Technical

• GUE Fundamentals of Better Diving

  The DIR Fundamentals course is designed to cultivate the essential techniques required by all sound diving practice, irrespective of level or environment. Poor diving skills and inefficient equipment often result in unnecessary exertion, stress, degradation of the dive site, and thus less enjoyment. Functioning as a prerequisite for all other Flatirons Scuba technical classes as well as other GUE classes. DIR Fundamentals performs a three-fold function within the GUE curriculum: 1) it provides the recreational diver, in whom there is no desire for further diver training, with a context in which to advance his/her basic diving skills, thereby developing more comfort, confidence, and competence in the water; and 2) it provides the diver with aspirations of more advanced diver training with the tools that will contribute to a greater likelihood of success; and 3) it provides non-GUE trained divers with a gateway into GUE training.

  Prerequisites:

  • Must meet GUE General Course Prerequisites
  • Must be a minimum of 16 years of age
  • Must be a certified open water diver from a recognized training agency
  • Must be able to swim at least 300 yards/275 meters in less than 14 minutes without stopping. This test should be conducted in a swimsuit and, where necessary, appropriate thermal protection.

  Required Training Materials:

  • Doing it Right: The Fundamentals of Better Diving. Jarrod Jablonski
  • DIR Fundamentals Workbook
  • Dress for Success Workbook

  (Tank rental and gas fills extra)

  Cost: $450

• NAUI Technical Diver Level 1 (TECH 1)

  The Technical Diver Level 1 (Tech 1) course is structured to prepare divers for the rigors of technical diving and to familiarize them with the use of different breathing and decompression mixtures. Tech 1 training focuses on expanding the fundamental skills learned in the GUE Fundamentals course (or elsewhere), and is designed to cultivate, integrate, and expand the essential skills required for safe technical diving. This will include problem identification and resolution, and building the capacity for progressively more challenging diving. In this class, students will be trained in: a) the use of double tanks/cylinders and in the potential failure problems associated with them; b) the use of Nitrox for accelerated and general decompression strategies; c) the use of Helium to minimize narcosis; and d) the applications of single decompression stage diving with respect to decompression procedures.

  The class will focus on enriched air and Helitrox (Helium enriched gas), as flexible and beneficial breathing gases for dives in the 40 foot/12 meter to 150 foot/45 meter depth range, and provides an excellent foundation on which divers can build their technical diving experience and prepare for NAUI’s Technical Diver 2 course (Tech 2).

  The course will consist of three classroom sessions and a minimum of 15 open water dives. Upon successful completion of this course, you will receive a NAUI Advanced Nitrox, Staged Decompression and Helitrox certification and may engage in decompression diving activities utilizing nitrox or helitrox with nitrox decompression to a maximum depth of 150 feet.

  To enroll you must:

  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Must be GUE Fundamentals qualified
  • Be a certified Nitrox diver with at least 100 logged dives
  • Must be able to swim 400 yards in less then 14 minutes without stopping
  • Must be able swim a distance of at least 50’ on a breath hold
  • Must be a non-smoker

  Special items that are mandatory for this class are:

  • NAUI Technical EANx, Decompression Techniques & Extended Range Manual
  • Physics, Physiology and Decompression Theory for the Technical and Commercial Diver
  • Doing it Right: The Fundamentals of Better Diving
  • Cave Diving Communications Manual
  • OceanX Calculator
  • Technical Diver Log Pages
  • US Navy Dive Table
  • Wet Notes

  Included: classroom, open water dives and certification cards
  (Tank rental and gas fills extra)
  Cost: $650

• Tech 2 Entry Level Trimix

  The NAUI Technical Diver 2 (Tech 2) course is the second in a series of three courses designed to develop technical diving excellence, building upon previously learned skills with a focus on extending essential technical diving skills. Tech 2 training focuses on building diving proficiency at increasing depth to 220 feet/67 meters using Helium diving gases with Oxygen enriched decompression gases. These skills include: the use of multiple stages, the use of Trimix, the use of greater percentages of Helium, gas management, Oxygen management, decompression, accelerated, omitted and general decompression strategies, dive planning, and technical equipment configurations. Course participants will gain experience working with a variety of different gas mixtures for use as bottom mix and multiple decompression gases. This course culminates in a true understanding of "best gas" selection in the 100 foot/30 meter to 250 foot/75 meter range.

  The Tech 2 course is normally conducted over a 5-day period, and cumulatively involves a minimum of forty (40) hours of instruction, designed to instill in divers a working knowledge of extended range diving; including physiology, tables and logistics. Special emphasis is placed on extended exposures and on their associated considerations (gas consumption, DCS, Oxygen toxicity, and thermal concerns).

  Course requirements include a minimum of six (6) hours of academics, and eight (8) dives, four (4) of which will be critical skill dives and four (4) will be experience dives. Four (4) dives must utilize Helium.

  To enroll you must:

  • Be at least 21 years old
  • Be Naui Tech 1 qualified
  • Have at least 250 logged dives with at least 50 dives on double tanks and 75 dives deeper than 130 fsw (40 msw)
  • Must be able to swin 500 yards in less than 14 minutes without stopping
  • Must have a minumum of 25 dives beyond Technical Diver Level 1 qualification
  • Must be able to swim a distance of at least 60' on a breath hold
  • Must be a non-smoker

  Special items that are mandatory for this class are:

  • NAUI Trimix Diver Student Workbook
  • NAUI Technical EANx, Decompression Techniques & Extended Range Manual
  • Physics, Physiology and Decompression Theory for the Technical and Commercial Diver
  • Technical Diving in Depth by Bruce Wienke
  • Doing it Right: The Fundamentals of Better Diving
  • Cave Diving Communications Manual
  • OceanX Calculator
  • Technical Diver Log Pages
  • US Navy Dive Table
  • Wet Notes
  • DAN Master Insurance

  Included: classroom, open water dives and certification cards
  (Tank rental and gas fills extra)
  Cost: $750

• Tech 3 Trimix

  The Technical Level 3 (Tech 3) course is the culmination of a series of three courses designed to establish technical diving excellence and facilitate deep, mixed gas diving. Emphasis is placed on aggressive diving profiles including advanced decompression theory, advanced gas mixture/management, control over extreme exposures to Oxygen and proficiency in the use of a DPV for propulsion at depth. This course is heavily experience-based and deals mostly with the practical implications of deep diving; divers are expected to be capable technical divers. To enroll you must:

  • Be at least 21 years old
  • Be Naui Tech 2 qualified & Cave Level 1 qualified
  • Must have a minimum of 300 logged dives with at least 200 dives in double cylinders and at least 50 dives beyond Tech 2 training
  • Must be able to swim a distance of at least 60 feet/18 meters on a breath hold
  • Must be able to swim at least 600 yards/550 meters in less than 14 minutes without stopping
  • Must be able to swim a distance of at least 60' on a breath hold
  • Must be a non-smoker

  Special items that are mandatory for this class are:

  • NAUI Technical EANx, Decompression Techniques & Extended Range Manual
  • Physics, Physiology and Decompression Theory for the Technical and Commercial Diver
  • Technical Diving in Depth by Bruce Wienke
  • Doing it Right: The Fundamentals of Better Diving
  • Cave Diving Communications Manual
  • OceanX Calculator
  • Technical Diver Log Pages
  • US Navy Dive Table
  • Wet Notes
  • DAN Master Insurance

  Included: classroom, open water dives and certification cards
  (Tank rental and gas fills extra)
  Cost: $750