Fundies: Like the idea, but not the equipment requirements?

[SparticleBrane]

How are the reefs taking a beating because of inline octo, short primary hose and air integrated computers?

Do these things magically make a diver's buoyancy control worse than a pressure gauge, depth gauge, bottom timer and slate?

Don't blame the diver's lack of skills on equipment.

While you make a good point that those specific pieces of gear might not be the exact things beating up the reefs, the idea behind my post still stands. Most divers have poor buoyancy control, no situational awareness, and danglies everywhere.

 

[Blackwood]

Well I have an issue with any group that says their way is the right way (and thus implying everyone else's way is the wrong way).

That isn't implied. It's something you inferred.

I prefer to infer that if you aren't doin' in right, you're doin' it left.



At the end of the day, anyone who teaches something better think that thing is right. Why people care what they call it is beyond me.



Anyway, I'm off to Rite-Aid. They accept my BlueCross RightPlan PPO, and I hear they have The Right Stuff on sale.

 

[TSandM]

Totally agreed. HOWEVER, I do have an issue with the GUE/DIR gears. Teach me how to dive. Teach me proper finning techniques. Teach me how to establish buoyancy control.

But my using a dive computer has zero to do with kicking techniques and buoyancy control.

My clear mask has zero to do with kicking techniques and buoyancy control.

My colored fins has zero to do with gas calculations and dive plannings

fnfalman, you are completely right. And the type of diving we are talking about is WAY more than just buoyancy control and kicks. And you won't get shot for having a clear mask, or colored fins, or even a computer. You'll get some information as to WHY there are recommendations against clear masks (but if a clear mask is the one that fits, USE it!) and how you can safely run your diving without a computer.

Again, I want to say that nobody should take these classes except people who WANT to. There are plenty of folks in the world who don't use this system, and have excellent diving skills. (I spent some of last week with one of them ) This post was to let people who ARE intrigued with the system know that there is an entry-level class now that does not require that they make the most expensive gear change to take it. Thus people can get some information on better skills, and get a glimpse of how this kind of diving works, and decide for themselves if they want to adopt it and go further, or not.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

The single gear item I disagree with is maskless diving. A unified team, according to GUE and UTD is made up of divers using the same gear and techniques. Each diver would have a backup mask in their drysuit pocket. If someone happened to lose a mask, why would they not replace it with their spare, or at least borrow a buddy's spare mask? There is no reason to dive more than a few seconds without a mask.

 

[Blackwood]

The single gear item I disagree with is maskless diving. A unified team, according to GUE and UTD is made up of divers using the same gear and techniques. Each diver would have a backup mask in their drysuit pocket. If someone happened to lose a mask, why would they not replace it with their spare, or at least borrow a buddy's spare mask? There is no reason to dive more than a few seconds without a mask.

I believe that's primarily a task loading exercise, but it is also used to teach touch contact and other zero-viz team skills.



We also do out of gas swims 50+ feet to to get to a buddy, but at no (other) time will you see us diving even close 50 feet apart. Nor will you see us continuing a dive on which we've experienced failure after failure after failure.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

One important feature of the training is to solve problems before entering the water, hence the backup masks. It always seemed to me to be more hazing than training. If it was for zero viz training then all team members should be maskless. I'm not trying to argue, I just don't believe in practicing for situations that should never occur. Otherwise, you should also practice losing fins. I've seen this happen a couple of times, but never saw anyone lose a mask underwater.

 

[Randy43068]

Nudedive wrote Would you still use split fins if you had learned from the class that non-split fins gave you much better kicking efficiency? One of the things you must have going into any class is an open mind -- who knows, even you might learn something that changes the way you dive -- I did.

Screw the facts, his mind is already made up!

 

[RonFrank]

I think this class is a great idea. I don't know how many folks I've talked to want to take Fundies, but are not willing to rent/purchase new gear to do so.

Unfortunately the launch is not at the best of times based on the economy.

On the subject of no-mask drill, I wear contacts. Not sure what a proposed solution is for that problem. I'm blind as a bat, and loosing my contacts to do a drill for me is a very stupid option. If it happened in real life, I can likely see well enough to surface without problem. However after all the diving I've done in all types of conditions, loosing a contact has never happened even when I had a mask almost ripped off my face by current. I was able to re-seat the mask, and clear without problem while keeping my eyes shut.

 

[RonFrank]

Nudedive wrote Would you still use split fins if you had learned from the class that non-split fins gave you much better kicking efficiency? One of the things you must have going into any class is an open mind -- who knows, even you might learn something that changes the way you dive -- I did.

I find it HIGHLY IRONIC that a DIR diver suggest that one must have an "Open Mind"!

I have nothing against DIR, and some of my best dive buddies are in fact DIR. My BP/W config IS DIR, so I respect their gear configuration minus the use of a dive computer AS a computer. However suggesting the DIR philosophy is open minded is rather like suggesting Rush Limbaugh is moderate!

 

[Peter Guy]

Just to add a few comments regarding the diving skill level and why it may be a benefit to most recreational divers.

Yesterday I watched almost 3 hours of video for the PADI OW and AOW classes. The OW stuff showed divers in good trim, calm, comfortable and moving pretty effortlessly through the water. The striking difference between them and what one sees in the video's referenced in the prior post is when they stop. At that point they lose some of their trim, there was a tendency to use hands, etc.

If that's the way you want to dive, fine. I've learned another way and I was first introduced to it, and learned it, wearing my SeaQuest Balance and Airsource (but with a 5' hose -- which I think anyone who uses an Airsource/Air2 should have -- or at least a 40" hose which is currently on my Balance/Airsource). It really is NOT about the gear -- it is about the diving skills and mindset. The gear is merely a way to help you find the skills.