extend the range of their adventures, and divers are no different. By the early 1990s, several groups of divers around the world began experimenting with technologies for deep diving beyond recreational limits to explore both caves and wrecks. These communities united and emerged as “technical diving”. Since then, Tec diving continues to develop both in scope and in its technologies.

 

This is meant to be only a brief outline of TecRec Courses and is not meant to be definitive.

For more information please contact us.