SAFETY
5 Tips for Safe Technical Diving
We are here to have fun, safely
5 Tips for safe technical diving? Actually we can think of a lot more than five tips, but here is a start. This is how we approach every dive.
Tech diving is an adventure sport and we just love it. It’s our passion and our life. As a tech diver you need to strike a balance between exploration vs the risk.
So, in no particular order [and we can think of more tips] here are our 5 tips for Safe Technical Diving that we apply to every dive and every TDI technical diver course at Frontier Tech Divers
- Plan the dive as a team
- Plan conservatively
- It’s all about the gas
- Build depth slowly
- Don’t be a Lazy tech diver
- Be Insured*
* I thought there were only 5 tips ?
Tip 1. Plan the dive as a team
5 Tips for Safe Technical Diving
Computers are great tools for tech divers – but you still need to plan the dive. Here we do it as a team.
We sit down and plan the dive around the least experienced diver. We use decoplanner, but you can use any familiar software. We also plan for contingencies such as lost gas, longer time…
Don’t forget the dive site and then plan the day for what’s happening today. Current, waves and temp will all have an affect on our dive. Planning together everyone is on the same page and communication is easier underwater
Tip 2. Plan conservatively
5 Tips for Safe Technical Diving
Be conservative with Procedures, Oxygen, Nitrogen and Narcosis
- Procedures – divers tox on stops for two main reasons. They didn’t analyze and label correctly. They didn’t do a safe gas switch. Use MODS everytime
- Oxygen – Dive to max PO2 of 1.4 on backgas, 1.6 on deco. Keep your CNS within 70% for the day and watch your depths at the gas switch levels
- Gradient Factors. Dive a conservative factor. In the Philippines the water is warm and plenty to see on Bohol’s walls, so we dive Gradient Factors of 35/70.
- Narcosis – Everyone thinks slower at depth. Know your limit and if in doubt USE TRIMIX
Tip 3. It's all about the GAS
5 Tips for Safe Technical Diving
Know your SAC rate. Mine is 14L/min. but that can more than double on a strong tough dive.
Plan your dive on the computer with the highest team mates SAC rate. Then maybe bump it higher if conditions are tough CARRY YOUR OWN GAS. We use minimum rule of thirds for back gas and double for deco gas . Make sure you are carrying enough gas for contingencies as well.
No one died by carrying too much gas !
Tip 4. Build depth slowly
5 Tips for Safe Technical Diving
If diving air then we do not exceed 50m, unless a diver is diving on a weekly basis, in which case our maximum depth for air diving is 55m for
For trimix dives we set an END of 30 to 40m. For experienced technical divers [full time pros] the maximum END is 45m
Trimix dives are built in increments of 10m. If day one is 60m we do not jump to 90m on day two. And remember 100m is just a number ! .
Tip 5. Don't be a lazy tech diver
5 Tips for Safe Technical Diving
DIVE HARD. DIVE OFTEN. STAY LUCKY
Dive Hard – don’t be lazy. Practice your skills on every dive. I do shutdowns, gas shares, blind line work on every dive.
Dive Often – dive as much as you can. If you have not been diving for a while then build your depths slowly. Here in Bohol you’ll have plenty of chance to do lots of dives or the next level of tech diver training
Stay Lucky – Diving is practice not luck. No one is so experienced as not to benefit from further practice and training. In the words of a famous golfer ” The more I practice the luckier I get ! “
Tip 6. Be insured
5 Tips for Safe Technical Diving
Tip 6 ? Yes, technical diving is a safe sport but there is risk in all sports. Get insured
At Frontier Tech Divers we REQUIRE that you are insured to the depth of your training. Please bring a copy of your DAN or DiveAssure insurance
We use Dive Assure. Click on the logo on the left to go to their site
TECHnical diving bohol contact us
Brgy.Tangnan, Panglao Island, Bohol
+63 917 540 8410
or message us on WhatsApp or Wechat
