Near-DIR diving: Are there DIR things you would probably never do?

[rjack321]

To add to Rainer's response, that looks like a poorly designed strap that relies solely on the shock cord to hold it together. If that is the case, it isn't much of an improvement over rubber staps. But, I can't tell for sure from the picture. The ones I have attach the spring directly to the metal attachment point to the fin and the shock cord. Who makes those Bob?

I think those are Manta straps. I have a pair myself. The spring is twisted sideways at the end and the pin which holds it on goes through those last couple spring loops. The cord runs inside the spring and is supposed to prevent overstretching of the spring. I'm not sure why Bob's pooped out, my are 4-5 years old and going strong.

 

[nereas]

I must admit, I like most of what DIR says and I've been moving in that direction with my diving but there's a few things that I think will prevent me ever becoming a full DIR diver:

- Lamp in the same hand as the compass: Sorry, it's just too much of a pain - especially in dark and bad visibility you need to look at the compass every 20 seconds - constantly swapping the light around is too annoying.

- All stages on the left: It just seems like asking for trouble, sure if you follow procedures perfectly you should never breathe the wrong gas, but why not have the extra simplicity and safety of left-lean, right-rich?

- Single bladder wings: Again, there is extra safety in a double bladder. Even if I can happily swim my rig up I still don't want to keep finning to have to stay on the surface. I also don't want to be dumping $2,500 worth of stages and lights to get extra buoyancy (would any DIR diver really do this without a second thought?) Ok, I can hold a lift bag for extra buoyancy but a working wing is better and safer. So, balanced rigs: yes. Double bladders: also yes.

- No computers: Takes some of the fun out of diving. If I plan to look at a wreck at 10m but then decide to follow a big fish down to 20m I want the flexibility to do this without having to go and write a new dive plan first. Sometimes the dive plan can be "go and have a fun dive".

Are there any other DIR guidelines others will not adopt, or would anyone like to convince me I am wrong about any of these points?

Lamp in the same hand as the compass also disables the compass because of the current in the wire. So I switch my lamp over to my scooter-hand (right) when I need to read my compass. Otherwise, lamp in the left hand is all you can do if your right hand is holding onto the DPV. GUE-DIR protocols often have 2 common denominators: (1) caves and (2) DPVs. Therefore when either or both of these common denominators is applicable, then the GUE-DIR protocols normally make perfect sense. Normally.

Lamp in the left hand & compass on the left wrist with DPV handle in the right hand makes perfect sense.

I have never been a fan of all stages on the left. I completely agree with you there.

My drysuit is my 2nd bladder, therefore I do not need 2 bladders in my wing.

I am planning to buy 2 helium computers someday, as soon as they make one that is reliable. In the meantime, I run V-Planner profiles for my planned deco dives, and memorize the profiles. That is using your head, in my opinion, better than the various on-the-fly methods. Therefore my SUUNTO is mostly used in gauge mode next to my backup UWATEC timer.

For deco, the rule of 2 OF EVERYTHING should not be violated. And your buddy's computer does not count, as that would make you buddy dependent, which is also traditionally taboo. Therefore I would never dive deco without 2 gauges on my wrist.

What other things would I never do?

Go thru deco without my mask.

Limit my choices in drysuits.

Limit my choices in DPVs.

Limit my choices to obsolete LP steel tanks.

Limit my choices to dry gloves.

Limit my choices to "standard mixes" thus violating the principle of "best mix."

I hope Pete and his MODs don't get displeased with my responses to your questions, Barry. I am only answering them honestly.

 

[BarryNL]

DIR divers don't pick and choose which part of the system they want to use as the system does not work that way.

You seem to have it confused with religion.

 

[nereas]

Actually, this is somewhere where DIR is showing its age. My HID light provides 4 hours of light and is 300g negative. You're not going to notice that in your buoyancy profile. It also means that the DIR idea that you can dump your light to achieve extra buoyancy no longer applies with modern dive lights.

Yes indeed, I love my LIon can light by Sartek. Very very light weight. And no, I would never drop it. No reason ever to do so.

 

[nereas]

As in too lazy to learn to perform the task the way the system was designed. Spring straps cure a problem, breaking rubber straps. They aren't in an of themselves designed to be a time or labor saving device. I still have an original pair of Farrallon spring traps on a pair of jets (better design than the H ones). The original straps would have disentigrated by now.

You are the classic example of what the mean old word stroke was intended to convey. You have been provided with the information and whys of how the DIR system works but refuse to do it that way. That is fine, just stop coming to this forum and asking for someone to validate your ideas which, from a DIR perspective, are stupid.

In an open water context, I am happy to take a guy in a regular open water rig on a simple dive and show them things. It is the guys that almost have it right but insist on some amount of bozoness that you have to steer clear of. I tried this crap once. In my cave class I showed up with everything spot on (based on DIR at the time) except I had used brass clips (no SS at the time) on my pressure gauge and primary reg that were too big. I resisted changing them during the class when JJ told me too mostly because I was so tired from the class. His response was you are 99% there, just fix it. It sank in, particularly since he has a gift of being very politic about saying this sort of thing and is rarely this blunt. (That is the main reason people think George is evil and JJ is okay. They are saying the exact same thing. JJ just has more patience. The information is all that matters, not the delivery method.)

I change my rubber straps every season, and carry a spare pair in my dive kit.

My straps have never broken, ever.

 

[nereas]

To add to Rainer's response, that looks like a poorly designed strap that relies solely on the shock cord to hold it together. If that is the case, it isn't much of an improvement over rubber staps. But, I can't tell for sure from the picture. The ones I have attach the spring directly to the metal attachment point to the fin and the shock cord. Who makes those Bob?

These springs are simply a fashion statement. No different than spring fashions at any shopping mall is to the mall bunnies there.

 

[RTodd]

Lamp in the same hand as the compass also disables the compass because of the current in the wire. So I switch my lamp over to my scooter-hand (right) when I need to read my compass. Otherwise, lamp in the left hand is all you can do if your right hand is holding onto the DPV. GUE-DIR protocols often have 2 common denominators: (1) caves and (2) DPVs. Therefore when either or both of these common denominators is applicable, then the GUE-DIR protocols normally make perfect sense. Normally.

Lamp in the left hand & compass on the left wrist with DPV handle in the right hand makes perfect sense.

I have never been a fan of all stages on the left. I completely agree with you there.

My drysuit is my 2nd bladder, therefore I do not need 2 bladders in my wing.

I am planning to buy 2 helium computers someday, as soon as they make one that is reliable. In the meantime, I run V-Planner profiles for my planned deco dives, and memorize the profiles. That is using your head, in my opinion, better than the various on-the-fly methods. Therefore my SUUNTO is mostly used in gauge mode next to my backup UWATEC timer.

For deco, the rule of 2 OF EVERYTHING should not be violated. And your buddy's computer does not count, as that would make you buddy dependent, which is also traditionally taboo. Therefore I would never dive deco without 2 gauges on my wrist.

What other things would I never do?

Go thru deco without my mask.

Limit my choices in drysuits.

Limit my choices in DPVs.

Limit my choices to obsolete LP steel tanks.

Limit my choices to dry gloves.

Limit my choices to "standard mixes" thus violating the principle of "best mix."

I hope Pete and his MODs don't get displeased with my responses to your questions, Barry. I am only answering them honestly.

What exactly is too confusing about the big red forum disclaimer for you. Maybe we can try to type slower and explain it to you so you don't post in this forum.

 

[BarryNL]

And really, if you need to communicate a complex message, I don't want to have to read your arm... Bust out the wetnotes, write the message, and pass the over to me. The end.

Plus, of course, you can rip out a wet note and send it up in your deco buoy to your support divers when you've lost your bottle of O2 (although if you can do this with dry gloves on it's pretty impressive).

 

[nereas]

There is a line that has been drawn as to what is DIR and what is not. If you don't want to toe that line but your buddies do, then you're a little SOL but thats their choice. I personally won't do any longer/deeper/deco dives except with other GUE divers. My personal choice, and if that upsets someone too bad. If they want to do a simple benign skills dive, or see what GUE has to offer I'm cool with that. But as complexity increases, the buddy pool decreases.

From my perspective that is a very good thing, since from my perspective all of you are very buddy-dependent on each other. Therefore it is better that you stick together. I would not want one of you with me on a dive like the Doria however. That kind of dive requires self sufficient independent divers with equally self sufficient buddies.

 

[nereas]

What exactly is too confusing about the big red forum disclaimer for you. Maybe we can try to type slower and explain it to you so you don't post in this forum.

Barry, it looks like you posted your question in the wrong forum, and some folks here are getting nervous about that.