DIR-F for me?

[jplacson]

Just go to www.5thd-x.com and watch the DIR videos online. They do help a lot since you can sort of get the concepts.

There's a lot of DIR info in www.gue.com as well, and in www.halcyon.net

The class will fine tune everything you learn... the reason the class helps a lot is because of the conditions they teach you in...

20 feet for all classes. This is the hardest place to maintain buoyancy. Since even a single breath can offset you by a lot at this depth.

Plus they video each student... and you get to watch yourself.. and see for yourself what YOU feel you need to improve on. The instructors will help you while your finning, etc. They'll grab your feet and guide you through the technique if needs be. But when you see yourself on video... you will get to understand your body movements underwater more.

 

[detroit diver]

A couple of corrections:

1. You need to take this course in gear that meets the GUE requirements. IOW, a poodle jacket won't work.

2. Admitting to smoking won't get past the medical requirements.

 

[jplacson]

Well, we had one student who had a stab jacket. They didn't seem to mind so much... but they did say that that would already decrease your chances of completing the drills to their standard.

They're strict if you express intentions to continue on to Tech/Cave 1... but they didn't really forbid anyone from taking the class with a stab jacket. It's your loss anyway..trying to hover in a jacket is real tough.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

It's your loss anyway..trying to hover in a jacket is real tough.

Not necessarily so ...

Although I find it much easier to control trim in a wing, I have some photographer friends who display amazing buoyancy control in a stab jacket.

Suffice it to say it doesn't fit in with the DIR approach, for several good reasons. But if your technique is solid it's not real tough to hover in a jacket.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Derek S]

Another thing to add....

Check out this site, and if you can, download and listen to these audio files.

http://dir-diver.com/en/knowledge/dir3_audio.html

I did last night (taking DIR-F in 15 days) and I tell you, it is fall-down simple the reasoning behind the GUE and DIR mindsets. People say that GUE is anti-PADI. While that may be true to a certain extent (semantics), George Irvine goes out of his way at least a dozen times to point out that that the first 3 pages of PADI's open water manual offer much of the information a diver will need.

Listen to the files (MP3 format), they will really help to explain the basic tennets of the DIR system and will show you that not only are they not Nazzi-ish, but only wish to make diving safer and more enjoyable.

 

[MASS-Diver]

$350!!! that's about 20k!!! for my 2nd OW/ pre-AOW??? aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaccccccckkkkkkk!!!

ok... so no DIR-F tomorrow... ouch... my bunghole still hurts from that...

but thanks so much for the info... at least i'm informed... makes things clearer somewhat

Jag

PS
do YOU wanna teach me to keep my trim and bouyancy in order? hehehehehe

I thought this was no troll zone? What's this junk doing in here - these posts are not asking DIR related questions, they are just taking cheap shots. I can see them staying in a gen area - but in the DIR forum????

 

[Schwim]

I thought this was no troll zone? What's this junk doing in here - these posts are not asking DIR related questions, they are just taking cheap shots. I can see them staying in a gen area - but in the DIR forum????

Agree. Scuba ain't a cheap sport. $350 isn't bad for the value in life insurance afforded by the course.

 

[divad]

Thanks for all the links and opinions. Aside from a little externally disciplined and supervised rigor, I'm particularly interested in the DIR use/non-use of tables and calculating multi level dives on the fly. Should I take the F course, or wait for the BOW course, as was suggested. Is everything in DIRF subsumed by the GUE BOW? In any case, I'm in.
Resistance may indeed be futile.

 

[Derek S]

Thanks for all the links and opinions. Aside from a little externally disciplined and supervised rigor, I'm particularly interested in the DIR use/non-use of tables and calculating multi level dives on the fly. Should I take the F course, or wait for the BOW course, as was suggested. Is everything in DIRF subsumed by the GUE BOW? In any case, I'm in.
Resistance may indeed be futile.

FWIW, no date has been set yet for the GUE BOW class, and while I am confident it will make an appearance, I wouldn't plan time off waiting around for it to surface (a little scuba humor for ya ).

 

[berty]

Thanks for all the links and opinions. Aside from a little externally disciplined and supervised rigor, I'm particularly interested in the DIR use/non-use of tables and calculating multi level dives on the fly. Should I take the F course, or wait for the BOW course, as was suggested. Is everything in DIRF subsumed by the GUE BOW? In any case, I'm in.
Resistance may indeed be futile.

DIR-F doesn't teach on-the-fly deco. You learn an ascent pattern that is different from the simple 3min/15ft safety stop.

I'm planning on retaking DIRF with Bob Sherwood and Ed Hayes in April or May. Maybe I'll see you there. Good luck.

PS To the other poster, $350 may seem like a lot, but when you look at how much time the instuctors spend with you, its really a bargain.