Intro to Tech

The Intro to Technical Diving course is designed to cultivate the fundamental techniques required for sound technical, wreck and cave diving. Intro to Tech functions as a technical entry point for all previously certified divers and as the prerequisite for all other technical UTD classes.

Intro to Tech focuses on the divers’ bottom skills and introduces higher emphasis on ascent skills. The training is centered around precise buoyancy control, team awareness and controlled ascent procedures including surface marker buoy use and deco bottle mechanics. This is a personal skills class.

The equipment required for Intro to Tech is centered on the UTD/DIR/Hogarthian configuration, which includes a backplate and wing in lieu of a traditional BC, and a long hose for the primary regulator and short, necklaced hose for the backup. The class must be completed in double tanks with a decompression bottle, though this is NOT a decompression course and students will not enter into decompression.

UTD’s Intro to Tech class continues the students’ path as a “Thinking Diver” and brings an increased awareness of the underwater environment. While preparing the diver for more advanced, technical dive training, the Intro to Tech student will also develop excellent diving skills for use in recreational diving situations.

Who is this class designed for?

Many divers find all the adventure they need in recreational dives to 100' or less. However, some feel they are missing skills that technical divers have, such as "horizontal decompression stops". Do you linger at the top of the wall, looking down into the inky abyss? Does the idea of penetrating a wreck, with only your lights and a guideline to lead you give you goose bumps? Do you think you'll never be happy unless you're flying past a pinnacle at 200' on a scooter? Technical diving is about having fun, just like any other pastime. But, like anything worth doing, it requires perseverance and hard work. This class is designed for the diver eager to learn some basic technical diving skills which can help improve their recreational diving ability or build a strong foundation to start pursuing the challenge of technical diving.