DIR for Tech diving?

[Tristan.ak]

I know that the BP/W is a great set up and I really enjoy mine, and it was a lot cheaper then a normal jacket or back inflation BCD this was one of the reasons from my choice. I have a Dive Rite Rec and SS back plate and basic harness. Im not great, but I want to be well adapted to my gear, surrounding environment, and with that a good diver. And that is why I choose a set up that lets me feel my problems and changes in trim with moving my weights. With drysuit diving I need that direct response since I do carry 23lbs of lead (I started out at 30 in OW with the normal gear) and Im trying to find out the minimum amount, I have found out that the higher up it goes the better my trim and less I have to carry.

As with every sport there are people who like the Scubapro knighthawk or one with the paddle inflator thingy. People like the norm, cool, and the look how much I spent on my gear feel, and in some cases covering up the lack of skills. I feel the same way about the norm and I feel sick looking at it with the bulgy, fat, pockets, plastic clips, and tight boxy clunky shapes.

He was trying to emulate the frog kick, and I have to pull him aside and stop him from doing that.

I was told not to do that in OW class and I had to do the fluttery bottom blender. I still did and do the frog kick and will in AOW. Despite The LDS views on BP/W gear configurations.

 

[matt_w]

I was told not to do that in OW class and I had to do the fluttery bottom blender. I still did and do the frog kick and will in AOW. Despite The LDS views on BP/W gear configurations.

Hard to imagine these instructors. They must have no practical diving experience at all. I do not recall any thing in the standards that prohibits students from frog kicking. Most of their students are probably still bicycling when they get certified. If you have a student frog kicking, be grateful.

 

[Tristan.ak]

I know the LDS and instructors are great and I would take there advise any time they offer it for improvement. Besides that I think it must have been about skill development on the basic kick. The LDS most teaches people who are just going to dive the warm tropics and once a year people and not cold/ice water drysuit diving. I defiantly will take the AOW from them since I have never dived wet.

 

[DwayneJ]

Find another LDS.

Since they are not providing your DIR training and your standards are beyond the requirements of the courses they teach and dive, you need to move on. There are some great dive stores where you can dive DIR with like minded DIR buddies.

I would say "I'm not sure the relevance of BP/W given diving BP/W does not mean you are embracing DIR or Tech - Its just another harness system. Likewise, DIR certifications allow extended range diving but you can certainly do OC and CC extended range diving without being DIR."

Where are you so we can give you some LDS suggestions?

Dwayne

 

[randytay]

rjack, I am planning for July 4th weekend to take a class with Bob; but not sure if it will work out. My schedule is pretty messy right now.

 

[rjack321]

rjack, I am planning for July 4th weekend to take a class with Bob; but not sure if it will work out. My schedule is pretty messy right now.

Well Grateful doesn't teach for UTD so now I'm confused. I'm around July 2/3 lemme know whats going on and I'll figure something out. Bob has my email too.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Randy and I talked about a NAUI MSD class a few months back ... Randy, if you're planning to come, please get in touch with me. My July schedule's starting to fill up, but I can hold that week-end out for you. As I told you back then, the MSD class is comprehensive, and you cannot complete it in a week-end. But I'm happy to work with you.

Drop me a PM or email ... I believe you still have my email addy.

If you should opt instead for some UTD training ... Brian and Jeanna are good friends of mine, and if you should decide to go that route, I can heartily recommend them ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[leabre]

A friend that I took OW with showed up one day a year later with a BP/w and long hose configuration. I just had some problems with my BCD and was in the market for something new. When I saw his equipment configuration, I wanted the same thing. I had no notion of what was DIR or tech diving or what not.

I did shop a few LDS' who gave me crap about it. Two of the shops actually insisted I explain to them the advantages of a BP/w over a BCD and because I could not, were offended I asked about a piece of equipment I knew nothing about and further expected them to procure one for me. Then I found Tobin and after a lengthy conversation bought a DSS rig. Four years later, I still dive that rig and a second DSS rig for doubles. I did something like 200 dives between these rigs before I ever went tech.

In the same way that DIR enhances the overall diving experience for both recreational and technical diving, a BP/w does the same. Some nice characteristics I like about my BP/w over the BCD I used to use is:

• It is easily adjusted as my body size/weight changes. No need to buy a new one if I gain/lose weight. I had lost nearly 40 lbs. since starting my BCD and it popped off of me it was too large. My options for sizing a BCD is buying a new BCD. Not so with a BP/w
  
  
• Stability. The various BCD's I had used sometimes would become unstable. The tank would shift positions very easily in surge or with some types of body movement. With the BP/w, the plate if firmly against my body and the tank is secure. I can loosen the harness and pull up the slack wiht the crotch strap and still be stable.
  
  
• Balance. I find it signifantly easier to balance a BP/w rig than a BCD. I find the same is true with dive buddies that want to be horizontal, it's not so easy for them in their BCD's. The positive buoyancy of a BP/w is just where the wing is, directly on your back. With many BCD's that positively buoyant distribution can be all over the place making it difficult to properly balance. An improperly balanced rig will cause someone to work harder to balace during a dive and can increase consumptions rates or stress or lead to finning techniques that are damanging to the environment. This will not be true 100% of the time, but it is a reality.
  
  
• Negatively bouyant. The BCD's I used required a certain amount of weight on the belt to become neutral. Because the BP is negative, I was able to shed some lead.
  
  
• Comfort. I find the continuous-webbing harness to be very minimal, comfortable, and non-restrictive. The BCD's I had tried have so much matieral, padding, cummerbun, and clipping components so as to make one clusterphobic.
  
  
• Easy to don/doff. I juse slip my arms in, or pull them out. Done. My BCD's have all kinds of pieces to clip together, adjust, buckle, fasten, tighten, and velcro cummber buns that needs to be readjusted for the right tightness as to make me dizzy. That is the one thing I absolutely hated most about the BCD's I had gone through, was all the different ways that I would have to work it to make it securre and even then, it was still unstable.

All of the above applies to recreational diving. DIR is about teamwork and safe diving practices (among other things). Most people associate DIR with tech, but it applies to all types of sport diving.

I'm a prolific diver and love to talk about diving and get many people excited about it. The beset thing I can do is dive and if people ask, answer. That is the best you can do. Some LDS' have warmed up and started carrying UTD gear and are even sending off their staff to become UTD instructors.

 

[randytay]

rjack, LOL! I must be coming across as a UTD jihadist or something! LOL!

As I said, no such thing as too much knowledge and I know the NAUI MSD is a good course, and as such has spoken to Bob about taking it with him. And I am also taking the PADI DM at the moment. So no, I am not a UTD jihadist; I do however like what I learnt from them and feel it can be applied to anyone. My beef is that many think think my gear is "over-kill" or it is for tech :/

 

[randytay]

Bob, I'm still trying to get my schedule in place. I just got laid off recently so as much as I hated it, there are some other more pressing issues to iron out before diving. But I will definitely fill you in by next week or so.