DIVE FIT Course...

[ILDiver]

FIT Course...

First, this does not change my interest in a class with Jon if one is arranged.

Ok, I've got to get some training on how to dive better and safer. Instead of a random spearing trip, I think I'm going to opt for a class. I contacted Dive Fit and asked about haveing a course run locally. It would take a solid commitment from 6 divers and about $1000.00 each to bring Martin up to cold water. Not bad really, ~$600 each for the class and we would have to pay for his travel, ground trasportation, hotel, pool any boat fees, etc.

The other option is signing up for one of their classes and going down there. I'd go with a group to that too and help drive down and back. April or May would be when I'd look to go.

Fort Lauderdale, FL - April 5. – April 8. 2008 $495 - if paid before Jan 1st '08 - then $595

With travel and hotel it would be about the same to go there, maybe a little more. But the water would be a little different. Just a little. But judging from the attempt to get a class with Jon, local would be tough to get a commitment to.

So to be realistic, at this time I'm going to plan for the April class. If anyone else can commit to that and split the travel and room cost, great! Lets get the ball rolling and start planning. I want to pay before the end of the year to save the $100. I would really like to get it scheduled by mid Nov. A class with my dive buddies would be cool so we are on the same page though.

--Chris

 

[bgill]

If I could afford it - I'm there man...Unfortunately I have too many other things to worry about right now...First off I need to skimp & scrape to get me a proper freediving/spearing suit. That WILL happen this spring...Then I need a pair of COLD water fins...I love my Cressi HF 2000's but they are a bit stiff in colder water. After that and a few other WANTS ( L.V. mask with BLACK silicone) I can then start scraping together the funds for Martin's class. Sounds like his class is much better than PFI's from what I hear.

I'm gonna be 40 in January...Hopefully Martin Stepanek does'nt retire before I'm able to take the class!!!! I plan on freediving/spearfishing until the day I die...For me there is only ONE thing better...And that has gotten me into a bit of trouble lately!

I can't really complain though...Life is good...I have more than alot of people will ever have...Like I said before "In many ways I am the richest man alive"...I have NO regrets and would'nt change much even if I could. The Man upstairs will provide...as He always has! Ya...You know who I'm talking about...He deserves ALL the credit!!! I thank him EVERYDAY for what I have!!!!


.



P.S. - One of you guys could always do your best to teach me what you've learned after the class though!!!!:t

Jons class was like only $150.00 (I think) Very much more in line with my way of life (for now)!!!

I'd better get off of here and get some work done! Bye y'all!!!

 

[ILDiver]

Like I said, I'm still interested in Jon's class. I like to learn. Different points of view and such. To be honest I don't know what the difference from Jon's class to Martin's class would be, maybe I would not need it?? But to learn from a guy with the abilities that Martin has, I think I want to do it.

 

[Whopperhead]

Chris - I would go down there with you. how many day/s inadvance would we go down and when would we come back? I still plan on Taking JON's Class regardless. I will check my schedule and figure out when I would have to take off.

 

[Jon]

Once you take a class with Martin mine would be redundant.

My class is only a couple of days log and I would bet be pretty close to what Martin teaches in the first two days of his course. Mine has a maximum depth limit of 20 meters (66'). My class is more concentrated on being a good buddy, dealing with an emergency when it happens, and hitting some modest depth. I'm sure Martin will teach you more advanced things that I, purposely, don't cover in my class- like packing for diving.

Martin was one of the instructors working with Kirk when I took a course with them 6 years ago and is a great guy, but I wouldn't write Kirk and Mandy off. They are both top notch. I would go with either one without hesitation. The big deciding factor in choosing which one to take a class with would be in logistics and which fits your time frame better.

I have tried to bring both of them up here to teach in the past, but could never get the number of students together to run a course. It was this frustration that led me to write up my own PADI Specialty outline to train the local divers who were interested, but couldn't travel to Florida to take the course. The main idea was to get safety information out there to prevent accidents- and hit a little depth in the mean time. Some of those divers have gone on to hit 100'+ during Freedive-a-plaooza.

I would always encourage anyone to go and take a course from Kirk or Martin if they can afford it- it cost me well over a $1,000 to drive down and take the course once I added in gas and lodging. It was worth every penny back then, but these days I doubt if I could afford to go- kids do that to your budget.

Good luck trying to get them to come up here. We couldn't get 6 people together for a $150 weekend course; I don't know how many you'll get for a week long course and more than three times as much.

I say travel down together in a van and camp out to make it affordable. :friday

Jon

 

[Whopperhead]

I would rather spend the $150 for JON's Class than the Grand to go down there- I know you said you are busy this spring JON- If you can set a weekend (date)- I know Me and Tass- could ask for it off, then BGill for sure, and Ping and Maytag- and Seeing what ILDiver does- he'll be in- and others too- I know the Vacation calender is out at my Job when I get back and My 1st pick will be for "Freedive-a-palooza" But I have lots more to take - I just have about 3 weeks to pick for all of next year.

FYI - I got my Ice Fins! they look and feel Great! Thanks Jimdoe2you!

 

[ILDiver]

My goal in freediving is to be comfortable in the 60-100ft range. I would like to hunt in the Gulf and/or Atlantic. Along with that I want safety and understanding of limits. I'm not that keen on spending a grand for a course either. But we are also talking about my life, I'm worth a grand.

Jon, if you get a spring class for $150, I'm interested in that too. And yes I understand getting Martin up this way is not likely to happen. But I was curious.

Whopperhead, for the April 5th - 8th. Driving down there would take 24 hours from here, your 4 hours further than that. We would have to leave on the 3rd in the afternoon/evening and get there on the 4th in the evening. If there is a place to camp, or sleep in the back of an SUV? The class is Sat to Tues. I would assume leaving after the class on Tues would be brutal. So would leave Wed morning and be home on Thursday. It would be a long week. Camping does not bother me, sleeping in the car does not bother me. It should be cool enough in April. We could do it in March too, but same driving scenario.

If Jon has a class then I would delay the FIT or PFI class. If he does not have a class, I have a backup plan if I end up alone on the Florida idea. Basically, take the family to my parents and then drive over to the class, then back to visit my parents and then head home a few days later. I'm anxious to improve my skills. I know I'm getting better the more I go, but there is room for improvement, there always is.

 

[Jon]

When I did it the course was in Miami. I dragged a buddy of mine along to help with the drive- didn't have to stop and get a hotel along the way as a result.

Once there, I found a cheap hotel in North Miami beach- like $40 a night! It was a dive, but it was on the beach and very close to where the course was being held. It took us 22 hours to drive there from Madison and we started back as soon as the clinic ended. Each of us took 4 hour shifts and we had plenty of coffee.

It was fun, and if you had three guys to do the drive and split the costs it wouldn't be that bad. I'm sure with a little bit of searching you could find a cheap hotel and split it three ways.

The funnny thing with my trip was the guy I went with wasn't interested in diving, but was a huge techno DJ fan and was itching to get to South Beach. After we drove down together he, literally, slept all day while I dove. We would eat dinner together and then I would give him my car keys to he could go clubbing all night. He would come home about 6am and hand me back my car keys. We shared a hotel for a week and never saw eachother!rofl

These days I'm so busy with the kids that teaching just takes away from my fun diving time. If we have 6 people I can run a course, but I make so much more money doing search and recovery and other work it's not really worth my time to teach. Still, get 6 people together, who can't afford to go down and take a course with Kirk or Martin, and I'll run you through. You should get to 20 meters and learn enough to be a safe freediver/buddy and have the skills to get deeper on your own- others have done so.

In the past I have also tried to bring in Aaron and MT Solomons for a course but never could get the student numbers together to run one of those courses either. The midwest is just a tough spot to try and run one of these. We have trimix and rebreather divers all over the place, but finding a freediver is near impossible.:head

I had tried to get Martin to come up and run a monofin only course this past summer, but couldn't get enough students together with the proper qualifications.

Jon

 

[ILDiver]

So Jon, your spring time is busy. What are the chances of getting a class in the spring? I've really want a class and I would like to make a decision soon. I'd hate to miss a class counting on yours and yours not go. No offence, I'm just trying to get a read so I can make the right choice.

 

[Pinggene]

I'm in for a course this spring in Wisconsin.

Gene

 

[Whopperhead]

I'm in for a course in Wisconsin and I'm Sure Tass is also.

 

[bgill]

Yup...meeee toooo! :t

Thats FIVE for sure ALREADY!

Then there is Maytag too...THAT PERSON WAS interested when I resurected the Apnea/Freediving course thread started by PERSON with the handle Gahiel....I wonder what happened to THAT PERSON?

 

[ILDiver]

With 5 solid yes votes, I would be willing to pay $200. If two others paid $50 more that would equal the 6th spot. If all 5 paid $200, Jon gets an extra $100 for the class. If someone else came in, then we are good. I would even pay the extra spot as it would save me from having to take the vacation time to go to Florida and free that time for another trip.

What I really need to know is, does JON have the time? I want the class, but I will not force him to run it obviously. I'm not trying to pressure him or ask him to do something he does not want to do. I'm just trying to plan a saltwater trip or 2.

 

[Jon]

5 people at $200 a head would work out even better, but I need to check with the family to see what our weekends are like. Spring is a mess for me as there are a whole string of birthdays in a row that we need to go to.

Fall is wide open, but the water is colder so everyone needs to have, at least, 5mm suits.

Jon

 

[ILDiver]

I can do second or third week of Nov. But that puts us down to 4 with bgill having to work out his wetsuit situation.

 

[Pinggene]

11/3 or 11/10 are the only weekends I could do this Fall.

I am about 80% certain my son Bobby would be a yes for the course in Spring.

Gene

 

[Whopperhead]

Tass and I can't do this fall - I have off on the weekend of the 3rd- but Tass will be doing Military duty. Otherwise my next weekend off from there would be Dec. 15/16th- which my wife has classes that weekend- So, I can go.

 

[bgill]

If some fat guy has an open cell wetsuit I could borrow...I promise I won't PEE in it!!!!rofl

I'll be good come spring...I may even just go to Miami by then to either Martin's or Kirk's class - if Kirk has one in Florida....I WILL be needing a vacation for sure bby then. Right now all of the sudden I have more business than me and three others can even handle!!!!...It's crazy...But like I've said before...

That man in the robe with the beard who is always looking up in the paintings of him....HE PROVIDES!!!!!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

 

[ILDiver]

My primary goal is to get in the water and learn. Next is to promote the sport and get others in the water as well. It would be nice to have the same group on a trip at some point in the future too. We have a great group here so far!

But safety is always important. The more we go, the more comfortable we get and the more likely accidents become. Plus the class gives me another reason to go dive But I want to be a more solid buddy and I want skilled buddies as well.

I'd like to have better diving skills at Lake Wazee, Hatteras and when I go to Florida.

 

[ILDiver]

Right now all of the sudden I have more business than me and three others can even handle!!!!...It's crazy...

Cool weather, those hot tubs are gettin fired up! Best time to use them!