My Venture into GUE - Another view

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Jax, congrats on the experience. Sorry to hear, though, things didn't run as smoothly as you'd have liked. Here are some of my thoughts based on what you've written and stories I've heard from others (mostly directed to those contemplating taking Fundies in the future):

(1) Six person classes are to be avoided. I'm sure some of you have had positive experiences in such classes, but the overwhelming reports I've heard have been less than stellar. 30-40 minutes in the water per day is just inexcusable. Seriously, it's impossible to make reasonable progress with so little in-water time. I think the ideal class size is three (as Richard noted above, especially for Cave and Tech classes). That guarantees just one team, maximizes time in water, and three vs two allows for more interesting failure scenarios.

(2) Students should have similar objectives. I hear more positive class reports when all students are going for either rec or tech passes, than when mixed groups attempt the class. I understand the scheduling issues that lead to some instructors mixing students with 25 dives with those with 500+ looking for a tech pass, but I don't think it serves either type of student well.

(3) The open ocean should be avoided. I hate hearing how dives are lost due to sea sickness on a boat or surf conditions that do not allow shore entry. A quarry, a lake, or a sheltered cove/site will significantly increase the amount of dive time to down time. [This is perhaps less of an issue of you're taking the class locally, with a local instructor, such that arrangements can be more easily/cheaply made if you get blown out.] Personally, I'd also look to avoid multiple days spent in a (shallow) pool. Having a 20' pool is one thing, but doing the first half+ of the class in <10' isn't going to be as productive as having some more depth (where timed ascents, air-sharing ascents, and bag shoots are all best done a bit deeper).

(4) Totally agree that one should have a few dozen dives in the gear configuration to be used in class.

(5) As Blackwood noted above, everything gets easier if you can manage to relax. Excessive stress is a huge hindrance to learning.

(6) The value of the GUE training for some will be in the personal skills. For others, it's in the style of diving and the community that subscribes to it. While it sounds like you might be "done" with DIR/GUE, do try to hook up with some similarly trained divers outside of class and give the system a shot. I personally find it amazingly rewarding.
 
Hello Jax,

Please don't think all of us GUE divers do nothing but skills on every dive and get pissy if we suck. Unless we go out for an actual skills dive (and sometimes even then) I really don't care about doing skills and looking perfect on every dive: I'd rather be watching the turtles :D.

Just focus on having fun, that's the point of "Recreational" diving :wink:.

Peace,
Greg
 
Excellent review, Jax - detailed, honest and fair. I'd say that one of the most positive aspects of going through the course was the relationships formed among classmates. It's the same sort of comraderie generated from shared adversity that I feel for my vet school classmates. I'd be pleased to dive with any of you again, whether or not you continue on the GUE path.
 
If I got pissy every time someone messed up, I'd never dive with Litehedded :wink:

:spit:



As for Bob's opinion of the DSS -- He would be best to answer that. He mentioned something about the way the webbing ran, and also that I was diving a Kydex instead of metal. I personally love my rig and so do the few others I know with DSS. I do not find it unstable; in fact, it held put very well as I tipped feet up. :rolleyes:
 
I dove a DSS steel plate with an Oxycheq Mach V 30 lbs wing for my Fundies class with no problems. The tank cinches down tight and the wing "roll bars" stabilize the tank nicely. I've also had no issue with the webbing slipping in the poly lined slots.

I used the 8 lbs DSS weight plates as well as lead in cam band pockets to get ballast right as well as distributing the ballast for trim.

Henrik
 
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I dove my DSS 26 Torus BP/W with a steel back plate for my Fundies class with no problem. Bob put cam band weight pockets on my rig because I did not like wearing a weight belt.
 
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