Dress For Success by Dan MacKay

[DaleC]

Dress For Success (The essentials of diving part:1 Equipment) by Dan MacKay
Publisher: Discover History LLC 2004
ISBN: 1-929401-03-5

Dan MacKay is a GUE instructor who has put together this excellent reference guide for DIR equipment configuration. Good quality photos and easy to understand instruction/explanations lead the reader through the basic set up of their kit and the reasoning behind certain choices. Even if one is not a DIR practitioner there is plenty to study and digest here. The topics include:

What is DIR?
Exposure System
Backplate-Harness
BCD
Regulators
Fins
Manifolds
Bands
Masks
Tank Assembly
Ancillary Equipment
Lighting Systems
Stages/Deco Bottles
Final Thoughts

An example of the photo detailing (a photgraph of the book, the actual pics are much clearer):

The book itself is spiral bound and was a bit pricey at $35Can. but I consider it a worthwhile investment to my diving library. It has already made the rounds from diver to diver in our little group. It can probably be sourced through most DIR/GUE oriented dive shops or on line via GUE.com

 

[Doc Harry]

I found the book to be a useful resource.

It is, however, not a coherent text book. It seems that the author had a lot of notes and photos and just threw it all together.

The photos could have been clearer and showed more detail. If the point of including a photo was to show how something is put together, then the photo should be taken close enough to show that detail. Unfortunately, many of the photos in the book are shot from too far away to adequately illustrate what the author was trying to illustrate.

I bought the book, read through it once, learned from it, and haven't looked at it again.

 

[mustang_5l]

Thanks for letting me borrow that book Dale!

 

[TSandM]

I found the book very useful when I was first setting up my backplate rig, and I have gone back to it for reference as my diving has progressed, in figuring out argon setups and how to rig deco bottles. It's not a bad little book to have on one's shelf.

 

[mustang_5l]

I agree, lots of good information here.

 

[DaleC]

I found the book to be a useful resource.

It is, however, not a coherent text book. It seems that the author had a lot of notes and photos and just threw it all together.

The photos could have been clearer and showed more detail. If the point of including a photo was to show how something is put together, then the photo should be taken close enough to show that detail. Unfortunately, many of the photos in the book are shot from too far away to adequately illustrate what the author was trying to illustrate.

I bought the book, read though it once, learned from it, and haven't looked at it again.

That's odd Doc, I have the opposite impression. To each their own though I say. Perhaps you could site an example of a section that fell short as I would be curious to see the difference in perspectives. To be fair as well, Dan is a GUE instructor, not a writer per se which, to my mind, adds a sense of real life experience to what is written. I found it answers so many of those questions that get asked in the DIR sub forum (guilty) like: Where does the boltsnap go on my longhose reg? Where should the backplate sit on my back, How should my reg hose routing look? How should I route my canlight cable? etc...

 

[Scott L]

The book pointed me in the direction of custom wetsuits made of Rubatex G-231 which I am most gratefull. Rubatex commpresses but a fraction of that compared with most all other wetsuit materials in use rendering me a much less overweighted (and safer) diver especially in the beginning of the dive.

 

[liuk3]

I too found the book extremely helpful when I first put together my bp/w. I remember trying figure out how this backplate thingy went all together and how to adjust the strap and route all the different hoses. Since then, it has served as a great reference guide as I continue to progress in my dive development and training.

 

[Thalassamania]

The book pointed me in the direction of custom wetsuits made of Rubatex G-231 which I am most gratefull. Rubatex commpresses but a fraction of that compared with most all other wetsuit materials in use rendering me a much less overweighted (and safer) diver especially in the beginning of the dive.

That information was already available, free of charge, here on SB.

 

[deepstops]

The book pointed me in the direction of custom wetsuits made of Rubatex G-231 which I am most gratefull. Rubatex commpresses but a fraction of that compared with most all other wetsuit materials in use rendering me a much less overweighted (and safer) diver especially in the beginning of the dive.

Just don't buy it from Wetwear in Hallandale.

And while Rubatex G231 is some quality stuff, Yamamoto closed-cell chloroprene is equal in quality and probably easier to find these days.