Is there a DIR/OW course?

[diveh3]

My daughter who has a great interest in diving asked this question of me. She has watched the latest 3 pack cd’s with me and discussed why’s and why-not’s of equipment and training. She is not certified –hence the question.

Does DIR offer or anticipate offering an entry-level certification course for the beginner diver? Similar to Open Water certification.
It seems to me that if she learned proper fundamentals, techniques and equipment from the start she would be further ahead ,rather than spending money and time on equipment and techniques that would need to be re-taught if she enters DIR-F.

I post this in the DIR forum for those who know.
Please forgive and move my post if it belongs else ware.

 

[Wendy]

not yet, but ther is rumor that it is in the works, but that has been the rumor for some time.

I think the best thing you can do is find a GUE instructor that also teaches for for a non-GUE agency and does ow classes. That way you know she is being taught by an instructor that is DIR. www.gue.com has a list of instructors and info on them.

Or she could ow from any instructor and then go take DIRF afterwards.

 

[diveh3]

not yet, but ther is rumor that it is in the works, but that has been the rumor for some time.

I think the best thing you can do is find a GUE instructor that also teaches for for a non-GUE agency and does ow classes. That way you know she is being taught by an instructor that is DIR. www.gue.com has a list of instructors and info on them.

Or she could ow from any instructor and then go take DIRF afterwards.

Thanks Wendy,

That's kind of what I figured her path would have to be.

It's just a little disapointing to watch my wife who is doing her OW right now being taught skills that we will change almost immediatley after her certification.

Like the topic of OOG, She has watched me demonstrate this drill w/long hose and said that makes more sense. So in the pool this week she's doing OOG skill and what does she do? grabs the reg from her mouth and hands it to the buddy, then picks up the (call it an octopus) and shoves it in her mouth. She caught some serious H*ll from the instructor for that one! He told her to NEVER EVER give the regulator from your mouth. She gave me a confused look and then did the skill to their satisfaction.
After some discussion I've decided to just keep my big mouth shut until after her training as I think I'm confusing her.

 

[jbd]

She caught some serious H*ll from the instructor for that one! He told her to NEVER EVER give the regulator from your mouth.

The reality is that for OW airsharing scenario's it doesn't matter which regulator gets donated. Whats important is that the skill is done smoothly and efficiently. I teach my students that you can not depend on an emergency situation going by the text book every time. You may be looking at something and all of sudden someone who is NOT your buddy may take the regulator out of your mouth without you knowing its going to happen. Regardless of gear configuration you should know instinctively where your other regulator is located and switch to it. Problem solved, make a slow controlled ascent to the surface and resolve any other issues at the surface.

IMHO some remedial training is needed for your wife's instructor.

 

[Wendy]

what agency is her cert thru? Even in my NAUI ow class we donated our primary and I interened with a PADI instructor that also taught to donate your primary reg.

 

[paulwlee]

He told her to NEVER EVER give the regulator from your mouth.

That is just plain wrong. Even if he wasn't familiar with the long hose, he should have discussed other configurations (BC inflator second stages such as the SP Air2) where donating the primary regulator is the norm. There are many divers out there who use that system and a course that says it is wrong to do so ever is, well, wrong.

 

[scuba-punk]

Diveh3, in our neck of the woods, the person to call is Bob Sherwood. He appears on this board when his schedule allows, but www.allaboutscuba.com is his website. He's awesome to talk to and Wifey and I just took DIR-F with him back in early July. If you have any serious interest in this stuff, take DIR-F with your wife sooner, not later. Wifey and I learned tons of stuff with him!

-Frank

p.s. - I now have a choice of lighter fluid OR a small propane torch for our next BBQ...

 

[diveh3]

Diveh3, in our neck of the woods, the person to call is Bob Sherwood. He appears on this board when his schedule allows, but www.allaboutscuba.com is his website. He's awesome to talk to and Wifey and I just took DIR-F with him back in early July. If you have any serious interest in this stuff, take DIR-F with your wife sooner, not later. Wifey and I learned tons of stuff with him!

-Frank

p.s. - I now have a choice of lighter fluid OR a small propane torch for our next BBQ...

Hey Frank,
Actually I just signed up for DIR-F with Bob for the Sept 17 class at Dutch. I felt a little intimidated by some of the class reports posted here but Bob reassured me that the class would be benificial. My wife suggested the class as my birthday present! Oh how I love her!
I'll return the favor on Her birthday.

p.s. -We dived Fuller just b4 Sylvester went to FLA, viz sucked 2-3' called the dive after about 30minutes. Looking foward to doing it again sometime w/better viz.

Wendy, She is going through PADI. I know the air2 was discussed and the long hose primary was taught as an alternate method in the padi manual. I can only assume that the instructors comment was due to the gear configuration they were using. I understand there are opposing views to each method but thats the way he wanted to teach it. Just another skill to work out.

 

[Andreas]

not yet, but ther is rumor that it is in the works, but that has been the rumor for some time.

The latest word is that GUE's Open Water program will be a reality early next year. Not sure how early though..