Gear set up

[Centrals]

Only 2 pages needed for the Fun#$% to be mentioned.
Perhaps all diving agencies and manufacturers should close shop except.....!
So everyone will be in black, low volume mask, jet fins, BP/single bladder etc etc.
I am pretty satisfied that I made up my mind all those yrs ago to avoid certain course from certain agency.
I am a "stroke" and to hell with them!

 

[DevonDiver]

To be fair, I'm not sure of any other agency that offers a direct equivalent to fundies. It's a great concept. Having some pre-training for tech is likely to save some people a lot of time, money and disappointment - should they turn up for a tech course and not have their basic skills at a sufficient level of refinement.

I've never done a GUE course... but I have turned people away from tech courses... and I have seen the quality of fundies trained divers. Far from being a DIR zealot, I'd still recommend these as a good approach to starting technical training.

I've thought about drafting my own version of fundies as a distinctive course, but if it wasn't generalised to represent an entire agency, then it has little value. I just do a in-water assessment now - if they don't meet standards they don't go forwards in training. At best, they'll get an 'Intro to tech'... or option to return at another time.

 

[Tortuga68]

Good to see some really helpful responses after the initial poor reception, thanks to those who took the time & effort to provide some well-reasoned guidance... unfortunately the OP hasn't logged in since Sept 23 so we've probably burnt another one

...the bungeed, dual bladder, way-too-much lift wing is one of the few pieces of gear I think is really borderline hazardous for diving... [snip] If there's a problem, you've now got two inflators to try to disconnect in time

Not to turn this into yet another BWOD thread (although it kinda is already) but why is 60# "way-too-much" lift? Don't think we know what tanks he's using, or if dry or wet... and regarding the inflators, as was already mentioned, it's best to leave the LPI hose detached on the redundant bladder until/unless you need it

 

[ajduplessis]

That's a fairly brave statement 'the dive community'. I've met the man. Personally I believe the guy. And so do lot of others.

I am very sure he is a nice guy and have no doubt that he tried. The point is that the dive was not allowed/recognized, there are various stories why and to be honest nothing will ever change the outcome. The man completed a seriously dangerous dive for "nothing" and that must suck seriously :-( Please don't shoot the messenger, I am only relaying what is known and documented in the "dive community" for a lack of a better word.

 

[gsk3]

Only 2 pages needed for the Fun#$% to be mentioned.
Perhaps all diving agencies and manufacturers should close shop except.....!
So everyone will be in black, low volume mask, jet fins, BP/single bladder etc etc.
I am pretty satisfied that I made up my mind all those yrs ago to avoid certain course from certain agency.
I am a "stroke" and to hell with them!

Did you miss the part about finding a good instructor who drinks water, tea, and lemonade instead of the brightly colored stuff? It's definitely an option, and there are some superb instructors out there not teaching for GUE. But I don't know who they might be in Florida, so I can't give specific recommendations. And it's much clearer what I mean by a "really serious Intro-to-tech" class if I say it should be something like Fundies. And he's in Florida (where GUE instructors grow like weeds!) and one contact with a GUE instructor will not give him cooties, nor would it you.

Please go back and read my calm and balanced suggestion for his further education to move him along the path to tech, then read your rant that it triggered. Kindly consider which camp as a problem with dogma and closed-mindedness.

 

[Centrals]

Kindly consider which camp as a problem with dogma and closed-mindedness.

I am pretty happy to dive with anyone who is using single, double(bungeed or no), side-mount, all the deco tanks(2) on his/her left side or on either side, 40lbs, 60lbs or 90 lbs lift and even rebreathers(KISS, Mk15, Inspiration and Evolution) etc etc. That are their choices and as long as they have the right certification and training....who am I to tell them to alter/change their systems without even dive with them once.

Closed-mindedness and dogma? I do know which camp its belong to.

 

[Centrals]

Not to turn this into yet another BWOD thread (although it kinda is already) but why is 60# "way-too-much" lift? Don't think we know what tanks he's using, or if dry or wet... and regarding the inflators, as was already mentioned, it's best to leave the LPI hose detached on the redundant bladder until/unless you need it

Because some manufacturers do not produce 60lbs lift bc as well as twin bladders.
Closed mindedness and dogma!!!!

 

[DevonDiver]

I am pretty happy to dive with anyone who is using single, double(bungeed or no), side-mount, all the deco tanks(2) on his/her left side or on either side, 40lbs, 60lbs or 90 lbs lift and even rebreathers(KISS, Mk15, Inspiration and Evolution) etc etc. That are their choices and as long as they have the right certification and training....who am I to tell them to alter/change their systems without even dive with them once.

Closed-mindedness and dogma? I do know which camp its belong to.

I am pretty happy to dive with anyone who has the knowledge, patience, attention-to-detail and commitment to properly calculate their buoyancy requirements and then go out and purchase an appropriate kit.

Having the right kit for the job can speak volumes about the mindset and focus of the individual diver, IMHO. I care about that mindset and focus, because ultimately, my safety will be determined by that person's performance in the water. Anyone can go out and spend their cash on certification and training. It's how they apply that training...and how they think about their dives, that matters.

All of the options you've given (above) are valid - but not necessarily for every dive and not for every circumstance.

The issue that I see, regarding this thread & the OP, is that the calculations may not have been made to determine the requirements. I don't see 'bungees' as a valid work-around to not bothering with the proper ground-work. It's sloppy preparation. Hence, I agree with any of the posters who may have critiqued the equipment on that basis.

 

[gsk3]

I dove a 50lbs singles/doubles wing on singles (even big steel singles) for my first 30 or so dives. Had some uncontrolled ascents. Switching to a properly sized and shaped wing immediately fixed the problem.

I've seen other people also have trouble with oversized wings. Sometimes the result ain't pretty.

I'll happy do shallow dives with just about anyone. If I'm adding in an overhead or rough seas, you can get your butt I will have dove with them before and trust that if either of us has a problem they will handle it appropriately.

 

[ucfdiver]

who am I to tell them to alter/change their systems without even dive with them once.

There's a difference between telling them to change their gear to dive with *ME*, to fit the way *I* am comfortable and *I* was trained and making a public mockery out of them.

I'm not familiar with gear such as what's pictured, so I wouldn't do a challenging dive with someone wearing it. I would be happy to do a recreational dive with them, however.