gr8lakesdiver once bubbled...
WHAT is it really?
Heres what I've pieced together:
Strict equipment configuration - nothing loose, duals,black
Emphasis on bouyancy and trim
It is hard as all get out
Seems to guru type system with advid followers
geared for those into cave and tech diving
:fight: :
No fight needed.
DIR (or what I prefer to call Hogarthian, and they aren't the same) is a philosophy, not necesarily a gear configuration. DIR is a subset of the Hogarthian style of diving that focuses on the hardware configuration as "standardized" by George & the WKPP dive team. It works most places, is actually more comfortable and easier to use once it's all dialed in, and is dependant on a buddy with a similar rig and mindset to reap the maximum benefits. A DIR "team" will be better equipped and "trained" with a buddy team mindset that increases team safety above that found in most recently trained OW and AOW divers. Many aspects of the Hogarthian system will help even the single tank rec diver. Double cylinders are NOT necessary for a hogarthian rig, and may be in violation of it on many dives.
On the other side there is the "religion" aspects to some of it's more vocal promoters that reminds me of the "Jesus Freaks" we had to deal with in the 70's. That the message comes across as "this is better because it JUST IS!" is an indication that the speaker has a little bit of a clue, but no real understanding, and it's time to talk to someone else if you want any accurate information.
Emphasis on buoyancy and trim comes from those diving in silt filled caves, but all divers should strive to develop those skills. Good buoyancy skills and and trim simply makes ANY diving easier and more fun.
The Hogarthian and DIR systems were originally developed for cave divers by cave divers. That that dicipline heavily flavors it should come as no surprise. OTOH an equipment "oops" in open water with only 60' to the surface will quickly turn in to an "OH S**T!, whe have to back and recover the body" if its 3000 feet to the exit in a silty water filled hole in the rock. A bunch of people died to provide the data that was used in the development of the Hogarthian system. It seems prudent to listen to those ghosts and appply whatever we can of what they learned the hard way to our much easier open water diving. Not all of it applies, but over 80% of the philosophy and over 90% of the gear choices is directly transportable to open water diving.
Perhaps the best suggestion here comes from the Church of Scientology. One of the basic tenants of Scientology is not to believe ANYTHING the church or its members tell you unless you have tried it yourself and have proven that it works FOR YOU! If it works for you, then it's true for you. A belief is harder to use consistantly than knowledge gained by experience proven facts. While Scientology and I have some disagreements, this basic "article of no faith" is not one of them.
FT
