DIR tips and tricks

[bradells]

BRad, drop your spare double ender down the falling line, and then?

The spool (by some physics that I don't comprehend) magically appears from the depth due to the double ender being more negative than the spool (or something).

Now, if the spool comes to rest a few feet below you, then this won't work.


BRad

 

[PfcAJ]

Please stop...

 

[lucca brassi]

Nice bradells , doubleender stops unwinding

 

[Ben_ca]

Nightwolf great thread starter.
Danvolker thank you for explaining fin mechanics. I never seemed to get a consistent answer about that. Everyone just says use Jets! Except finding Jets that fit is impossible. Having a better understanding of propulsion makes using fins properly easier. I use bat fins primarily because of fit. When I watch divers underwater with the same fins I am amazed at the amount of flex!
TSandM you gave the tip of pointing toes down during back kicks in another thread. Definitely helped me.
Lucca brassi, I too experienced my smb taking me up! I just let go of it. The line was tangled on the spool. Eventually the line must have freed itself because the reel came back down with the smb still popped up on the surface.
I bought one of those smbs with the oral inflate. Big mistake! Trying to keep the inflator pushed in while blowing into it underwater resulted in me just blowing bubbles. I couldn't seal my lips around it! I looked like a puffer fish with my checks expanding and contracting.

under water some where

Put the inflator in the corner of your mouth... not in the middle (inline with your nose)

Try it and let me know how it goes.

 

[datapunk]

Hmm would it be possible to get that rephrased datapunk? I didn't quite get it.

Let me try.

The idea is to have the ridges of the fins touching so that they create a V. An extreme case would be the two undersides touching (don't have a picture, but like the feet in this: http://missjewelz.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/inner_thigh_str_frt.jpg)

The V is a lot more stable than a single fin.

The first few kicks in this video are like it, although the fins do not really touch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L9WQmgA41Y
Or less pretty, but the first ones are close to what I mean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgEkBn35TAE

 

[TSandM]

I have to say, as someone who dives very cold water, that the Halcyon bag, with the inflator valve that can also be used with an LP hose, is the absolute best for numb lips. It has a big flange around the valve, and you can put that in the corner of your mouth and hold your lips closed with the other hand, and get a good breath into the bag. All of the ones with round, plastic inflators are really hard to use when you can't feel your face.

 

[Ayisha]

Those are great tips to deal with inflating the SMB with numb lips. Everyone laughs at my limp SMB even after trying to inflate 2 or 3 times and most of the air escapes around the valve the colder the water is and the later into the dive it is. Will have to try those tricks, thanks!

 

[Ben_ca]

So did it work? You guys should try shooting SMBs from under the ice. See who can score a bullseye into the opening

 

[Ayisha]

Haha, that would be neat. I was done diving in open water around here in late October. The water temp is about 35 now at best. That isn't as bad though as how the air temp feels when you get out. Brrrr. I'll be trying out your tricks in o/w late next spring! The water temp will be about the same till June but the air temp will be MUCH warmer.
:cold:ooldive:

 

[TSandM]

Another tip I got from Bob Sherwood is that you can lengthen your shoulder straps quite a lot, if you snug up the crotch strap to make up for it. This gives you a huge range in a single tank setup, where you can move the tank up and down in the bands. You don't have quite as much range with doubles, but it's more than you think. If you are having a hard time getting out of your gear, first make sure the wing isn't full ( ) and then consider lengthening the shoulder straps.