Scuba Center has been selling quality scuba diving and snorkeling equipment since 1973. You will find a wide selection of scuba and snorkeling equipment at both our Eagan, Minnesota and Minneapolis, Minnesota locations. Scuba Center Eagan
1571 Century Point
Eagan, Minnesota 55121
(651) 681-8434
Scuba Center Minneapolis
5015 Penn Ave South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55419
(612) 925-4818

   

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Technical Diving Certification Courses in Minnesota | The PADI TecRec Center rating is awarded to PADI Dive Centers and Resorts that teach PADI technical diving courses. With a  PADI TecRec Instructor on staff, these dive businesses can offer technical open-circuit training, tec sidemount courses or tec programs for Closed-Circuit Rebreather (CCR) diving. Technical Diving Classes

PADI TecRec courses are the quality benchmarks in the tec diving world due to their rigorous, yet logical, training sequence and the PADI educational materials that support them. TecRec courses are instructionally valid and have a seamless course flow that takes you from a new tec diver to one qualified to dive to the outer reaches of sport diving. Each level introduces you to new gear and procedures to extend your dive limits.

At Scuba Center we've been teaching scuba diving classes since 1973.
We were Minnesota's first PADI 5 Star Training Facility and have grown to become Minnesota's largest Scuba School.


Technical (tec) diving means going beyond recreational scuba diving limits. But, tec divers will tell you that it’s really about the challenge and adventure of exploring places that no one else has ever seen. Tec diving is not for everyone, but it does attract experienced divers who want to go beyond their current limits and are willing to accept the added risks, training, investment and commitment it demands. If this is you, then PADI TecRec courses are your ticket to extreme adventure.

What is technical diving?
Technical scuba diving involves going beyond recreational scuba diving limits and includes one or more of the following:
  • Diving beyond 40 metres/130 feet

  • Required stage decompression

  • Diving in an overhead environment beyond 40 linear metres/130 linear feet of the surface

  • Accelerated decompression and/or the use of variable gas mixtures during the dive

  • Use of extensive equipment and technologies

In technical diving the surface is often inaccessible in an emergency, so tec divers use extensive procedures, equipment and training to manage the added risks and potential hazards. Although founded on extensive open-circuit scuba technology, tec diving has been revolutionized by the development, availability and reliability of closed circuit rebreathers (CCRs). CCRs have numerous benefits and provide tec divers with significantly more time underwater.

Gas Blending

DSAT Nitrox Gas Blender Course in Minnesota | Scuba Center in Eagan, MN DSAT Nitrox Gas Blender
DSAT Nitrox Gas Blender course | Scuba Center in Minnesota  

The DSAT Nitrox Gas Blender course is intended to train divers in the proper procedures, equipment requirements, and hazards involved in blending Enriched Air Nitrox. DSAT is a PADI corporate affiliate which offers a variety of technical diving courses.

DSAT Nitrox Gas Blender Manual, DSAT Gas Mix Calculator CD

PADI Rebreather Specialty Certification Classes in Minnesota Rebreather Courses Rebreather Diving Classes in Minnesota | PADI TecRec Center

Type T (Technical)

 
Because each rebreather model is different, you will need to qualify on each rebreather model. However, once you are qualified you will not need to repeat the entire course to earn your certification with a different Type T CCR model. The PADI Rebreather Qualifier focuses on the knowledge and skills needed to use a different Type T rebreather model. | CCR Classes available at Scuba Center in Eagan, MN Hollis Prism2 Closed Circuit Rebreather
Hollis Prism2 Closed Circuit Rebreather course | Scuba Center in Minnesota  

Tec 40 CCR Diver is the first level of training that addresses technical diving with Type T CCRs. Tec 40 CCR Diver introduces student divers to diagnosing life-support problems and, when possible, returning to the loop to complete the dive with limited decompression obligations.

 

All non commercial diving is categorized as recreational and within recreational diving there is sport and technical. Sport diving includes your open water certification, advanced scuba diver, and many other specialty course. Technical diving picks up where sport diving ends generally at nitrox (a breathing gas with oxygen levels greater than 21 percent). Nitrox is most divers first step into technical but it has also become very popular amongst sport divers so TDI Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures would be a great start. Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures for the foundation of technical diving all other course will build on the knowledge and skills learned during these courses. Technical Diving Courses Technical Diving Certification Class Information

PADI Tec40 Classes at Scuba Center in Eagan, Minnesota PADI Tec 40
PADI Tec 40 course | Scuba Center in Minnesota  

The PADI Tec 40 course is where you transition from recreational scuba diving to technical diving. It’s a great place to start because it’s the first subdivision of the full PADI Tec Diver course and bridges the gap between no stop diving and full technical deep decompression diving. You gain experience and begin building the knowledge and skills you need to continue your tec diver training. You will qualify to make limited decompression dives to 40 metres/130 feet.

PADI Tec45 Classes at Scuba Center in Eagan, Minnesota PADI Tec 45
PADI Tec 45 course | Scuba Center in Minnesota  

The PADI Tec 45 course is the second part of the full PADI Tec Deep Diver program. You’ll extend your depth limit to 45 metres/145 feet and learn to plan and execute repetitive decompression dives using a single stage/decompression cylinder. It puts you in a complete tec diving rig, which can be either backmount or sidemount. You’ll also make accelerated decompression dives using EANx or pure oxygen. This is a course where you’ll rise to the challenge and make the commitment to become a technical diver.

 
PADI Tec50 Classes at Scuba Center in Eagan, Minnesota PADI Tec 50
PADI Tec 50 course | Scuba Center in Minnesota  

The third part of the full PADI Tec Deep Diver program is Tec 50. As a Tec 50 diver, you show that you’ve developed competency as a tec diver and have the skills to dive to a maximum of 50 metres/165 feet. You know how to make extended, accelerated decompression stops using up to two gases. It’s not easy to reach this level and earning your Tec 50 certification opens the door to deeper diving expeditions.

PADI Tec Sidemount Classes at Scuba Center in Eagan, Minnesota PADI Tec Sidemount
PADI Tec Sidemount course | Scuba Center in Minnesota  

If you’ve looked into technical diving, you realize that tec divers always wear more than one tank. Sidemount is an increasingly popular way to configure multiple cylinders for technical diving. You can enter the world of tec diving with the Tec Sidemount Diver course and apply what you learn to other TecRec courses. Your instructor may offer to integrate this course with the Tec 40, Tec 45 or Tec 50 courses.


Looking to push your diving education even farther? Check out:

  Scuba Center | Scuba Diving Professional Development Class Schedules and Information   Scuba Center | PADI Recreational Scuba Diving Class Schedules and Information  
 

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Scuba Center Online Dive Shop | Scuba Diving Equipment, Snorkeling Equipment, Technical Diving Gear, Public Safety Diving Equipment, and Water Rescue Store. | Scuba Center is an authorized dealer for all the equipment we sell. We order directly from the manufacturer / distributor of the equipment to give you the best quality and service. Shop our online dive equipment store with confidence. When you purchase your scuba diving equipment and snorkeling equipment from our online dive shop, you will be receiving the Full Manufacturers Warranty... No games, No gimmicks. Quality Scuba Diving Equipment and Snorkeling Equipment online. | Scuba Diving Equipment and Snorkeling Equipment available at both Scuba Center locations. | Eagan, Minnesota and Minneapolis, Minnesota Shop Online:     Scuba & Snorkeling | Travel | Water Rescue

Scuba Center is proud to be a DAN Business Member | Divers Alert Network (DAN) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit medical and research organization dedicated to the safety and health of recreational scuba divers and associated with Duke University Medical Center (DUMC). They also offer a wide range of Scuba Diving and Dive Equipment Insurance programs. DAN is supported by the largest association of recreational scuba divers in the world. | "Your Dive Safety Association" | Join Divers Alert Network at www.scubacenter.com Find Scuba Center on Facebook | "Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc." | Facebook's mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. | Follow Scuba Center on Facebook to keep up with the latest news in scuba diving equipment, snorkeling equipment, local diving, dive travel, and more. HACKER SAFE certified sites prevent over 99.9% of hacker crime.   Scuba Center was Minnesota's first PADI 5 Star Scuba Diving Training Facility and has grown to become Minnesota's largest scuba diving school (Dive Shop). Scuba Center has two store locations, Minneapolis, Minnesota and Eagan, Minnesota. | PADI... The Way the World Learns to Dive. | Now offering PADI eLearning online diver education courses! | PADI Five Star Instructor Development Centers meet all PADI Five Star Dive Center standards and provides the same level of service. They also meet additional training requirements and offer PADI Instructor-level training. If your goal is to become a PADI Scuba Instructor find a PADI Five Star Instructor Development Center near you, by visiting the online PADI Dive Shop Locator.   Scuba Center is proud to be a REEF Conservation Partner. Conservation Partners serve as vital sponsors of REEF’s programs, as well as centers for marine conservation actions, outreach, and education. | The Field Station Program will be replaced with the REEF Conservation Partner Program in 2018. | REEF was founded in 1990, out of growing concern about the health of the marine environment, and the desire to provide the SCUBA diving community a way to contribute to the understanding and protection of marine populations. REEF achieves this goal primarily through its volunteer fish monitoring program, the REEF Fish Survey Project. 
 

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