NOTE REGARDING EQUIPMENT!!
If you are a drysuit diver, that’s GREAT! Because once you move from Foundations to Deco training (such as this class) in New England, a drysuit is required equipment. If you are not a drysuit diver, it is not a quick transition from wet to dry. You’ll need to purchase a suit and gain at least 12 - 24 dives of experience to have a chance to lock in with the suit and be prepared to have the control you’ll need to succeed in this class. Because we do deal with extreme depths, cold temps, and extended deco stops in XR Extended Range Nitrox, this course cannot be completed in a wetsuit. So if you are already a Drysuit diver with 1 or 2 dozen dives of experience, you should be ready for this program, but if not, you should start preparing to switch to a drysuit.
Not Sure You're Ready in Your Drysuit?
- Can you hold position in perfect trim over a single point for 5 minutes or more without more than half a foot of depth change?
- Can you Frog Kick, Helicopter Turn, Back Kick on command in your Drysuit?
- Do you NEVER lose control in your drysuit or ascend even slightly faster or slower than you were intending?
- Can you perform tasks such as writing in wetnotes, clip or unclip equipment, communicating with a team member, and Deploy a DSMB and not vary in depth more than half a foot?
- Do you have video proof that you can do these things within these parameters?
Required Equipment:
Some of the core technical equipment required for this course can be provided by East Coast Divers free of charge when available. We do require divers to obtain their own technical diving equipment (Especially a backplate and harness!!). Equipment that can be provided by East Coast Divers Includes:
- Backmount Doubles Cylinders
- Backmount Doubles Regulator Sets
- 80cf Stage Bottle with Rigging and Stage Regulator all cleaned for O2 use
Required Equipment that is NOT included:
- Rigged Backplate and Harness
- Appropriate Drysuit exposure system (Must not be new to you. You must have at least 12 - 24 dives of experience on the exposure system AT MINIMUM!)
- Mask
- Backup Mask w/ SS Double-Ended Boltsnap
- Power Fins (No split or hinged fins. Fins should be on one material design (Dense Rubber). Fins must utilize a spring strap system
- Primary DSMB (Not Yellow) (3.5ft - 8ft in height). Must have nipple style inflation option
- Secondary DSMB (Yellow) (3.5ft - 8ft in height). Must have nipple style inflation option
- Spool (min. 150ft line)
- Spool (min. 60ft line)(Recommended)
- Reel (min. 200ft line)(Recommended)
- Wetnotes
- Compass (can be computer integrated
- Whistle
- 2 Cutting Devices (Line cutter preferred, but shears are acceptable. Knives are frowned upon)
- Dive Computer Required (No gauge-mounted computers. Should do Multi-gas. Shearwater Computers are HIGHLY Recommended)
- A redundant dive computer is recommended though a backup depth timing device is acceptable. (No gauge-mounted computers. Should do Multi-gas. Shearwater Computers are HIGHLY Recommended)