Precision Diving Blog

Gas Switching Procedures

Many folks have asked me about how to perform a gas switch. So I figured I would type up the procedures here. Please keep in mind that these procedures do not replace sound, high quality technical dive training, but act as a supplement to that training. If you are not trained in technical diving, do not try to perform these procedures.

Many people believe that the gas switching process is performed by an individual. That is not correct. Performing a gas switch is a team effort and the focus during the gas switch must be on the team. That way the team deco can be optimized. The gas switch is a time where the awareness of the entire team must be raised to a higher level. As each member of the team switches to a high partial pressure of oxygen, the risk of oxygen toxicity is greatly increased. The team must be focused on each member during the switch to be able to respond to any problems that may occur and to verify that each member of the team is on the right gas.

There are many things that must go on prior to entering the water with a deco bottle. First, the gas inside the bottle must be analyzed. This must happen right before the dive, regardless if the bottle was previously analyzed and marked. Be prudent and re-analyzed just before entering the water or getting on the boat. I always tell my students to analyze the gas just prior to the regulator being put on. Second, after you analyze the bottle, you must mark the bottle with the contents/result of the gas analysis. There are many fancy stickers people use for contents labels. I choose to use the most cost effect method of gray duct tape. On the contents label, I mark the results of the gas analysis, date of analysis, my initials, and the MOD. Deco bottles must have a minimum of four markings on them. 1) Visual inspection sticker, 2) gas contents sticker, 3) clearly identifiable MOD on the outside (facing away from the diver when worn), and 4) clearly identifiable MOD on the inside (facing towards the diver when worn). Item 3 is used by the team to verify the MOD of the bottle being switched to. Item 4 is used by the individual to verify the MOD of the bottle switching to. Deco bottle valves are turned on at the start of the dive and then turned off. This pressurizes the regulator so that it will not come loose during the dive. If the valve was left on, it runs the risk of losing the gas from the bottle without the diver ever knowing it.

To preform a proper gas switch, the steps are as follows:
1) Signal to the team that it you are preforming a gas switch
2) Verify that your depth
3) Verify that the maximum operation depth (MOD) of the deco bottle to switch to and that you are at or above that depth
4) Verify that the regulator is still pressurized and the first stage regulator is seated properly. If the regulator has no pressure, make sure it is seated properly and then partially turn on the valve and re-close it. This pressurizes the regulator.
5) Deploy the second stage regulator from the deco bottle and loop the hose around your neck
6) Re-verify your depth so that you are not violating the MOD of the bottle you are switching to
7) Remove the regulator from your mouth with the left hand.
8.) Insert the deco regulator into your mouth with the right hand.
9) Quickly move the regulator from step 7 to your right hand.
10) As you breath from the deco regulator, watch the SPG on the deco bottle. If the pressure gauge loses pressure greatly, then you are breathing the right bottle. If it doesn’t move, then switch back to the regulator in your right hand and verify the bottle is turned or you have the correct regulator. To do this, remove the regulator and hose from around your neck and trace the hose back to the bottle. When wearing one deco bottle, this is quite simple, but if you are wearing two deco bottles it must be performed.
11) If step 10 goes smoothly, turn on the valve for the deco bottle completely
12) Re-verify your current depth such that you are not violating the MOD for the bottle breathing
13) Clip off the long hose to the right chest d-ring to keep it out of the way. If you are switching off another deco bottle, remove the deco regulator and hose from around your neck and re-stow it back on the deco bottle.
14) Signal to the team/buddy to verify the MOD of the bottle being breathed and that you are breathing from the right bottle.
15) If the team/buddy signals OK, move to the next team member to perform the gas switch. If you are the last person to switch, then the deco leader will start the deco time for the team. Deco time does not start until the entire team has performed the gas switch. This is why the gas switch procedure must be as efficient as possible so that team members are not sitting on a high PPO2/using up precious deco gas while waiting for others to switch.

If for some reason, you fumble the deco bottle second stage and it falls out of your hand or mouth, quickly go to your bungee backup regulator under your chin. Remove the deco regulator and hose from around your head and trace the hose to the correct deco bottle. Then perform the switch again. We do this so that we do not accidentally grab the wrong second stage (such as our long hose) and breath the wrong gas and not know it. Many people believe that the deco regulator should be deployed prior to arriving at the switch depth in order to make the switch go faster. We don’t do this for the single reason of fumbling the deco regulator. Once you get proficient with the gas switch, the team should be able to switch in less than 2 minutes. Thus removing the need to deploy the deco regulator deeper than the switch depth. Remember, try not to develop bad habits and focus on sound skills.

As you can see, we are always prudent when performing gas switches. Analyze, analyze, analyze your gas and always verify and re-verify your depth so that you do not violate the MOD of the gas being breathed. Always err on the side of caution.

I hope you enjoyed this article and feel free to leave any feedback or ask any questions.

Dive Safe,
Duane
www.precisiondiving.net

Why I Took Time off Technical Diving

I have told the story many times, to many people. So I thought I should post it here for everyone. It was early spring of 2006. After I spent the winter searching for a trimix instructor, I made my selection and signed up for the class. I took the class in May 2006. The class went very well and I felt like I learned a lot. My performance during the class was mediocre to say the best. But I was still able to walk away with my trimix button. But something was nagging at me. I knew I shouldn’t have been certified to dive to 200 feet on helium. Something just didn’t feel right. So after some soul searching, I decided to take that year off from doing ANY technical diving. Instead, I focused on IMPROVING my fundamental diving skills. The dives I did that year were no deeper than 85 feet (the hole at the quarry). I focused on improving my situational awareness, trim, propulsion, and buoyancy control (especially while task loaded).

Many people talk to me about my layoff from tech diving. They ask about what I did to improve my diving skills, etc. But they fail to ask the question that should be the most obvious. Why were you trimix certified when you weren’t comfortable with fundamental diving skills? This was the question that nagged at me the most that year. As I pondered this, I realized that the training I got failed to make sure that I was comfortable with the skills and that level of diving. Certainly, I was competent with the information presented during the course. But what I lacked from the class, was the comfort and confidence that NEEEDS to be a result of every major diving course (i.e. OW, Instructor, Tech). I knew I wasn’t comfortable or confident in the skills I learned during the class. That is why I took the following year off from tech diving. This did open my eyes to how I wanted to train my students (I was a recreational instructor at the time). The method of instruction that I was trained to give students was far, far, far short from what SHOULD be taught. My feelings from my trimix course further drove that point home for me.

There are classes that are rather straight forward and do not require much higher performance. Dry suit, navigation, photography, and videography for example are classes where students can be shown the skills to be successful. They can then go off and practice the skills without worrying about hurting themselves or dive buddies. However, classes like the Open Water course, ANY instructor level course, or ANY technical diving course requires a much, much higher performance from the students. Students should walk away from these types of classes with the confidence and comfort that they can perform dives to the maximum of their training without having to go off and practice first.

In the end, I was NOT able to say, in all honesty, “I am prepared for any issue because I am properly trained, practiced, and in the right mindset and I know I’m not getting into a situation beyond my capabilities.” I knew I didn’t have the proper training, or do any real practice, or have the correct mindset to do perform dives in the 200 foot range safely. My level of safety that is. My ego took a hit, but it was worth it. I put aside my manly ways, and did many dives in the 20-40 foot range to improve my fundamental diving abilities. This, I feel, is a sign of a good diver who is always learning.

Now the question you should be asking me is “What did you learn?”

Safe Diving,
Duane
Precision Diving

Solo Diving

I recently had a student that went through my Intro to Tech course ask me to teach him the solo diver course. A few years ago (before I knew better) I became a solo diving instructor. As my diving career evolved, I realized that this was the biggest waste of money since my PADI IDC Staff Instructor course. Regardless of how much money is offered, I will not teach this course. Below is my response to him.

For those of you thinking about a solo diver course. Unless you can grow another head with an independently thinking brain, you will never have TRUE redundancy!!!!

Man is judged by how he stands next to his values.

Hi xxxxxxx,

I’m glad you had a good class and learned a lot. Practice, practice, practice is the only way to become great.

In regards to the solo class, I will still have to say no. There is no amount of money that could make me feel better if you got hurt from an activity I taught you that I knew was inherently dangerous. I’m a man of values and I stand behind them. I’d question those who want you to do something with a high level of risk. Why do they want you to be a solo diver? Anybody can strap on a bunch of redundant gear and solo dive. But very few people can function effectively as a team. I would be more than happy to point out the pitfalls of solo diving, but I will not put my name on a solo diving c-card. That would be very hypocritical of me to say that solo diving is bad, then certify someone in that activity. If you do decide to pursue a solo diving course, I wish you well.

Dive Safe,
Duane
www.PrecisionDiving.net

Do you know what you don’t know?

Personally, I believe that the ultimate responsibility always lies with the diver him/herself. That being said, we do not know what we do not know. Most new divers are left to their own devices to search for quality instruction. In the majority of cases that translates to opening a phone book, making a few phone calls and choosing a diving education by either the closest, the cheapest, the fastest, the best combination of cheapest and fastest, or even the best combination of cheapest, fastest, and closest to home/work. Quality of instruction is rarely a factor due to the fact that the novice does not possess the knowledge of what exactly constitutes a high quality course/instructor. By taking a quick dive at the local open water checkout site, we can see what is being turned out by the mainstream instruction these days and to say that it is not pretty is an understatement. Besides the obvious lack of “mastery” of the fundamental diving skills, the large majority of certified divers are not aware of what constitutes a “good” diver, much less a “good” diving instructor. So, what is high quality instruction and how can a new diver be expected to recognize a high quality class/instructor? The class itself is, at the very least, minimally dictated by the standards. A good instructor can bring to the table material, talent, skill, and technique that can make a class outstanding, but the minimums are dictated by the industry (agencies).
This industry is supposed to be self- regulated/governed. It is not. It is currently regulated/governed by the agencies that are making money hand over fist and are responsible for the decline in quality of diver over the recent decades. They dictate the quality of instructor that they allow to teach and certify with their stamp of approval. The industry’s current minimum standards to become an instructor are what dictate the quality of instruction that is offered to the general public. As evidenced by the instructor resumes and the product of the instruction that those minimum standards have been reduced over recent decades as well. Could this be the cause of the lack of “mastery” of skills in the new diver? I mean, if the instructor really does not know what mastery is, how can their students be expected to recognize it either? The result is that we have people with years of diving experience, but really lacking fundamental “skill” because they have been doing only what was taught to them. In other words, they did not know what “mastery” was, what skills are actually required of good divers, and what a good diver looks like in the water. Then these people go on to become instructors and complete the viscous cycle that we are currently experiencing in the dive industry/community today.
Personally, I think this “cycle” can be stopped or reversed. By using forums like this, by voicing our opinions and observations, and by voting with our dollar and being willing to pay the extra money and take the extra time for quality instruction, we, as a community, can send a message to these agencies that only hear the cash register. To some extent, this is being done with the fundamentals course. The mainstream is taking notice. You can tell by the fundamentals knock offs and the equipment manufacturers changing/adding the “DIR” friendly equipment to their current lines. Funny thing is that these are the same people that were bashing this stuff. History repeats…look at the early days of recreational nitrox compared to today. Bash, bash, bash…until they saw the $$$. They listen to the $$, and if this community stood up and said we are sick of paying for junk and are taking our dollar outside of the mainstream, well maybe they’d feel it (notice I didn’t say listen) and begin to make a change.
So, with all of this being said, my feeling is that the diver him/herself is always the ultimate responsible party for their own actions and decisions involving their diving career. But, honestly, how is a new diver to know what actually is good instruction? To a great extent, because we are self-governed/regulated, we are forced to rely on the industry to at least set a minimum standard that guarantees quality instruction. IMHO, that is not being done by the mainstream agencies. The instructor candidates are also relying on these mainstream agencies to a great extent, to judge their readiness/fitness to teach and certify. These instructor candidates should not be expected to know exactly what makes a good instructor. They are relying on the agencies that they are pursuing their teaching credential with, to actually judge and deem them fit to teach. When the agencies basically have standards that do not require much in the way of experience, skill, and knowledge, the IC’s feel they are good to go and well, the result is apparent and I find it difficult to blame the enthusiastic diver that is eager to share his passion for diving. After all, he/she really knows no better due to, as I mentioned earlier, this vicious cycle.

Duane
www.PrecisionDiving.net

The Importance of the TDI Intro to Tech Course

When I became a tech instructor, my main focus was on teaching the Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures courses. As time went on, I was finding myself rejecting more potential technical students than ones I held classes for. So I decided to find out why. Was it me? Are my standards too high? Do I have unrealistic goals for potential tech students? My curiosity was piqued. As part of my own personal standard, I do an evaluation dive with every potential tech student and I video those dives. So I went back to the video of those people I did not accept into my classes. As I watched, one thing became blatantly obvious. These people did not have true mastery of the fundamental skills for diving (i.e. buoyancy & trim control, etc.) and they just did not look that comfortable in the water. Many were OK divers and didn’t kick up the muck or shoot to the surface. But I could just tell they weren’t in full control of their position in the water.

So I wanted to try and remedy that, but didn’t know how since these folks were already Advanced Open Water divers or higher. I didn’t want to sell them “another” class when they wanted tech. Then it dawned on me that I was able to teach the Intro to Tech course. My initial thoughts on the course was that it is a class to let people try out doubles, carry a bottle, and introduce them to more advanced dive planning. I didn’t really want to teach this course much initially, but I took another closer look at the standards TDI issued for this course. As I read the standards and applied what I believe makes good divers, it turned out the Intro to Tech class became the vehicle I could use to make people better divers.

As I went over the standards with a fine tooth comb, I realized that I didn’t have to target this course to potential technical divers. Instead, I targeted it to ALL divers regardless of certification levels or number of logged dives. As I read the standards, I found that there were quite a bit of “extras” I could add to this course. As with many courses I teach, I started to put together a PowerPoint presentation for the class. After many nights of refining (and teaching it a couple times), I was getting it to a point I was comfortable with. I had the type of class that I was desiring to teach. That and 50+ slides in the presentation and six dives. Some with skills not in the standards. All over two full days of class time.

The “beta” version of my class was a huge success. The students gained a lot of information that they did not know. They were taken out of their comfort zone and shown how to get better. Even though they were already DiveMasters and Assistant Instructors, they quickly found out that they were capable of a higher level of performance. Initial feedback from the course was very positive. Plus, I had a lot of fun teaching this class.

Don’t let the name fool you. The TDI Intro to Tech class shouldn’t be aimed at giving potential tech students a “taste” of technical diving. It is a course to teach students, at all levels, the fundamental skills for better diving, not just technical diving. It is a course to show students what true mastery is really like. Thus giving them the tools to achieve a higher level of excellence in their diving abilities. Not only should the students be shown what the skills should look like, but they should be given the tools to assess, on their own, how to evaluate their abilities. Courses like Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures should not be a place for people to learn or refine fundamental diving skills. Instead, those courses should focus on learning technical diving skills without worrying about fundamental skill performance. Thus, in my opinion, the Intro to Tech course is essential to make a competent, confident, and comfortable recreational or technical diver. A diver who can respond to any situation in a calm and thoughtful manner. It has quickly become my favorite class to teach and I look forward to teaching it more.

Mastery - What Should you Expect from a Tech Instructor?

I was chatting with some friends on the west coast recently and we got into a discussion about technical diving education and whether it is in a state of decline, quality wise, like recreational diving (arguably). This got me reminiscing about my experiences in the past as well as some of the things I’ve seen other people experience.

I think back to my experiences as a tech student. Even though I learned the skills and was able to not kill myself or my buddy, I quickly learned that there had to be something more than my current performance. After a hard look at my skills, I quickly realized that I should not be diving on helium to 200+ feet, regardless of certification. This started my journey, my search for mastery.

We tell prospective students that it is the instructor who makes the class and not the agency. Arguably, this holds true. Many new technical divers rave about their experiences with the class and instructor. But I always think to myself, how much of this is the new student not knowing what they don’t know? How do they really know that their instructor and class is “All that and a bag of chips?”. What have they seen/experienced to be able to judge? What is their criteria for making such claims? In essence, how do they know if their instructor(s) are demanding full mastery of the skills/education in their class?

Ultimately, the student must not only research instructors, but they must be able to determine the level of mastery that they are seeking from their instructor. Students must demand more from instructors. They must demand, up front, what level of mastery will the instructor hold them to. Does the instructor view the agency standards as maximum or minimum standards? What performance requirements will the instructor hold the student(s) to for the skills? What “extra” criteria will the instructor evaluate me on, if any? Will the instructor share the agency course outline with you prior to class? We tell potential tech students to research their instructor, but give little support as to what type of questions to ask and what kind of qualities to look for. This was my frustration when researching tech instructors a few years ago.

So how does this relate to the question I put in the subject line? In my opinion, I do feel that there isn’t a huge push for mastery. Many instructors view classes such as Advanced Nitrox/Deco Procedures as entry level technical diving. Instead of viewing these types of classes as a small piece to a much larger picture (i.e. trimix, cave, exploration, etc.). Every instructor will have their own style, but I feel that “checklisting” skills, flashcards, not teaching problem recognition, and allowing mediocre performance is hurting technical diving education, overall. Tech instructors must demand more from their students than what is written in the standards. Everyone will agree, that technical diving is a very, very demanding activity. Why shouldn’t the training be equally (or more IHMO) demanding? The checklisting of skills makes it difficult for students to retain the urgency of many of the skills required. Scenario training and realism are the keys to divers retaining the urgency required for performing these skills. In order to accomplish this, tech instructors must become very creative when planning their classes. This keeps the instructor on his/her toes as well. In my opinion, the use of flashcards robs the student of essential problem recognition skills required to quickly identify and solve problems. They also become a crutch for instructors as they may rely to heavily on them as “teaching aids”. Technical divers must be thinking divers and creative thinkers in order to solve problems to make it home safely.

New Store Front for Precision Diving

This past year has had many ups and downs for me. I have tried to grow Precision Diving, not only in course content, but offering products as well. As many people know, my primary focus has always been on high quality diving education. The time it takes to devote to selling products is enormous. So I have partnered with someone who will take that burden off me. I am pleased to announce the creation of K2 Scuba. K2 Scuba will become the official store front for products sold through Precision Diving. This will allow me completely focus on training.

If you register as a customer, there will be a field for Instructor ID. Please use 91272243. This will link you to me. The benefit to you… The web site will allow me to set discounts on various items, but only to people who are registered with my instructor ID.

If you have any questions, please feel free to let me know.

Dive Safe,
Duane
Precision Diving
K2 Scuba

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