My DIR assimilation has begun

[d33ps1x]

40 lb since there are only two choices and I dive dry with steel tank so I would have bought the 36 pinoneer anyways.

This seemed to be what the general consensus was on proper lift capacity.

 

[jplacson]

how much bigger is the 30# Eclipse vs. the Pioneer 27#?

 

[DennisS]

SeaJay once bubbled...

1. "Damn, I'm good." (Alternatively: "Maybe I'm not all that, but I'm the best in my group." Same thing.)

2. "Holy smokes. He just hangs there."

3. "Stupid gear. Stupid fishie. Stupid current."

4. "Aaaaaah! Everyone hates me. I hate everyone."

5. "Hey, this couldn't be MY problem, could it?"

6. "Everyone around me knows. I can't believe how embarrassing this is." (Tough one.)

7. "Damn, I really suck. It's amazing that I haven't killed myself yet doing this. I think I need to move very far away from water. The Sahara sounds safe."

8. "I give up." (Very important step.)

9. "Maybe I should listen to the dude that hovers."

10. "_________" (This is the listening stage - very important.)

11. "Aw, hell... I might as well try it his way... I mean, I KNOW it won't work, but I might as well give it a shot before I move to the Sahara."

12. "Hey, I might be able to do this."

13. "I can do this!"

14. "Hey, I really do rock, after all."

15. "You all suck. I won't tell you that to your faces, but secretly, I'll pity everyone who's not DIR. I may even patronize you every once in a while." (This the part that all non-DIR types hate so much.)



quite the loop

 

[SeaJay]

DennisS once bubbled...

quite the loop

Yep, and exactly why those who've never taken the course think we're all nuts.

Believe me, it's even worse from this perspective. Some days, I can't believe the way I've acted or the things I've said... And of course, I see the same in other fresh DIR "graduates."

...But it's all good. No worries.

 

[SparkySFD]

FINALLY

I was able to dive my new BP/wing (Halcyon eclipse 40#)in a pool yesterday. Here are some of my thoughts.

1. Very comfortable in water. Always thought the unrestrictive chest thing was a little overrated, until I checked it out myself.

2. Still a little difficult to doff/don. Sure with a little more practice this will resolve. Was suprised but I had it pretty well adjusted on dry land. Need to tighten up the left shoulder strap just a tad.

3. I dont have a canister light (yet), so the long hose (7') was a little unwieldly. Need to get that accesory pouch to tuck the hose under. Started putting it in the belt and not sure I like that.

4. One thing I noticed was when rotating, you are almost "flipped" onto your back and then your front. It would be quite difficult to swim on your side.

5. On the surface I felt absolutely NOTHING pulling my face forward. I remained very stable in a verticle position. I have a 6# stainless bp and wore a weight belt. Had a full 7mm wetsuit on. Still think for rescue work an additional horse collar would be the way to go. But for all forms of rec diving that would not be needed.

6. The length of the HP hose to the SPG is too short for me. I bought the one that was listed in the hose kit on EE website. I need one about 6" longer. I dont know if this is because of my height (6'2") or not.


All in all I really like my new gear configuration. I think with a DIRF class Im on the way to much safer and fun diving. I also believe eventually a little easier on the checkbook.

 

[Mo2vation]

Some things:

You may want to consider a 5' hose. A lot of singles (tanks, not divers... ) dive them. I always used the 7' from the start, but you might like it more.

I've always used the ACB, so there has always been a place to put all that hose.

The recommended SPG hose length is just silly. Maybe that 24" SPG hose will work fine for someone wearing doubles, but I couldn't make it work for me with a single. We have footage. Geeze, did I really used to have a beard...?!

You might try putting your thumbs one of the shoulder D-Rings as you take it off. Someone passed that on to me one day and its been working great.

I never noticed the rotating thing... Maybe I compensate for it and just don't notice it. Maybe my trim is so perfect I just don't rotate or flail about anymore! :bonk: Not likely.

Keep us posted as you move through stuff.

K

 

[SeaJay]

SparkySFD once bubbled...
2. Still a little difficult to doff/don. Sure with a little more practice this will resolve. Was suprised but I had it pretty well adjusted on dry land.

I found that what worked for me was taking the rig off UP... That is, either lifting the rig up past my head, or me coming out of the rig in a downward motion. The straps are much wider at the bottom of your rig than at the top. Instead of coming out FORWARD, try coming out DOWN.

4. One thing I noticed was when rotating, you are almost "flipped" onto your back and then your front. It would be quite difficult to swim on your side.

The sypmtom you describe points toward poor trim. Are you using a heavy STA? Are your tanks steel or "neutral" tanks?

 

[Mo2vation]

SeaJay once bubbled...
I found that what worked for me was taking the rig off UP... That is, either lifting the rig up past my head, or me coming out of the rig in a downward motion. The straps are much wider at the bottom of your rig than at the top. Instead of coming out FORWARD, try coming out DOWN.

SeaJay's point of up, not out is solid. I probably could have been clearer - the way I lift UP is with the thumb in the D-ring, then grab the strap and roll out left arm first (Drysuit dump valve...)

On boat dives, its simpler... as there is usually a place to set up the rig, and sort of squat and back into it, and likewise to get it off. For a beach dive or tailgate dive, setting the rig on a wall or tailgate works great too - getting it off of the ground so you can get lower than the rig.

With my beloved HP100 I could throw the thing on and off a little easier. With the Waterheater, not so much. As to doubles, I've seen a few keen ways to get in and out...


K

 

[reubencahn]

The short hose also didn't work for me. I'm about 6' even and my instructor said that looking at the spg, I looked like a T-Rex with those little tiny arms. I switched back to a standard, I think 32", hose.

 

[SparkySFD]

Mo2vation

I thought about a 5' hose. My reasoning with the 7 was I wanted to get used to one thing and stay with it through all conf. I have to think on it some more.

I never thought about doubles in the length of the SPG. I'll bet thats were I went wrong. At least I know that hose wont go to waste if I end up with a set of doubles.

When doffing I had seen the thumb in the d-ring. Tried it and it helped. Just need to practice a bit more. I was at work when I tried on the new rig and this probably wasnt the best time to use new gear. Was training in a pool and did a blacked out mask/entanglement drill. Everything went fine but I could have been a little smoother. The long hose gave me just a little bit of trouble. They knotted me up in the back and I had to doff the rig underwater.

SeaJay

Your doffing recommendation sounds good, will try it.

In regards to the "flipping". I dont have a weighted STA. Its just the regular one. Was diving with an alum. 80, didnt breathe it below 2000psi.

I may not have described it very well. It only happens when I rotate on purpose. I am VERY stable in the normal face down position. But I was just swimming along having a jolly old time and sometimes like spinning around and looking up at the surface. Watching bubbles rise up. Thats when I noticed it seemed to kind of pull me to either a face down or up position.

The weight on my belt was in the rear compartments along my back and toward the sides. Maybe if I reposition the weights on the belt?