|
|
Are you ready for a Inspiration? read the following article before even contemplating a unit http://www.divernet.com/technique/1000ccr.htm
This mindset of suspecting the unit is about to kill you at every step is a healthy one to have. Check, check and check again and you'll be fine.
Is it for Me?
Its a difficult decision to go to the Yellow side. Its a big outlay in cash, time and effort and you don't really know if it will suit you or your diving. I would suggest you take the following approach to make the decision (this is the path I used)
Are you using Nitrox or other non Air gas mixes?. if not, then don't even consider a unit
Are you regularly diving to 30m plus and doing decompression?. If not you wont gain much benefit. Consider a Semi Closed Rebreather instead
Read everything you can about the units. Knowledge is power. Remember, some people have other agenda's.
Download the Inspiration Manual from the APD site, and read from cover to cover
Attend a pool try-out session. Ask someone who has a unit if they can give you a go
Attend a BSAC, rebreather awareness class. You don't have to be a BSAC member, you'll get a day of theory and a couple of hours in the pool on several rebreathers. Can speak to owners and users. I was lucky in that Dave Thompson was an instructor on mine. I came away convinced a rebreather was for me, but which one?
Pay for a Full training class. A lot cheaper than buying the unit first. I reasoned that a weeks intensive use of the unit would definitely tell me if I liked it or not and, if I didn't I'd saved thousands and only spent £500, and if I did like it, I had to do that class anyway. In my case by day 2 I'd made up my mind.
Where and by whom do I get trained?
Sometimes it seems like there are more Inspiration Instructors than there are users, a quick search on the web will reveal hundreds of possible's, what one to take? For me it was easy, I understood the theory from my research and I wanted knowledge of the product, so It was either going to have to be Martin Parker or Dave Thompson, and I'd met Dave already.
Having since talked to a lot of Inspiration folks it seems that there is a lot of variation in the individuals teaching the unit. Some teach lots of theory and understanding with drills and practicals to re-enforce, others seem to teach practically, with lots of surprise drills and simulated emergencies and very little background theory. Both seem to work, but I've been surprised by the lack of knowledge of some users especially concerning Bailout requirements and things like understanding the voting logic.
When looking for an Instructor, first start on the APD pages and their Instructors list. Then call the likeliest and talk to them, ask them how they teach, what theory and what in water time you'll get. Ask them about the unit you'll train on. Try and talk to pupils they've trained. In fact a personal recommendation from someone is probably the best endorsement an Instructor can get. Also ask them if they dive the inspiration regularly and how many hours they have on it. What sort of diving the do etc
From the correspondence I've had from many users I also have a good idea of the good, the bad and the ugly, so drop me an email and I will give you my opinion. Bad Instructors watch out, I get to know who you are and I will try my hardest to get you dropped or force you to improve
When you do you training, I have a list of the topics your training MUST cover. Please print it out and take it with you, Tick it off as you go along. At the end make sure all the boxes are ticked and don't go away until they are. Many courses already use these, IART do and most IANTD instructors have their own
|
|