DIR for recreational diving?

[Jim Baldwin]

Hey guys...

I recently became NAUI open water certified and SCUBA is quickly becoming one of my favorite things to do. I have been reading many threads about DIR and I am totally in agreement with the mindset. Unfortunately, the training I did with NAUI open water has none of the concepts in DIR. Does DIR make sense for recreational diving?

I would like to buy some equipment soon, but do to the difference in mindset, I might be wasting my money on a BC, for example, when I will eventually need a BP/W setup, long hose, field serviceable regulator, etc...

I am based in NY so my recreational diving spot is in the Caribbean. Eventually I would love to dive in NY, ie drysuit.

Any thoughts? I guess I might look a little weird with 7" hose in Cozumel?

Thanks...

I dive a backplate and wing on all my trips, Cozumel, Cayman Islands, Jamicia. November will be my 13th trip to Cozumel in the past three years. Yes I get asked about the 7 foot hose but people understand the logic. As other posters have said if you're interested in the Hog system save your money and buy what you need the first time.

I dive with a plastic backplate a 35 pd wing and single tank adapter for my warm water diving. When it's time to put on the drysuit for cold water and technical diving I have a 6 pd stainless backplate with a 55lb. wing.

I'm not DIR as I was diving this type of setup in 1980 before DIR was born. I have visited at length with several DIR people and I use what works for me and I'm comfortable with that.

I wear split fins because I like them better and use less air. I also use a dive computer but I know how to use a pressure gauge and do run tables as well.

Jim
Louisiana

 

[berty]

I'm very similar to you - in NY, new to scuba and loving it. I have zero desire to dive to 300ft or probe the bowels of some cave. I just want to see the pretty fishes. However, I do want to dive in a safe manner. So one of the first things I did after my OW cert was to take a DIR-Fundamentals class with Bob Sherwood (All About Scuba). It was pretty overwhelming, but so worth it.

One thing that you realize taking the class is that the stuff you read on the Internet can be very misleading. From reading the Internet, you’d think that equipment configuration is the Alpha and the Omega of DIRF. It’s not. It’s about the whole of diving.

For me, as a new diver, the most significant part of the class was not the 7ft hose, but the water skills and awareness. I still have no idea how long my inflator hose is, but I have a very good idea of what my trim is supposed to look like and what my buoyancy control should be. GUE standards are high, and for new divers, it’s almost impossible to meet those standards. But, the class gives you the standard to shoot for and the foundation to head towards those standards.

Also, I initially thought that a 7ft hose would be very difficult to manage for a new recreational diver. Now, I don’t even notice it.

Just reread the thread. You’re in Brooklyn? Will PM.

 

[Padipro]

This past year was the first time diving my rig in warm waters (keys). I was wondering what reaction I would get from fellow divers and divemasters when they saw it. First morning as I am loading my gear, I see someone else's complete hogarthian rig set up waiting to get wet. Turns out to be the rescue diver's gear. That of course led to a great week of discussions.

I think they've seen just about every kind and type of gear configureation there is in the Keys because of all the out of towners they get down there. Nothing supprises them any more.

The only time I've ever gotten a really strange look that made me uncomfortable was on a boat run out of a Tech Only shop in the local area. I was teaching an open water class and was wearing my Put Another Dollar In hat. This was the only boat in town that had a couple of spots open for us so we had to use them for the class. It was a few years ago so my rig consisted of the long hose on the primary and a regular old back inflate BC. One of the crew on the boat was a serious DIR guy I had run across before when I was inquiring about getting into technical diving. I remembered him as being quite the egotistical jerk and having no time for some stroke like me asking questions, but I don't think he remembered me. Anyway, as I was setting up my gear I could tell he wasn't happy having a PADI Instructor on his boat teaching a newbee the best way to die but when he saw me pull out my reg with the long hose on it and attach it to a recreational rig I thought he was going to flip out. I could feel his eyes burning a hole in the back of my head. He never said anything but everytime I looked up from what I was doing he was looking at me with the same look of disgust on his face. I just blew it off, knowing what the guy was like and soon after I heard he had left the shop and moved out of state.

Oh well, it takes all kinds.

 

[r00t0fallevil]

Thanks again fellow divers.

I quickly looked at All About Scuba and it seems the classes are done for the year. Bob is near Binghamtom.

Looks like I have a goal in the near future. Become GUE for Brookyln!

Thanks everyone!!!!

I think they've seen just about every kind and type of gear configureation there is in the Keys because of all the out of towners they get down there. Nothing supprises them any more.

The only time I've ever gotten a really strange look that made me uncomfortable was on a boat run out of a Tech Only shop in the local area. I was teaching an open water class and was wearing my Put Another Dollar In hat. This was the only boat in town that had a couple of spots open for us so we had to use them for the class. It was a few years ago so my rig consisted of the long hose on the primary and a regular old back inflate BC. One of the crew on the boat was a serious DIR guy I had run across before when I was inquiring about getting into technical diving. I remembered him as being quite the egotistical jerk and having no time for some stroke like me asking questions, but I don't think he remembered me. Anyway, as I was setting up my gear I could tell he wasn't happy having a PADI Instructor on his boat teaching a newbee the best way to die but when he saw me pull out my reg with the long hose on it and attach it to a recreational rig I thought he was going to flip out. I could feel his eyes burning a hole in the back of my head. He never said anything but everytime I looked up from what I was doing he was looking at me with the same look of disgust on his face. I just blew it off, knowing what the guy was like and soon after I heard he had left the shop and moved out of state.

Oh well, it takes all kinds.

 

[DrDuktayp]

A group of us went down to Cozumel and I wondered if I should switch back from my long hose (which I am VERY comfortable with) to a standard "Octo". I mentioned this to a member of the group and he pointed out that nearly all of us were long hose and BP. So, I didn't change. Down there it was no problem diving this way and I am glad that I kept my kit 'as is'. It was the first time I had dove in Warm Water so being without my Dry Suit was enough change.

Part of the mind set you mentioned includes keeping the gear simple and not making lots of changes. It's nice when you are totally familiar with your gear and also your buddies.

DrDuktayp

 

[RichLockyer]

I've had no problems at all with the DIR rig in either Cozumel or Club Med on San Salvador.
DIR doesn't care how deep you go, so long as you use the proper gas, or how long, so long as you do the proper deco for the depth/time.

Perhaps DIR becomes more important when doing "tech" dives, but it is not a hindrance on rec dives. I'm very comfortable with the rig.

 

[STOGEY]

I must be newer then I thought. What is Dir?

 

[OE2X]

I must be newer then I thought. What is Dir?

This is pretty informative...
http://www.scubaboard.com/t44823-what-is-dir.html