F/S New Meg less than 2 hrs on it

decoweenie

I second that recommendation.

Different people are more comfortable with different learning techniques, environments or paces. It is just like some people could study with music on full blast, and some must have absolute silent.

The important thing is you must be in total control of the unit while doing any skill exercises. A good instructor will know when to push you at your limit, not his not your fellow students.

I am sure you will see a world of difference if you could find an instructor doing a one-on-one course for you, or doing it with students who have never done a Rebreather dive either!

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"...after a while you get bored offering advice to a bull that like to keep butting the fence with its head rather than walking through the open gate..."

- Rebreather World PM

pattimegdiver

Ya know I was there too. I hated the pool session also, but when shit hits the fan that is exactly what is going to happen. Holy Crap! Your skills must be muscle memory rather than thought process. Every class I take, I seem to dread it, and say to my self I can do this, and when it is all done I love it even more, and glad I made it through the courses. It is all about getting more exprience. I like to take my time and know my Rebreather well, before the next step. You are the only person that knows if it is the right step or not, hats off to you for sticking with your decision and a green blob for you.! Maybe in time you will have that desire to pursue the RB again. Good luck in your in your adventures.
Those people who say you are sissy or a pussy .... I would get new friends. We are talking about your life and being able to make the next dive, for god sakes!!!

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Patti Meg Diver


Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk

shell-back

I would not make any inference to how good a individual instructor was having not taken a class with them or question their style of teaching. I read your post as you felt you were not ready in your own mind for what was about to happen after already making a large investment in the rebreather and the training. Tough decision no doubt. Once again I would not sweat the crap from your buddies. get back in the water and start looking into what it was that that sparked the fight or flight feeling. There is a huge amount of info on this forum that can help.

I can only assume that Leon has a set plan of objectives that he was attempting to simulate in order to, for a lack of a better word "drown proof" you early on and build on those skills as the class progressed. The process is well tested by the armed forces diving schools. the sense of being stressed and out of control has some integral part of the learning process that will allow for complete recall when needed to keep you alive.

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The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance -- it is the illusion of knowledge. ----Daniel Boorstin
Billy Beal
SDITDI IT #3507
RBW FIGJAM commitee member

colinicky

I would agree with those who say try a different instructor on a 1 to 1 level .I did my course on a classic inspo with an instructor that I had known a fair while ,the pool sessions were fine ,we even did a couple of shore dives which went very well but then we went to stoney cove (inland quarry near birmingham uk) to finish the course & on the first dive we decended to 6m did our checks then down to the 10m shelf & at that point I made frantic signs to the instructor that I wanted up "KNOW" he eventually managed to get me to check the handsets & verify everything was ok then he took me back up to 6m were he patiently sat (literally) for 25 minutes with me while I got my head back together .We then did a 1 hour dive round the quarry with no issues .
This sounds like what you need from an instructor if you want to try again at any time ,now or later . But if you don't feel ready then don't let anybody talk you out of it by calling you names .As has been said it takes big brass ones to admit that maybe you were wrong to buy an expensive piece of kit & then sell it .
Good luck & hope to hear from you on here in the future .
ATB

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Colin

I trust my rebreather completely ,
I just don't trust the user

onwards & downwards

sulaco

Dont get me wrong, Leon is a great instructor, he was not the problem, my skills are what made me get out, I was doing fine on the unit, my trim was good but for some reason when I did the OC bailout and my reg had a freeflow it really spooked me, this is something I should be able to handle no problem, and I didn't, then the voices in my head started, the rest is history.

Well, there is no finger pointing, my skills and comfort level were not there, thats the bottom line.

jradomski

I agree that not everyone can learn using the same methods... Some learn best when put under high stress, others need to be brought along slowly with increasing levels of stress..
Its important to match up the right personalities..

__________________
Joe Radomski
CCR Trimix Instructor Trainer
ANDI Instructor Trainer Director #10

All posts are personal opinions and DO NOT reflect any affiliated agency unless specifically stated.

Steve

I couldn't agree more. You both get some green and have made me happy seeing that people acknowledge this type of decision.

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WARNING: I contain occasional coarse language, extreme sexual references, nudity, and adult themes, which may offend some people - Usually churchy types.

Simon A

Sulaco,
Looking at your post, you say you're going to try again at the end of this year/in 07? if so it may be worth hanging onto the unit.
You'll probably take quite a hit selling it second hand, and it would save you money in the long run (worst case you try in 18 months and it costs you for a new set of cells).
However if you're sure that you're going to not go back to it then stick with the intention of selling the unit.
HTH
Simon A

Ben Field

I'd like to second that, sounds like you bought a NICE piece of kit, it isn't going to wear out by storing it and will still be a good setup when you are happy with it.
Selling it now (at the end of the diving season as well) and you will may regret it later. Not just cost but all the other factors as well.

During my course the instructor said that a number of people decide they hate it and want to sell it on days 2&3 but are happy they kept going by the end of the week, if you had a scare on top of that- I can begin to understand your decision.

The fact that you have reavaluated your training bodes well for CCR diving (in my limited experience) as chances are from now on you will check and test everything exactly as you where taught, unlike most everyone else (myself included), who despite everything they learnt will let these things slip eventually or occasionally.

Whatever you decide- best of luck and safe diving.
BEN

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Know your PPO2, Pre-breath, Use checklists, Validate cells at 6mtrs, Use pure O2 at or near surface, Use a BOV, Don't dive Solo, Change Slime and Cells as recommended by Manufacturer and RTFM!





www.hugsac.org.uk

onetime

A lot of great advice already given here.

From my perspective, I'd have to say give it another chance and see if the voice remains after another couple of hours with an instructor. If you went through more of the underwater time I'd say you probably made the right decision but it seems like your inner voice came out quite early in the process and, when that happens to me, I always question whether that voice is coming out because of stress, a new environment, and/or not living up to my own expectations of where I thought I should be at any given progression of skills. Learning and getting comfortable with a skill like switching regs will be virtually the same whether OC or CCR.

Good luck in whichever way you decide to go.