DIR - Pro's & Con's

[hsantos]

Speaking of DIS-UK, they have a great website:

http://www.dis-uk.org/index1.html


Also recommended the DIS-UK Mailing List, very friendly list focusing on the transiction for DIR diving.

 

[Jonathan]

Thanks for that Hugo - saved me hours of fun trawling through my magazines.

Cheers
Jonathan

 

[Ron Brandt]

For all you lineing up for the GUE DIR Fundy class check out last weeks posts on techdiver. Especially the ones from Captain JT and James Cobb.

Be preparded for harassment,harsh critque. Make sure you have the REQUIRED gear or risk having yours seriously modified(read cut).

Out of 10 EXPERIENCED techdivers only one passed.

The cost was about 250 bucks each for the 10 of them with Andrew staying at a house.


Have fun with Andrew. Let the board know how you did .

From some of the posts I have read on here last week, some of you are in for a real experience. Even if you have lots of experience the course will make you look like you have none.

DIR does not have strict gear requirements ??? NOT

Ron

 

[JoelW]

One thing about the class is that what is done is geared to who is taking the class. We had one here in Minneapolis last weekend and there wasn't any real harassment in the water. Out of the water was a different story. None of us really qualified as tech divers, so the skills level stayed pretty basic. Probably more basic than what went on in Virginia the week before.

There was some pretty hard comments on some of the equipment used, but we had four who were not in bp/wings. Two were in IQ packs, one in a zeagle and one in a jacket. One thing was apparent to me, that while having conforming gear makes things easier, the basic skills that were done in the water should be very doable regardless of gear. Bouyancy and trim for the most part should not be gear dependent. Conformance to DIR is on top of that. In short, if you ain't got the skill, the equipment makes very little difference.

All in all, it was a heck of an experience.

JoelW

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by JoelW
We had one here in Minneapolis last weekend and there wasn't any real harassment in the water.

Joel, is that the class Yooper and Darian were in??? I still haven't heard a *trip* report from either of them.

 

[JoelW]

UP,

Nope, I think that they are doing one somewhere near Detroilet. The one here was mostly locals with a pair out of Wisconsin.

JoelW

 

[Scrappy]

When I first started looking into tech diving I really didn't understand all this DIR stuff, but after reading this board and a few web sights it really sparked my interest.

I just finished(well almost I am on the last chapter, Rescue) reading the DIR Fundimentals book all I can say is what an all encompassing approach. It just so happens I also just finished this quarters Undersea Journal,(required reading for PADI instructors). One of the articles talked about how PADI came up with the gear requirements for TECH-REC. Interesting, but had now where near the research that DIR has had put into it(from what I could tell).

The biggest arguements I see on this board about DIR are:

1. Equipment- Yes I am converting more and more as money permits. Wish I would have known about DIR before I bought my first set of gear I would have saved a lot of money. My Bp/wing is cheaper than I paid for my first Zeagle and much simpler.

2. Fittness- I don't see anyone talking about this important fact. Being in the Marines I understand this point.

3. DIR buddy- Worse case scenario your life could be in his hands, do want that to be in inferior gear and traing. I don't, I have seen what that can do on simple deep dives with people running out of air and ripping regs out of others mouths.

4. Skills- No matter how good you think you are you can always improve. Sometimes that point has to be made harshly to get your attention and make you understand the point triing to be made. Some people would learn to spend a little more time listening and less time arguing.

5. Training- Well DIR is not available everywhere, but that doesn't mean you can get trained with whats available ( my case TDI) and suplement your training with what you can learn from DIR people.

6. DIR for openwater- What can I say it works! I hate getting in the pool with my jacket BC to demonstrate skills anymore.

Thanks to all of you who have been answering my questions out there and continue with the good advice.

Just my humble opinion.
Scrappy

 

[WreckWriter]

Originally posted by Scrappy
Being in the Marines I understand this point.

Hey, I notice you're on the Rock! I did 2 tours on the rock, at Futenma with HMH-363 in the late 70s and 80. Which base you at?

Tom

 

[Scrappy]

I'm stationed on Futenma. I work up at MAG-36 HQ. I must say I love this island. The diving is great....well most of the time. Water is 79 right now, but vis was down to about 30 ft this weekend. I am going to be here at least one more year maybe 4 if we decide to do an IPCOT. I would like to try and get stationed in Florida. I think that is where I would like to retire in 8 years. After 20 years of the Military I would like to find a job in the dive industry and trade in my cammis for shorts and flip flops.

Shane

 

[WreckWriter]

Originally posted by Scrappy
I'm stationed on Futenma. I work up at MAG-36 HQ. I must say I love this island.

Cool! MAG 36 rocks. Yea, I loved it there too but never did any diving. Went snorkeling once off the seawall but didn't see much (except sea snakes!). It's a beautiful place. I flew over it every day (was a CH 53 crewchief)and loved every inch.

Done a typhoon there yet? That's an interesting experience. I hopped the fence once in the middle of one (went through 2) and walked down to the seawall. Watched waves breaking OVER that wall (what, 30 or 40 feet high?).

Yea, quite a place. Is Club Mickey still at the bottom of the hill (first club on the right)?

Tom