JeffG
Contributor
yea yea :mooner:jeckyll:That Helmut guy sure gets around... those German's are everywhere
DIR view of Sidemounting
- Thread starter Mike Edmonston
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JeffG
Contributor
Looking at it from another point, why would this matter?limeyx:
You would only use a sidemount in tight quarters that a "regular" airshare would be out of the question anyways.
Its not like you would be using a sidemount rig in OW.
OP
JeffG:
Actually in some circumstances, we do. When filming, it provides a very nice platform for pans and zooms. Certain divers with back problems, cannot strap on doubles, but that doesn't mean that they should not dive. Sidemount works well for that also. Unless being dissabled is not DIR?
Mike
JeffG
Contributor
Why do things need to be DIR?Mike Edmonston:
Why do people almost want their pet way of diving to be DIR? Sidemount, CCR
Who says these people can't dive?
Why can't people just get over it. Some things are not DIR. Big Deal. So what. Do what makes you happy.
limeyx
Guest
JeffG:
Well, I think sidemount and RB80 diving dont really fit the GUE model of all the training you start with continues as you develop through the different levels (but gets built on) so in some respects (gas planning, reactions to OOA etc.) it doesn't fit that.
Does that make it not "DIR" ? possibly. maybe.
However, if you need to dive sidemount or an RB and there is no other way then you don't have much of a choice (either do it or dont ...)
Ozark Cave Diving Alliance
The OCDA uses sidemount for some of their exploration. From what I've seen they use the sidemount setup as describe by George Irvine. DIR Sidemount
The OCDA uses sidemount for some of their exploration. From what I've seen they use the sidemount setup as describe by George Irvine. DIR Sidemount
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The DIR attitude is that sidemount is fine - when required. Just like rebreathers.
For "everyday" dives, the simplicy of gas management and gas sharing in manifolded doubles is preferred.
That's the 2007 DIR answer.
For "everyday" dives, the simplicy of gas management and gas sharing in manifolded doubles is preferred.
That's the 2007 DIR answer.
Carribeandiver
Guest
Know what, Mike? It is not necessarily attitudes so much as it is an adamant view of their diving approach. DIR people strictly adhere to a philosophy including gear configuration, safety rituals and styles. All of it is good and helps to make good divers better divers.Mike Edmonston:
Since discovering DIR and meeting some DIR divers, I can honestly say I have never ever met one that wasnt extremely nice, courteous, ready to answer any questions and generally a good person. Well, one exception, but to everybody else he is a good guy.
In short, I have not found DIR people to have attitudes. To the contrary, I have found every one of them to be personable and helpful.
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Mike Edmonston:
Disabled divers can have their doubles put in the water by a teammate.
limeyx:
From a gear standpoint, the rebreathers mostly fit. From a philosophy standpoint, you only incur the extra risk if you don't have a choice. As an oversimplification, the DIR stance on rebreathers and sidemount is, only use it if you have to. For RB80 style dives, there is a higher number of people whose diving has a need for rebreathers so GUE teaches it. However, my view is it is way too easy for those things to kill you and they only way to use them is in a very safety conscious team environment such as the WKPP. And then, only if you must.
For sidemount, the need is almost non-existant. I have been giving Chris and Danny grief for 5+ years on their old sidemount rigs by asking how you rig a sidemount DIR. The answer is you really can't do it cleanly because it isn't a system that is team oriented. They don't do sidemount dives anymore. It just isn't necessary. There is so much cave in Mexico to explore that you can do in backmount that they won't get to it all in their lifetimes. The stuff that requires sidemount to see is small nasty stuff that really doesn't add to the true exploration of the caves so it is just getting skipped for now or left for those that want to mop that sort of stuff up in sidemount. (A 2,000 small parrallel side passage means nothing when you have 20,000+ feet of going cave that you can scooter four abreast.)
Now, having said that, there are some connections that may eventually have to be made sidemount, such as Ox to Mayan Blue. If/when they do a dive like that, they make the sidemount rig as team oriented as possible. (I have seen the tunnel. I wouldn't want to make that dive.) But, there just isn't a good DIR answer for sidemount right now because the need doesn't really exist and no one has come up with a truly good system yet. The answer to pretty much anyone who asks how to DIR sidemount is, you don't need to do it.
If you have back problems that prevent you from using doubles, you should not be doing dives that need more than a single tank. So, no need for sidemount. Pretty much every one of the excuses for sidemount is easy to shoot down. That is the DIR answer. If you want to go dive sidemount anyway. Fine, go do it. But, presenting excuses to DIR divers of why you are doing it is a waste of time.
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