TECHNICAL DIVE TRAINING

BERNIE CHOWDHURY’S TECHNICAL DIVING TRAINING

COURSE FEES AND OVERVIEW
(As of Feb 23, 2010)

My training progression and course fees follow (for further info on courses, please refer to TDI PDFs, which I will forward to you, for each course).

NOTE for Returning Students:  This season I will NOT be charging for out-of-pocket expenses during quarry and boat dives, provided I have at least four (4) students undergoing training.  The exception to this is for out-of-region dive trips, breathing gases, and for boats where I have to pay for my spot.  (“Out-of-region” is defined as being more than a 200-mile one-way drive from my home in Middletown, NY.)  See NOTES 1 and 2, below.

NOTE 1:  For boat dives where I do not get a complimentary spot on the charter, all students split the cost of my spot on the boat.  I will go over costs beforehand and will try to save expenses by going on boats where I get a complementary spot.

NOTE 2:  Students are responsible for payment of breathing gases – both for themselves and for me.

NOTE 3:  All TDI courses are skills-based, which means that you need to perform all skills at the certification level to which you aspire.  While there are MINIMUM numbers of dives required by TDI for each course, successful course completion may take more dives, depending on your progress and ability.

NOTE 4:  For Private or semi-private instruction (one-on-one or one-on-two sessions):  I will require that students pay my out-of-pocket expenses for travel to/from the site, the dives, food, breathing gas, fuel, and accommodations (if applicable).  We will determine and agree on expenses beforehand.

EVALUATION DIVES:  For students with either some or a lot of experience, these dives will enable both the student and the instructor to determine the proper level of technical training for which the student qualifies.  Dives are conducted in a controlled water environment such as Dutch Springs and will involved agreed on skills as per the TDI PDF of the course immediately preceding the course for which the student desires to enter, e.g. If the student wishes to enter the Advanced Nitrox/Decompression Procedures combined course, then skills assessed will be at the Intermediate Technical Diver level.  Skills successfully completed and the $50 fee for the evaluation dives are fully credited toward whichever course the student enrolls in.

Intro to Tech:  $299.
The fee covers lectures and up to four (4) in-water training days.  The fee includes up to four (4) days of in-water training, plus the following:  the TDI “Introduction to Technical Diving manual” and also the student workbook, plus certification card upon successful completion of all course requirements.  Two presentations:  “Tech Diving Overview” & “Equipment and Configuration” (covered in one session), and one “Review of TDI Course Manual and Going over Your Chapter Reviews”; a minimum of three (3) dives are required by TDI, though I usually conduct four (4) dives over the course of two (2) days in a controlled water environment such as Dutch Springs.  Dives are to no deeper than 75 feet, no decompression, and require no additional gear than you would use for recreational diving, e.g. depth gauge, bottom timer (or computer), regulator with octopus, submersible pressure gauge, cutting device such as a knife or shears, and appropriate thermal protection.  I provide reel, liftbag, jonline.

Intermediate Tech:  $350.
This course deals exclusively with getting used to diving with multiple tanks – either a single with a pony and a stage bottle, or doubles and a stage bottle.  The fee includes up to four (4) in-water training days.  TDI requires at least four (4) dives in controlled water, e.g. quarry, over two days.  I allow up to four(s) training days for this course.  You can use my gear, your gear, or a combination.  I created this course as I found that all of my students needed more time to get used to the additional gear/tanks before they could be expected to perform the required TDI skills for Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures.

Advanced Nitrox/Decompression Procedures (combined class):  $975.
Prerequisites:  Intro to Tech, Intermediate Tech OR equivalent experience AND ability to perform skills at the Intermediate Tech level (see course PDF).  See TDI course PDFs for other prerequisites.
This is the real “meat” of my technical diving training and includes a lot of additional materials besides the minimum required by TDI.  I recommend that all divers who wish to safely dive off-shore wrecks – including those in recreational depths -- in colder water, e.g. U.S. Northeast, West Coast, Great Lakes, strive to get these two certifications.  The fee includes up to four (4) quarry/controlled water training days and up to three (3) off-shore training days.  Also included are:  two TDI manuals, two cert cards, four (4) class sessions, at least six (6) dives, including at least one day/two dives in quarry to go over basic safety skills required by TDI and then at least four (4) in open water, to a max depth of 150 feet.  (I recommend that you plan on four days for quarry safety-drills dives to get the most out of your training.)  Sites where I’ve conducted the open water dives have included U-853 (Rhode Island), USS San Diego (Long Island, NY), Thousand Islands (ON, Canada and NY, USA), The USS Oriskany (FL), and The Vandenburg (Key West, FL), to name a few.

NOTE:  The next two courses listed – Extended Range and Advanced Wreck (Penetration) -- can be combined, with two (2) certification cards issued upon successful completion of all course requirements.  The combined course cost is $1,975 (a $250 savings).

Extended Range:  $975.
This is a “deep air” course that trains you to dive to depths of 180 feet using air, with NITROX and/or Oxygen for decompression.  The fee includes up to four (4) in-water training days at a quarry or other controlled environment, and up to four (4) off-shore diving days.  TDI requires at least two (2) days/four (4) dives in a controlled open water environment such as Dutch Springs, and at least six (6) open water dives.  All off-shore dives MUST be deeper than 100 feet, with four (4) dives deeper than 130 feet.  NOTE PREREQUISITES:  you must have at least one hundred (100) logged dives, with at least twenty-five (25) dives deeper than 100 feet.

Advanced Wreck (Penetration):  $1,250.
Includes TDI Manual and cert card upon successful completion of all course requirements.  This course is specifically for wreck penetration and all open water dives are wreck penetrations.  Includes classroom sessions and at least six (6) dives, including four (4) wreck penetration dives in open water and up to four days/eight dives in controlled water/quarry for TDI required safety skills.  This course can be done after Adv Nitrox/Deco Pro.

Basic Trimix:  $1,250.
Includes TDI Manual and cert card upon successful completion of all course requirements.  Three (3) class sessions.  At least six (6) dives, including four (4) open water, to a max depth of 200 feet; at least two (2) days/four (4) dives in quarry to go over basic safety skills required by TDI.  Note that I allow up to four (4) days/eight (8) dives for safety drill days.

Advanced Trimix:  $1,500.
Includes TDI Manual and cert card upon successful completion of all course requirements.  TDI requires at least six (6) dives, including four (4) open water, to a max depth of 330 feet; at least two days/four dives in quarry to go over basic safety skills required by TDI.

I trust this info will be helpful and look forward to working with you so that you can achieve your diving goals in a safe and enjoyable manner.

Please let me know if you have any other questions/concerns.

My cell is:  (845) 590-5397.

All the best,
Bernie Chowdhury
TDI #12347

Bernie@AlphaDiveTraining.com
WWW.AlphaDiveTraining.com