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| Choosing a CCR Instructor |
Excerpt from Richard Pyle's 2005 essay on rebreather diving, Richard has been diving CCR since 1994:
"Having spent the past two years developing my own procedures and protocols for decompression diving using closed-circuit
rebreathers, I have learned some important lessons (Comper & Remley, 1996; Pyle, 1996d).
After my first 10 hours on a rebreather, I was a real expert.
Another 40 hours of dive time later, I considered myself a novice.
When I had completed about 100 hours of rebreather diving, I realized I was only just a beginner.
Now that I have spend more than 200 hours diving with a closed-circuit system, it is clear that I am still a rebreather weenie."
Keep this in mind when speaking to rebreather divers. Every diver and many instructors speak as "experts". The most terrifying are
those who actually believe it of themselves. There are few rebreather divers today who have even 5 years on the machines. I know
I've been diving them since 1999 and few to none were diving them then, even in the tech community.
If we consider what Richard Pyle says as probable, then even when one first receives instructor ship they are "beginners".(100 hours
required)
Find an instructor who has paid their dues, spent time on the machines and not just in a pool or teaching courses. The 100 hour
requirement to begin an instructor course does not mandate type of dive or depth. I've known instructor candidates to get in a 20 ft
body of water and breathe to get their 100 hours.
Following is a list of some assets a great instructor would have:
More than 6 years diving CCR: gives the instructor a solid base of ccr dive experience
5 or more years teaching CCR: instructor has experience and established protocols for communicating vital information to students
teaches more than one brand of unit: has a thorough understanding of various unit design and operations
test dives new units coming to market: trusted by those "in the know" in the community to safely dive and assess new equipment
There are only a handful that fill this outline. Choose wisely.
"Having spent the past two years developing my own procedures and protocols for decompression diving using closed-circuit
rebreathers, I have learned some important lessons (Comper & Remley, 1996; Pyle, 1996d).
After my first 10 hours on a rebreather, I was a real expert.
Another 40 hours of dive time later, I considered myself a novice.
When I had completed about 100 hours of rebreather diving, I realized I was only just a beginner.
Now that I have spend more than 200 hours diving with a closed-circuit system, it is clear that I am still a rebreather weenie."
Keep this in mind when speaking to rebreather divers. Every diver and many instructors speak as "experts". The most terrifying are
those who actually believe it of themselves. There are few rebreather divers today who have even 5 years on the machines. I know
I've been diving them since 1999 and few to none were diving them then, even in the tech community.
If we consider what Richard Pyle says as probable, then even when one first receives instructor ship they are "beginners".(100 hours
required)
Find an instructor who has paid their dues, spent time on the machines and not just in a pool or teaching courses. The 100 hour
requirement to begin an instructor course does not mandate type of dive or depth. I've known instructor candidates to get in a 20 ft
body of water and breathe to get their 100 hours.
Following is a list of some assets a great instructor would have:
More than 6 years diving CCR: gives the instructor a solid base of ccr dive experience
5 or more years teaching CCR: instructor has experience and established protocols for communicating vital information to students
teaches more than one brand of unit: has a thorough understanding of various unit design and operations
test dives new units coming to market: trusted by those "in the know" in the community to safely dive and assess new equipment
There are only a handful that fill this outline. Choose wisely.