OP
SeaJay
Contributor
Fetch once bubbled...
Not that this was part of your original question, but DIR is partly about standardizing your base gear, while bringing the special gear you might need. There's nothing particularly unDIR about a BFK, it would probably just be suggested that you get a smaller, more reasonable knife to go on your webbing as a primary device for freeing entanglements, and bring your BFK in addition when you felt you'd need it (ie, Cooper River or whatever).
And the computer is probably just fine if you wrist mount it and put it in gauge mode
jeff
You know, that's the most DIR thing I've heard on this board in a long time.
I am not DIR, nor have I been trained DIR... It's not from lack of trying, mind you. I haven't seen a DIR class come up within 350 miles of me in the past six months. When it does, I can assure you that I'll be doing that class.
I did watch the DIRIII video, though... The video shots at the end of the video were worth the 300mb download alone. Simply amazing.
There were a bunch of things that struck me about the video... And no offense to the almighty George, but I can completely see how his personality (and the others directly involved) may be part of the reason why DIR seems to be having so much resistance. To me, right or wrong, my impression from watching this 1.5 hour video is that these guys have the charisma of a Marine at boot camp, and the ego of today's fighter pilots. Let's face it... With the dives they're doing, I don't see anything wrong with that impression, whether it's correct or not. The fact is, with their success rate, that ego, assuming that it's really what it comes across as, is completely deserved.
...So I had to stop focusing on the delivery of the message and listen only to the message... And that message was very strong. He taught that consistency in equipment, which was minimalist to begin with, helped to ensure a better chance of survival if something goes wrong, which it surely will. He teaches backplates and wings because of the fact that they're completely customizable in every way, from a totally custom, perfect fit, to accessories and wing sizes. George and crew, by the way, also encouraged a 7 foot hose with an "overhead" rig, (caving and wreck diving) while they encouraged a 5 foot hose in an "open water rig." They encouraged different sized wings for different purposes, and every rig that he showed used AL80's for tanks. He also wore a weight belt, and gave valid reasons why he taught that way.
...So the message was good. And my main question is, "If George was diving the dives that I dive, what would he use?" Well, I'm not into planned deco yet, and I most certainly am not often diving overhead environments. Most of my diving is in waters that are zero vis, less than 80 feet in depth, and saline, with a heavy current that goes to zero four times a day. I often do rescue dives, where the concept of "planning" is usually not an option. I often have no idea what depth I'm going to be at, or for how long.
So WWGID? Well, certainly he would continue to use the same bp/wing setup that he's become accustomed to. He would dive with a buddy. He would probably dive with a bigass light, too, but I don't have the luxury of having a $600 light, so I have to make do with a good, solid pair of what he would call "backups," which he certainly would approve of if they were solid, reliable, and redundant. He would dive probably with one or two tanks, probably both AL80's, and an appropriate wing for the size. He would likely use a light wetsuit, as the waters here are relatively temperate. He would dive with a weight belt (yukko), no "pony," a BFK (or screwdriver to use as an anchor), a small and convenient cutting tool, and a secondary on a necklace. Because of the unknown profile, he might even use a computer, although he wouldn't depend on it... He'd also know his general profile and how to salvage a dive with a flooded computer. He'd attach his compass to his left wrist and his computer or bottom timer to his right. He might also use a scooter, although probably not, since using a scooter in zero vis is difficult and dangerous. He might use one just to keep himself stationary in a current, although a BFK tends to work quite well and is simple in design, a characteristic that he seems to value above a lot of things.
At least, that's my impression, correct or not.
The point is, I'm in complete agreement... While I don't know much about DIR, I am familiar with some of the concepts... And I don't see them sticking to the "7 foot hose rule" or the "scooter rule" or the "dive with only other DIR's" quite as much as some people tend to believe. To me, the more I learn about the art of DIR, the more I see that it's less about "what's the right gear" and more about "simplicity, trim, buoyancy, streamlining, and consistency in gear" than anything else.
...And for that, who can fault DIR? On the other hand, DIR is definitely delievered in a very militant way... Watching the DIRIII video was a lot like listening to my high school football coach. I mean, I felt ashamed after watching the video, and I'm not sure why.
The other thing, too, is that DIR preaches simplicity in design and streamlining and all of that, but when you see a DIR diver, almost always they're wearing scooters, stage bottles, and expensive dry suits. They commonly look like space men. In fact, in the DIRIII video itself, they actually show George doing his record 300 foot, 3-mile back cave dive, and he's wearing four (!) tanks and three (!!) scooters! He hardly looks streamlined at all, which is a stark shock after hearing him preach the message.
Now, admittedly, this is because of the type of dive he was doing that day. It's simply not fair to compare his "streamlining" that day with your common 50 foot tropical diver with one AL80 and a jacket, who comparably looks quite streamlined. Simply put, the latter has positively no way of doing what George does at all.
...So again, I think it really has a lot to do with the kind of diving that's being done. And there's no question that it's got a lot to do with gear configuration. So it's safe to say that you'll wear different gear for different kinds of diving.
...Which is the opposite of what Geaorge preaches. He says, "Same equipment for every dive," yet then goes and shows different configurations for different dives.
And therein lies the confusion.
I think what he's saying, though, is that the same BASIS is always there... Long hose of some kind, simple necklace for the secondary, and above all, BP/wing setup. From there, it takes little modification to do all kinds of diving, much of which would not be possible at all with a standard jacket or "tech" BC.
My point in all of this? There's great information there. I learned a little, and use some of it. I want to know more.
...And the more I know, the more I am in agreement with what he says.
It is kinda hard, though, to accept computers as, "expensive and pointless," and bungee wings as "bizarre contraptions." To each his own for their own dives, man.
