Lead-up dives for Trimix Course

Robert Cook · 9th May 2005, 08:28

Guys, I have a Meg Trimix course coming up in October. Since I'd rather turn up prepared, I'm just wondering what I should be practising prior to the course. Current list looks something like:

- Manual use of unit
- Getting used to multiple stages (ditch/don, swap with buddy, using multiple offboard dils etc)
- Full SCR ascent/deco with dil changes
- OC ascent with gas switches
- Deco planning

- all the above swimming, with no mask etc

Aside from getting in as much practise (plus doing as much diving as I can get in), is there anything obvious I've left off the list???????

Thanks,
Robert

cedricverdier · 9th May 2005, 09:35

Quote: (Originally Posted by Robert Cook)

Guys, I have a Meg Trimix course coming up in October. Since I'd rather turn up prepared, I'm just wondering what I should be practising prior to the course. Current list looks something like:

- Manual use of unit
- Getting used to multiple stages (ditch/don, swap with buddy, using multiple offboard dils etc)
- Full SCR ascent/deco with dil changes
- OC ascent with gas switches
- Deco planning

- all the above swimming, with no mask etc

Aside from getting in as much practise (plus doing as much diving as I can get in), is there anything obvious I've left off the list???????

Thanks,
Robert

Hi Robert,

Your list is a good beginning for this course and I'm quite sure that your Instructor can also suggest a few other things for your preparation. I guess there is no Instructor here who wants to interfere with his job. At the end, everybody has his own teaching techniques...

But before practising anything else, I would strongly suggest that you first focus on the techniques you already learnt during your basic CCR course. And practise them again and again. It has to be "second nature" as you will have to use these techniques while doing new things at the same time. I think task-loading is one of the challenges of this course.

IMHO one of the techniques that's missing most of the time in the Mixed Gas CCR students I saw is buoyancy and trim control. If a CCR Diver can't remain horizontal (really horizontal), motionless (really motionless!!), in the shallows (with a very accurate depth control), it will be difficult for him to add multiple tasks and safely perform his decompression obligation.

I hope this will help.

Cheers

Pierre Farrugia · 9th May 2005, 10:05

Is there any specific reason why all the above tasks have to be done without a mask ? How can you monitor your PPo2 ? (just asking for future reference) ?

JonnyB · 9th May 2005, 10:57

you can monitor ppO2 by minumum loop volume, try to listen for soleinoid, go SCR etc. For the Mask... well you have to be prepared for the worst.... and i believe the instructor just loves to mess with you!!!!

/Jonny

***Decodiver*** · 9th May 2005, 12:26

Quote: (Originally Posted by Pierre Farrugia)

Is there any specific reason why all the above tasks have to be done without a mask ? How can you monitor your PPo2 ? (just asking for future reference) ?

I get students to remove stage cylinders in a blacked out mask and to reel off from them and return and replace correctly.

No-mask drills are important, but shouldn't be onerous ie SCR no mask etc, what is the point?

They should have a spare mask and demonstrate their ability to locate it, put it on and continue to do the particular skill throughout.

That demonstrates skill competency, task loading and stress management.

All good parts of a CCR Mix course IMHO.

Cheers,

Dave Cooper.

***Decodiver*** · 9th May 2005, 12:30

Quote: (Originally Posted by Robert Cook)

Guys, I have a Meg Trimix course coming up in October.

Aside from getting in as much practise (plus doing as much diving as I can get in), is there anything obvious I've left off the list???????

Thanks,
Robert

Hi Robert,

As mentionned above make sure your Mod 1 CCR skills are faultless.

I start the CCR Mixed gas course with a review of the Mod 1 skills to demonstrate that the student is capable of progressing to the next level.

Get those right and you will impress your instructor, it is then for him to build upon those skills.

Cheers,

Dave Cooper.

Robert Cook · 9th May 2005, 23:20

Thanks for the advice guys. I've already done a heap of work on the Mod1 stuff, but I'll certainly keep going on that as well. For the trim, I'll be in a drysuit next month, then I can really start in on that. I don't find mixing up skills onerous at all - I find skill dives more interesting if they're challenging, but it's probably time to start making things a bit more specific for a while.

Pierre, I can monitor PPO2 with no mask via the HUD.

Thanks,

Robert

Grassy · 10th May 2005, 04:46

Rob

I would add one thing on top of that already said by others. And that is try and get a number of dives in some depth. There is the mental thing as well as true testing of buoyancy and trim with no stationary visual reference, following runtimes etc.

Skills wise the amount I have seen you practice I would hate to meet the instructor that is not impressed.

Cheers,

Jeremy

Pierre Farrugia · 10th May 2005, 08:30

This may sound stupid but here it is ! Sometimes I am afraid that in my course something is missing! That maybe something have been left out, so can someone be so patient to list all drills that should be practised ?

***schford*** · 10th May 2005, 09:24

One extra thing has popped to mind - that was Leon told me to make sure I knew my VO2 max before doing full trimix.

EG - get at constant depth and swim fairly heavily back and for for 5 or 10 mins and work it out from the drop in pressue in your O2.

Stuart

9th May 2005, 08:28	#1 (permalink)
Robert Cook Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 107	Lead-up dives for Trimix Course Guys, I have a Meg Trimix course coming up in October. Since I'd rather turn up prepared, I'm just wondering what I should be practising prior to the course. Current list looks something like: - Manual use of unit - Getting used to multiple stages (ditch/don, swap with buddy, using multiple offboard dils etc) - Full SCR ascent/deco with dil changes - OC ascent with gas switches - Deco planning - all the above swimming, with no mask etc Aside from getting in as much practise (plus doing as much diving as I can get in), is there anything obvious I've left off the list??????? Thanks, Robert
(Offline)

9th May 2005, 09:35	#2 (permalink)
cedricverdier S21 M.I.B. Current Rebreather/s: Evolution Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Inspiration Classic Inspiration Vision Sport Kiss Classic Kiss Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Worldwide! Posts: 498	Quote: (Originally Posted by Robert Cook) Guys, I have a Meg Trimix course coming up in October. Since I'd rather turn up prepared, I'm just wondering what I should be practising prior to the course. Current list looks something like: - Manual use of unit - Getting used to multiple stages (ditch/don, swap with buddy, using multiple offboard dils etc) - Full SCR ascent/deco with dil changes - OC ascent with gas switches - Deco planning - all the above swimming, with no mask etc Aside from getting in as much practise (plus doing as much diving as I can get in), is there anything obvious I've left off the list??????? Thanks, Robert Hi Robert, Your list is a good beginning for this course and I'm quite sure that your Instructor can also suggest a few other things for your preparation. I guess there is no Instructor here who wants to interfere with his job. At the end, everybody has his own teaching techniques... But before practising anything else, I would strongly suggest that you first focus on the techniques you already learnt during your basic CCR course. And practise them again and again. It has to be "second nature" as you will have to use these techniques while doing new things at the same time. I think task-loading is one of the challenges of this course. IMHO one of the techniques that's missing most of the time in the Mixed Gas CCR students I saw is buoyancy and trim control. If a CCR Diver can't remain horizontal (really horizontal), motionless (really motionless!!), in the shallows (with a very accurate depth control), it will be difficult for him to add multiple tasks and safely perform his decompression obligation. I hope this will help. Cheers __________________ Cedric Verdier PADI Course Director, ANDI-IANTD-PSAI-TDI-DSAT-DAN-NAUI-CMAS Instructor Trainer Trimix (CCR and OC) and Cave Diving Instructor Trainer www.CedricVerdier.com DIRrebreather member
(Offline)

9th May 2005, 10:05	#3 (permalink)
Pierre Farrugia Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Malta Posts: 636	Is there any specific reason why all the above tasks have to be done without a mask ? How can you monitor your PPo2 ? (just asking for future reference) ? __________________ Pierre Farrugia My wife told me " If you don't quit diving I'm going to leave you" My reply " God, I'll miss you" www.atlam.org www.divemed.com
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9th May 2005, 10:57	#4 (permalink)
JonnyB Johnny The Hatch Current Rebreather/s: MK 15.X Titan Other CCR Other SCR Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Inspiration Classic Megalodon Sport Kiss Classic Kiss Other CCR Other SCR Home Build Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sweden (Stockholm)/Cyprus(Ayia Napa) Posts: 1,005	you can monitor ppO2 by minumum loop volume, try to listen for soleinoid, go SCR etc. For the Mask... well you have to be prepared for the worst.... and i believe the instructor just loves to mess with you!!!! /Jonny
(Online)

9th May 2005, 12:26	#5 (permalink)
*Decodiver* Administrator Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Geneva Posts: 2,200	Quote: (Originally Posted by Pierre Farrugia) Is there any specific reason why all the above tasks have to be done without a mask ? How can you monitor your PPo2 ? (just asking for future reference) ? I get students to remove stage cylinders in a blacked out mask and to reel off from them and return and replace correctly. No-mask drills are important, but shouldn't be onerous ie SCR no mask etc, what is the point? They should have a spare mask and demonstrate their ability to locate it, put it on and continue to do the particular skill throughout. That demonstrates skill competency, task loading and stress management. All good parts of a CCR Mix course IMHO. Cheers, Dave Cooper. __________________ CCR/OC Trimix Instructor Trainer CCR Training to Mixed Gas in Switzerland, France, UK & Germany on Megalodon/COPIS-Megalodon/KISS/Sport KISS/Ouroboros/rEvo/Inspiration/Evolution/Sentinel www.zerogravitydiving.com Rebreather World Terms & Conditions
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9th May 2005, 12:30	#6 (permalink)
*Decodiver* Administrator Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Geneva Posts: 2,200	Quote: (Originally Posted by Robert Cook) Guys, I have a Meg Trimix course coming up in October. Aside from getting in as much practise (plus doing as much diving as I can get in), is there anything obvious I've left off the list??????? Thanks, Robert Hi Robert, As mentionned above make sure your Mod 1 CCR skills are faultless. I start the CCR Mixed gas course with a review of the Mod 1 skills to demonstrate that the student is capable of progressing to the next level. Get those right and you will impress your instructor, it is then for him to build upon those skills. Cheers, Dave Cooper. __________________ CCR/OC Trimix Instructor Trainer CCR Training to Mixed Gas in Switzerland, France, UK & Germany on Megalodon/COPIS-Megalodon/KISS/Sport KISS/Ouroboros/rEvo/Inspiration/Evolution/Sentinel www.zerogravitydiving.com Rebreather World Terms & Conditions
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9th May 2005, 23:20	#7 (permalink)
Robert Cook Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 107	Thanks for the advice guys. I've already done a heap of work on the Mod1 stuff, but I'll certainly keep going on that as well. For the trim, I'll be in a drysuit next month, then I can really start in on that. I don't find mixing up skills onerous at all - I find skill dives more interesting if they're challenging, but it's probably time to start making things a bit more specific for a while. Pierre, I can monitor PPO2 with no mask via the HUD. Thanks, Robert
(Offline)

10th May 2005, 04:46	#8 (permalink)
Grassy New Member Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Inspiration Vision Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Brisbane Australia Posts: 19	Rob I would add one thing on top of that already said by others. And that is try and get a number of dives in some depth. There is the mental thing as well as true testing of buoyancy and trim with no stationary visual reference, following runtimes etc. Skills wise the amount I have seen you practice I would hate to meet the instructor that is not impressed. Cheers, Jeremy
(Offline)

10th May 2005, 08:30	#9 (permalink)
Pierre Farrugia Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Malta Posts: 636	This may sound stupid but here it is ! Sometimes I am afraid that in my course something is missing! That maybe something have been left out, so can someone be so patient to list all drills that should be practised ? __________________ Pierre Farrugia My wife told me " If you don't quit diving I'm going to leave you" My reply " God, I'll miss you" www.atlam.org www.divemed.com
(Offline)

10th May 2005, 09:24	#10 (permalink)
*schford* RBW Founder Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Sport Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: UK Posts: 3,564	One extra thing has popped to mind - that was Leon told me to make sure I knew my VO2 max before doing full trimix. EG - get at constant depth and swim fairly heavily back and for for 5 or 10 mins and work it out from the drop in pressue in your O2. Stuart
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