DIR on Weighing

[ScoobieDooo]

I have read GUE's DIR:F book several times. I have some questions about weights.

What are the DIR's suggested method(s) of wearing weights for a single tank rig? Weight belt? Weigh belt + BP? ACB+BP?

Weight belt UNDER harness or over it? I can't see anything in the DIR:F book that addresses these issues.

DIR represents a 'clean' low drag config - so how would ACB integrated weighst fit IN with their stance? Wouldn't the ACB system violate the 'uncluttered' waist stance/drag issue?

This is no 'troll' - I'm not not clear on all this...

????

 

[MikeFerrara]

Is this a troll?

 

[ScoobieDooo]

Nope...its not.

I can't figure out the ideal way(s) for weighting.

Here's my problem...

I have a SS BP and Koplin 6# SS STA. I dive dry with BARE CT200 undies on. I am 155# and had to have about 27# on me last weekend....

Trim sucked as well as buoyancy skills. I tried the OMS No-Sag Pocket on my rig (but only 1) so I naturally was too heavy on one side. I kept rolling on my R side. I ditched the pocket due to:

*I couldn't reach my waist D-ring
*Too much bulk

My tech buddy says I should add some weight pouches to my tank bands for trim, etc.

So, lets say 27# works out to be my ideal weight (or not).

Thats 27# - 12# on my back (between BP and STA). SO that leave me with 15# to put someplace.

Question IS, is my wait the ideal place? Or put some on tank bands?

Which leaves me with "What would DIR suggest?"

PS I'm looking at taking the DIR:F course in July - so I'm curious what DIR would suggest, advocate, etc.

Thoughts?

 

[King Kong Matt]

ScoobieDooo once bubbled...
I have a SS BP and Koplin 6# SS STA. I dive dry with BARE CT200 undies on. I am 155# and had to have about 27# on me last weekend....

I know this isn't a direct answer to your question, but it still might help...

27# sounds WAY heavy for a guy of your build. At 6'8" and more than a 100# heavier than you are, I am wearing the same weight in what sounds like roughly the same config...

6# BP
Trilam drysuit
200g undies

Seems like you should be able to take off a LOT of weight before you focus on where to put the weight that you do need to add...

Just a thought.

 

[MikeFerrara]

You didn't say what the tank was but steel might be better. Look at keel weights, a chanel weight or what I do since I've been to lazy to make a chanel weight, I thread some hard weights onto the upper cam band.

That should leave you with at most a few pounds to put on a belt or in the ACB. I wear the belt under the crotch strap. If I needed more weight on my belt I would use the ACB.


oops...you asked what DIR said. I don't know but this is what I say.

 

[Boogie711]

With what? Your OMS wings? The Halcyon wings you e-bayed? Your Mares BC?

I thought you couldn't take DIR-F with anything but DIR approved equipment now?

 

[ScoobieDooo]

Bob Sherwood has invited me to take the course and then form my own conclusions. He will be loaning me a Halcyon BP and wing to use for the course. No one said I was converting from OMS to Halcyon - I simply asked what THEIR stance was on weighting.

See, you confuse DIR:F skills with Halcyon. GUE claims that their requirement for wings doesn't have to be Halcyon - Dive Rite or even OMS non-bungee wings are acceptable.

What I am saying is, I want to take the course to learn SKILLS. After that I'll form my own conclusions. If I take this course and come away BELIEVING that a Halcyon wing would make me a better diver - then so be it. We all know a wing doesn't instantly turn a diver into a diving pro. Takes more than wing selection, don't you think?

At this point, a jacket BC won't work for what I want to do. When I add an AL40 for deco diving - how is that going to work with a traditional BC? When I was using the Mares, I wasn't diving with a tech diver whom was diving more than just recreational dives - and I hadn't even considered more than just recreational dives. Now, I have someone to learn additional skills from. And longer, deeper dives is what will be required to see the wrecks I'm after.

At this time, OMS is fine for me - but, it never hurts to have additional training. I never said that just because I was *looking into* a DIR:F class I was dropping OMS. So far, my OMS rig does everything that I want it to.

Owning Halcyon gear isn't a prerequisite for taking a GUE course, IS it? At least, Sherwood didn't suggest so. In fact, he advised trying it first in the course and then forming my own conclusions AFTER DIR:F.

Does taking a DIR:F course mean I'll subscribe to full DIR afterwards? Not necessarily. I've seen other posters who have taken the DIR:F course implement and use non-DIR equip afterwards still.

 

[ScoobieDooo]

King Kong Matt,
Anyway - that was just my preliminary dive with the new drysuit on...so I am sure that the more I experiment with all this I'll find myself going lighter afterwards.

I dive a single AL80.

 

[Dryglove]

ScoobieDooo once bubbled...

At this point, a jacket BC won't work for what I want to do. When I add an AL40 for deco diving - how is that going to work with a traditional BC?

If your having this much trouble now, dont be in a big rush to get into deco diving.

 

[ScoobieDooo]

Deco diving is a ways off...but even an AL40 rigged as a PONY would fit a BP and wing better than on a traditional BC.

Poor buoyancy skills and weighing is pretty common with new divers. Most of my friends state that after about 100 dives a guy will have his buoyancy down pat.