Which course

[adamr]

Good point Adrian, I suppose its just me wanting a more hands on course rather then all the lectures that goes with it.
So in general people would recommend the DL course?? I guess I should do it as it is free.
Thanks

Adam

[Adrian Kelland]

Originally Posted by adamr

Good point Adrian, I suppose its just me wanting a more hands on course rather then all the lectures that goes with it.
So in general people would recommend the DL course?? I guess I should do it as it is free.
Thanks

Adam

If it's free, what harm can it do? I've done courses from various agencies, so have others here. I find it more about giving me a toolset to consider for any particular task, rather than a fixed way of doing things.

YMMV,

Adrian

[JamesW]

Originally Posted by big_si

The TDI adv nitrox you can use up to 100% and accelerate... That's often combined with the Deco Procedures course to give you the tool box of skills you need.
Another vote for Mark Powell!

TDI Advance Nitrox
This course examines the use of EAN 21 through 100% (oxygen) for optimal mixes to a depth of 130fsw/40msw. The object of this course is to train divers in the benefits, hazards and proper procedures for utilizing EAN 21 through 100% (oxygen) for dives not requiring staged decompression.

[Janos]

I think you're asking the wrong question. If you're looking to go deeper, then you should be asking which Instructor, not which course.

You are right in thinking that Dive Leader doesn't teach many specific deep diving skills, but I would be nervous doing a deep dive if there wasn't anyone on the boat who couldn't adminster O2, do CPR, or manage an incident.

I've been on trips where an incident has occured, and, despite many experienced divers on board, all qualified to deep depths and no-one has really known what to do when someone presents who may or may not be bent.

Do the Dive Leader course AND think about other courses if you want to go deeper.

Janos

PS - And if you don't take up the offer of free (or very cheap) training in some aspect of diving you don't know much about, whatever it is, then you're crazy IMHO.

[Scuby]

Originally Posted by adamr

For instance I dont know why there needs to be nearly two hours lectures on helicopter operations.... surely if your in that situation the RAF will tell you exactly what they want you to do...

In fairness i've never known those two lessons to take much more than about 15mins to teach, and that'd be taking our time! I always remember it as being the annoying one to teach if we're using an OHP as there are 5-10 slides which show very slight progressions on the same thing (so generally just skip them).


Back to the original question though, personally i'd recommend going outside of BSAC for the next step, just to get a different perspective on it all - and moving into doing deeper diving or longer deco is a very good opportunity. An instructor is more important than the course though, as the different agencies don't vary *that* much. Also worth finding a good instructor, from recommendation, and one that teaches regularly in the type of diving you want to do. He's already been recommended, but I did a similar path to you (BSAC through to Adv Nitrox, although I also did DL and OWI) and wanted to go further, and ended up going with Mark Powell and TDI courses - by far the best course i've done, it really was noticeable the difference that a full-time and experienced instructor makes, adds so much beyond the basic materials that someone who only occasionally teaches or dives just cannot give.

Oh, and if you've got the opportunity it is worth doing DL too, just when you get the time, does add some stuff that is useful to know about rescue, planning, organisation, etc.

David

[Janos]

Originally Posted by Scuby

...and wanted to go further, and ended up going with Mark Powell and TDI courses - by far the best course i've done, it really was noticeable the difference that a full-time and experienced instructor makes, adds so much beyond the basic materials that someone who only occasionally teaches or dives just cannot give....

I think my day with Mark was the best day of training I've every had. And I think he's now teaching the new BSAC trimix courses...

Janos

[ardhill]

Just to throw my 2p in.

BSAC ERD will give you depth, the tools to go deep, and 100% O2 with accelerated deco.

So, as has been mentioned - who to choose. You may know of a ERD course coming up in your region, or at a local club that you could join if you were happy about the instructor, or you could go to a BSAC school. As has been mentioned, Mark Powell teaches BSAC tech courses too, I don't know about ERD, but he does teach the mixed gas SDCs.

Oh, on the point of BSAC Advanced Nitrox not allowing accelerated deco with 50%, technically that is true. But they expect you to use BSAC 88 tables, which are fairly aggressive to start with. So, you may find like I do, that using your favourite algorithm and utilising the full decompression abilities of 50%, you will probably still do more deco time than if you were just using BSAC 88 tables.
.

[Richard Greenwood]

Hi Adam,

Another vote for doing the ERD & Sports Mixed Gas courses. The new courses have well received, and if they'd been available when I did my IANTD course I would have stuck with the BSAC system instead.

It's already been mentioned, though, that you need to pick the right instructor. Look at the quality of instructor you had for your Advanced Nitrox course

Richard

[TerryH]

Its a bit like redundancy.

You could jump into 35m on a single 12 no worries, but when the poo
starts flying you are very glad of that pony/twinset.

Go deeper/longer and while the chances of having an incident are not
neccessarily greater, the severity and consequences are.

So ask yourself if you want to be on a boat with divers who have the
right depth tickets, but not much of a clue as to Rescue management
etc. etc.

or ............

One where you have people who can effectively deal with an incident.

With todays skippers claiming taxidriver status, its quite surprising how
many now book spaces without even knowing if anybody can even do
basic 1st aid

At least with DL you cover all the bases.

[JamesW]

Originally Posted by TerryH

basic 1st aid

At least with DL you cover all the bases.

Don't the DL course only cover's BLS & o2 Admin so what happens when someone cuts their self oh dear who is First Aid Trained.