Getting to DIR by the long way around

[nadwidny]

The other is one good liability lawer going after them like what happened to Abyss over a BC and regulator problem. The real problem was a diver blaming them for his problems. They won the suite but broke the company.

Hopefully Halcyon or GUE isn't doing like Abyss did and operate without liability insurance which would've prevented Abyss's demise.

 

[cmalinowski]

I don't know if GUE would keep going. But I suspect at least a core of the teachings would keep going. There are an awful lot of us who may not know a ton, but we have the basics and the idea, and believe in it, and keep trying to pass it along. And there are even non-GUE instructors incorporating a lot of the ideas in their teaching. I don't think it will die with Jarrod's departure. At least, I hope not.

Agreed. It's a mindset and a core diving philosphy. While Jarrod has chosen to go forth and teach it because it is a decent business opportunity and he truly believes in it, I don't think it would go with him. The diving philosophy could be tought by anyone. We... well, myself and others... choose to follow GUE because we know that particular standard and that has a nice, comfortable feel to it. If GUE passed on for some reason, we would find out who has stepped up to the plate and chosen to form similar standards that we know, love, and understand.

It's all very simple really. Find who works for you. Realize the reason you are doing it. And be happy with your decision. If you're not comfortable with the DIR philosophy, then move on and find something else. We really don't care... really. Don't argue it to death because life is too short for that. DIR advocates are passionate about our diving philosophy because we believe so strongly in it. But that doesn't mean you have to.

I ran into someone this weekend who commented on my fins (SP Jets). Then said that is as close to DIR as he would ever want to get. I had not talked to him before. Never met the guy. Only said that I liked my fins. Never said I was DIR. Yet he chose to "bash" DIR for no good reason. I was gearing up for a dive and had no desire to discuss it with him. He seemed like a nice enough guy and I am sure we could dive together with no problem. But I felt like asking why he would even throw out that comment.... missed opportunity I guess.

Anyway, I'm ranting again. Seems to be my way on the boards lately. Must be bored.

Later,
Chris

EDIT: Obviously not ranting at you Lynne

 

[Diver Dennis]

I did a Blackbeard's liveaboard last year, and my wife & I both used DIR-standard rigs on the trip. Nobody aboard had much clue about either DIR or the way our equipment was set up. One fellow asked if I was a "cave diver", and I told him no, but that the water we dived in regulary was so murky that it might as well be considered a lightless environment (thus the can light and Scouts). The DM on the trip groused once or twice about my long hose, which was a bit awkward to correctly rig in the very confined area available for suit-up just prior to diving -- but that was his complaint, rather than the fear that it might somehow "choke me" or other nonsense I understand DIR-rigs have elicited from the uninformed.

Considering that my personal experience, combined with lots of trip reports here on SB, and reading about liveaboards in several dive publications all provide the same picture of an industry that isn't overly concerned with team cohesion, situational awareness, dive planning, or gas management, frankly, I think they could all use a big dose of DIR-ness, but that is pretty unlikely.

Ryan

DIR folks don't use computers but you use a wireless AI computer. Perhaps YOU could use a dose of DIR-ness.

 

[TSandM]

Dennis, where'd you get that? I've taken a class with Ryan, and I'm pretty sure he wasn't using a wireless AI computer.

 

[rsdancey]

DIR folks don't use computers but you use a wireless AI computer. Perhaps YOU could use a dose of DIR-ness.

That's certainly true -- when shorediving or boatdiving in open water I wear my AI Vytec.

I believe that the key constraint of DIR on this topic is "don't use a dive computer to plan or execute your dive", and I do not do that.

1) I use it primarily as a record keeping device

2) I dive with an SPG, and that is my "gas gauge of record", I check it every 5 minutes, and rely on its readout to monitor my consumption and gas remaining.

3) I do all my dive planning on an excel spreadsheet long before I get near the water, not on the basis of whatever the computer "thinks" my no-deco limits are.

At just over 150 dives, I find that my SAC rate continues to change (especially with day/night conditions). Since a good SAC estimate is the cornerstone of good gas planning, I believe using an AI computer is the best way to derive a usable figure and monitor changes. As my SAC changes, so does my dive plan.

I assume that at some point in the future, my skills/confidence/experience/etc. will have reached a point where I'm unlikely to see much more variation and will be able to rely on past performance as an indicator of SAC in various conditions, and at that point, the computer will be little more than a bottom timer and I'll happily take the transmitter off my regulator.

Ryan

 

[rjack321]

IMO There's nothing wrong with using stuff like AI or computers in computer mode until your comfortable enough to be without. More power to ya' Ryan for seeing how certain technologies can support your diving and learning process.

Someday, I'm sure you'll consider it superfluous.

Ps I was on a Blackbeard's charter once. Not exactly a DIR system they have. But nice enough and safe enough since you can dive your own plans. Do they have nitrox now? - in 1997 they didn't.

 

[rsdancey]

Ps I was on a Blackbeard's charter once. Not exactly a DIR system they have. But nice enough and safe enough since you can dive your own plans. Do they have nitrox now? - in 1997 they didn't.

No nitrox. (Especially unfortunate since I have a tendancy to get narc'd easily, and one of the dives we did was on a 100fsw wreck. Knowing then what I know now, I likely would have kept to a max depth < 80fsw on that dive. Nothing bad happened, but why risk it?)

I agree with you that it is good we were allowed to do our own dive plans, but I thought it was unfortunate that nobody did them except us. (I think the DM's comment when he saw my wife & I reviewing our gas plan was "dive planning? how cute!") I really see how computer dependent a lot of the divers are. We had a diver who had a computer battery fail, and she skipped all the rest of the day's dives because of it. I wanted to go over and review her previous dive with her (it was a simple U shaped dive at about 50fsw for 40 minutes) and run the tables with her for the rest of the dives that day, but didn't think I'd get more than a cold shoulder.

I have no idea how you'd do this, but teaching some DIR-ness to a liveaboard would give the patrons a huge added value. I know that some things like general nitrox acceptance really took off when the liveaboard/warmater dive resort people got behind them. I could see something as simple as Greatful Diver's Gas Planning Seminar being provided during the first day, and it having a profound impact on the dives done on the rest of the trip....

Ryan

 

["G"]

As a second question, can anyone who teaches for any of the other agencies speak to their experience incorporating any of the DIR philosophy into other non-GUE OW classes?

You'll experience that alot of GUE diver-level certified IANTD instructors tend to teach DIR all the way through, although your ending certification will be IANTD. The reason for that is probably that they don't consider becoming an GUE instructor is worth all the work ...

I'm currently certified PADI and IANTD. I frequently dive with GUE trained inviduals and our dive setup is more or less the same ..

 

[jdelprete]

Hello All, I am looking for a bit of insight on setting up my regulators DIR style. From what I have seen so far my primary reg would be on a 7' or so long hose tucked under my vest, wrapped around my neck and into my mouth. My secondary reg on a 24" or so hose (different for all) and hung from a "necklace". I understand the reasonsing behind all of this so want to move in this direction. Suggestions/help please.

One last question - anyone ever find the extra hose being a pain wrapped all over you?

Jim

 

[dbulmer]

jdelprete,
First of all I'm not DIR so I'll not answer the first part second I'm from Halifax England and the only other Halifax I'd heard of was in Canada

The last part - the long hose goes under your right arm and routes through to the left handside of your neck into your mouth. If you have excess hose it tucks into your harness belt. Once it's rigged it very comfy you'll hardly notice it's there but you do have to be anal about clipping the long hose off before and after your dive.

The long hose is either in your mouth, in your hand or clipped off is what I think most Dir folks would say (assuming it's not being used in an OOA).