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Wreck Training


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7 replies to this topic

#1 uwfan

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Posted 04 November 2009 - 07:53 PM

I know that a lot of the wrecks are either too unstable or have collapsed, and therefore are not suitable for penetration dives. However, I have run across a few wrecks that are possible areas for penetration dives.

My question, if I'm looking at wreck training, what are the levels of wreck training that I should consider, what are the skills that are important in wreck penetration diving, and what do the different courses for the different agencies offer? How do tech courses differ from rec courses?

I'd love any and all input, especially written in as close to newbie terms as you can get... I did find a thread from 2005 on this subject, but got lost in some of the posts. Thanks in advance!

#2 shadragon

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Posted 05 November 2009 - 06:57 AM

I won't cover any of the tips that are in the formal course, you will learn them as you proceed. I have learned a few things from my few incursions though.

1) Minimize your movements. Fin kicks, arms, bubbles will dislodge silt and crap quickly. Keep them to a minimum as you move through.

2) If anything bad happens (no matter how minor it seems at the time) stop, think about it, then act. If you get caught up, try to get out of it slowly. Jerking or thrashing about will cause a silt out and leave you in a worse situation.

3) You will have to depend on your buddy to assist you so choose someone you literally trust with your life.

4) Know where your gear is and be able to locate it with your eyes closed. Have redundant gear where possible.

5) If you have to repeatedly ask yourself if something is a good idea, it probably isn't. Don't be afraid to turn around if it does not feel right.

Good luck.
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#3 georoc01

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Posted 05 November 2009 - 08:10 AM

I know I did the Padi Wreck class back in march in the Dominican Republic. Given that the only wreck we have here in Colorado is the plane in Aurora Resevoir, there isn't much around here.

Shad is correct. What we spent most of our time on the early dives was bouyancy and minimize movement with kicks etc. We also talked about as a recreation diver, when penetration is acceptable or not. Finally we did some reel work, which put all those bouyancy skills to the test too. Its all about task loading.

If you truly want to dive in enclosed enviroments, whether its cave or wrecks, starting down a tech path would be the way to go. If you want to stay in more an open water enviroment and treat them as swim throughs, then the PADI course might be a good next step.

#4 ScubaHawk

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Posted 05 November 2009 - 11:41 AM

Something I always tossed in when I led a group to a wreck:

Get extremely comfortable with your gear. Knowing every release, knob, hook etc. Be able to find everything in the dark and/or underwater. Caught in a doorway with fishing line tied around your air valve is not the time you want to figure out how to take off a bcd.

I, also, personally recommend wearing a weight belt instead of using integrated pockets. If something snags, you can get out of your bcd and fix the issue.
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#5 uwfan

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Posted 05 November 2009 - 01:23 PM

If I look at a PADI wreck course, what can I expect to be prepared to do around wrecks? What will I be prepared to do with SSI courses or NAUI or TDI, etc.? Even if I don't go inside a wreck, I'd like to be prepared and know more of the ins and outs of wreck diving...be able to determine if a wreck is a safe swim thru, know if it would instead be classified as a penetration dive, understand what reel work is (I don't know what it is at this point) and all in all be a safer diver around wrecks. Which agencies will give me which of these skills and what classes within those agencies provide those skills. I don't want the tips in the courses, just an understanding of what I'd be able to expect from a course.

#6 georoc01

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Posted 05 November 2009 - 01:55 PM

My PADI course consisted of doing the bookwork in the Adventures in Diving Book chapter on Wreck Diving, and doing the reviews. I sat down with the instructor afterwards and reviewed the homework, and then he talked for a bit about wreck diving, researching a wreck, brought out a picture and map of the wreck we were going to dive. We did 3 dives on the wreck.

Dive 1 focused totally on bouyancy. We swam around the wreck, looking at the various points where it could be penetrated and which ones would be acceptable or not. We reviewed doing a modified frog kick to minimize kicking up sediment.

Dive 2 we swam around the wreck again, reviewing the different points of entry Then we penetrated the wreck where it was safe. We swam through in both directions

Dive 3 we used a reel. tied off on one end, swam through the wreck laying a line, and then reversed direction pulling the line back in.

I know we did a 4th dive at the wreck, but I don't think it was required for the cert and I don't think we covered anything different than was covered in the 1st three dives.

Outside of the North Carolina SD trip, virtually every other wreck dive I have done were actually boats intentionally sunk to create artificial reefs. They were opened up and stripped prior to sinking. This is far different than diving a true wreck that sunk involuntarily. Many more obstacles exist and the risk factor can be much greater. For experience in the former, the PADI course is fine. If your goal is to do the latter, hopefully someone with far more experience with those can give you guidance on how to proceed.

#7 Jerrymxz

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Posted 05 November 2009 - 02:59 PM

I took the PADI wreck course several years ago. WITH THE RIGHT INSTRUCTOR it will prepare you to do limited overhead penatration of a wreck. there are depth and gas limitations. the rule of thirds is explained and stressed. Always have outside light visible to an exit...

My class was heavy on the use of a wreck reel. I had to do four or five different skills both alone and with a buddy to the satisfaction of the instructor or we had to do it again. (picture two guys in a tiny cabin on a boat with a wreck reel laying line in then turning around exiting and reeling it all back in). next was swim in one window of a trolly car and out the next while laying line repeated the entire length of the trolly. turn and reel it all back in while back tracking in one window and out the next with out fouling the reel.

I know those are skills not required in the basic PADI wreck class but good skills to have if you are ever going to go inside. Once you have aquired those skills you need to use them. just last week in Cozy I threw my lift bag 4 or five times. I only needed to do it once to let the boat know I was terminating a dive early the rest I didn't need to but it made doing the safety stop easy and it was good practice. besides it's always fun to share a safety stop with a pretty girl. :rolleyes:

I hope this helps a bit, and I enjoyed seeing you again in Cozy.

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If you are observant while diving in dark places listen to the account each has to tell, You cannot come away unaffected.   
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#8 VADiver

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Posted 06 November 2009 - 06:01 PM

If you want a course that will prepare you for more advanced dives (i.e. wreck penetration) I'd look into taking a GUE Fundamentals Course. GO to the GUE wedsite, find an instructor and ask him what you need. You can take the Fundies course in either a single or doubles config. Overall I belive this is the best course to get you set up for more advanced dives.




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