UTD instructor cross-over in San Diego next week

[rogerbly]

AG is kicking off his new Unified Team Diving agency (http://www.unifiedteamdiving.com) with IDC/IE/Crossover training in San Diego over the next 9 days, December 6 - 14, 2008.

Anyone want to talk about why you are crossing over to the UTD? For example, do you plan to offer NAUI Tech and UTD cards for the same class, or just UTD? What do the UTD/DIR groups think? Most of the west coast DIR groups have a very short approved instructor list... like some/all GUE + AG + some local instructor.

Personally, I'm hoping that the new UTD agency will provide SDUE with more qualified instructors for recreational and technical. We need more DIR/UTD-oriented OW/recreational instructors and more AG-style tech with ratio deco, etc.

I'm going to try to sneak away and help shot video, etc. during the IDC.

[rjack]

Up here in Seattle we could use a better, less personal than pick and choose way to get on the same page. Cause honestly right now we're not; we have too many disparate histories and there's a disturbingly large variance in NAUI-tech instructors. And NAUI tech has too many non-DIR standards that their graduates are awkwardly tiptoeing around. So as much as I'd like to get behind their program, the management there needs to change before I realistically can.

GUE hasn't had a strong local presence here since AG moved away and JoeT stopped teaching. Basically we've been peicemealing and we're hoping the new agency and some fresh common-sense standards and ideas can shake that up a bit.

So with any luck, the new agency and those ~8 starting instructors will be able to provide us more local support than others have been able to provide, particularly at the Rectriox (although I know that won't actually exist) and Tech1 levels.

(I am not an instructor, nor do I wish to be with any agency.) Looking forward to some video

[AzTek Diver]

Anybody know who's on the crossover list?

[Sounder]

Did Andrew leave NAUI all together?

[Sounder]

According to the course equivalent chart, UTD "Dive Master" is equal to NAUI "Technical Dive Master." This seems strange to me as there is no technical training involved in the UTD "Dive Master" from what I can tell and it would seen prudent to have a Technical Dive Master equivalent trained in technical diving. The course description is quite clear that it is focused on leadership, which I understand to not include technical-diving academics or skills practice.

Am I reading this correctly?

[rjack]

Anybody know who's on the crossover list?

I know a few, they are all current instructors and former students of AG's. Unless they want to personally chime in, I think its probably prudent to hold off until they are done.

[rjack]

Did Andrew leave NAUI all together?

Yes, they are not affliated anymore.

[rjack]

According to the course equivalent chart, UTD "Dive Master" is equal to NAUI "Technical Dive Master." This seems strange to me as there is no technical training involved in the UTD "Dive Master" from what I can tell and it would seen prudent to have a Technical Dive Master equivalent trained in technical diving. The course description is quite clear that it is focused on leadership, which I understand to not include technical-diving academics or skills practice.

Am I reading this correctly?

There is no recreational divemaster in the UTD program. The assumption is that UTD OW and up graduates do not need a "guide" like a traditional agency OW DM might act.

I have only seen the standards and have no copy of my own, but I am pretty sure a minimum of Tech1 (both parts) are required to enroll in a UTD divermaster program. Its my understanding that this program is targeted towards charter vessels which require a technical DM aboard (but do not provide a crew member for this role) while doing tech trips.

[Sounder]

There is no recreational divemaster in the UTD program. The assumption is that UTD OW and up graduates do not need a "guide" like a traditional agency OW DM might act.

I have only seen the standards and have no copy of my own, but I am pretty sure a minimum of Tech1 (both parts) are required to enroll in a UTD divermaster program. Its my understanding that this program is targeted towards charter vessels which require a technical DM aboard (but do not provide a crew member for this role) while doing tech trips.

Hmm, I'll have to go look again. This was my question - the prereq's look like UTD Rec 2 which is the AOW equiv.

And for the record, I don't think ANYONE should NEED a Dive Master, but sadly we know many do.

[rjack]

Hmm, I'll have to go look again. This was my question - the prereq's look like UTD Rec 2 which is the AOW equiv.

And for the record, I don't think ANYONE should NEED a Dive Master, but sadly we know many do.

You are right its Rec2, either the standards I saw earlier were revised or I got mixed up. I don't know why its on the equivalency chart the way it is. Regardless I don't think there will be any DM cross-overs.

[Sounder]

You are right its Rec2, either the standards I saw earlier were revised or I got mixed up. I don't know why its on the equivalency chart the way it is. Regardless I don't think there will be any DM cross-overs.

Yeah, I got my DM to help with classes and to have the liability insurance. The UTD DM course doesn't fit within my goals. UTD tech training may, but not the pro-stuff.

It'll be interesting to see how it takes off. I wish Andrew the best of luck and I look forward to hearing who the first batch of UTD Instructors are.

[rjack]

Yeah, I got my DM to help with classes and to have the liability insurance. The UTD DM course doesn't fit within my goals. UTD tech training may, but not the pro-stuff.

Since all the actual class (minus the experience dives) are done in <100ft of water I could see how a "Rec2" person could be just fine for that kinda stuff. I musta been loco on the techDM boat angle.

edit: looking at the required topics in the DM program, you'd need to be an exceedingly precocious Rec2 diver or more likely Tech1 or Trimix1 before you'd be competent to (co)teach all that material to Andrew's standards.

[Garibaldi]

Did Andrew leave NAUI all together?

Andrew is no longer a NAUI Instructor.

[Garibaldi]

According to the course equivalent chart, UTD "Dive Master" is equal to NAUI "Technical Dive Master." This seems strange to me as there is no technical training involved in the UTD "Dive Master" from what I can tell and it would seen prudent to have a Technical Dive Master equivalent trained in technical diving. The course description is quite clear that it is focused on leadership, which I understand to not include technical-diving academics or skills practice.

Am I reading this correctly?

Just to clarify. NAUI does not a have a "Technical Dive Master" rating. They do have a NAUI "Technical Support Leader"

Both the NAUI Assistant Instructor and NAUI Divemaster ratings qualify for entry into the course, not just a NAUI Divemaster rating.

TB

[Sounder]

Just to clarify. NAUI does not a have a "Technical Dive Master" rating. They do have a NAUI "Technical Support Leader"

Both the NAUI Assistant Instructor and NAUI Divemaster ratings qualify for entry into the course, not just a NAUI Divemaster rating.

TB

Yeah, I was just using the "TDM" reference because that is how it is phrased on the UTD website. I am interested in becoming a NAUI Technical Support Leader once I'm through phase 1.