Necklace and donating concerns

[jepuskar]

Thanks everyone for your help. I have practiced this with my buddy before, but obviously not enough. I will work on this next quarry visit.

To avoid any problems, I just make sure during the dive that my primary is over my secondary when it wraps around my chest, the incident I had awhile ago might have been where the secondary was actually over the primary or something else.

I don't think there is anything wrong with being uncomfortable with this, I am just confronting an issue because I am not completely confident with it. This forces me to learn more and become a better diver.

 

[ASUPaula]

Just an addition: rushing is a common problem I've seen students have with this drill. The main priority of the drill (and its real life counterpart) is the diver experiencing the OOA is the only emergency. The only real urgency is getting the OOA diver the regulator; everything else should be practiced smoothly and precisely. Going too fast through the drill could cause some unnecessary stress, and your first concern should be taking care of the OOA diver, and not worrying about how fast you can release the rest of your long hose.

For example, if you were to donate to an OOA diver, and then go to deploy the rest of the long hose (i.e. step 5) without either a) getting an OK from the diver and the rest of the team, or b) ensuring they have a secure grip on the donated reg, there's a real possiblity that you could yank the reg right out of their mouth, making a bad situation worse.

To get the skills down, I'd suggest a DIRF course, which can help you learn a lot of the nuances in the system quicker than figuring them out on your own. But just remember, go slow to go fast.

Joe Talavera

There are quite a few acronyms used on this board (which I have enjoyed and learned so much from), and I can often utilize my limited knowledge (PADI AOW with 26 dives) to figure them out. I searched for a list of Scuba acronyms and found hundreds, but not DIRF. Help.

 

[Northeastwrecks]

There are quite a few acronyms used on this board (which I have enjoyed and learned so much from), and I can often utilize my limited knowledge (PADI AOW with 26 dives) to figure them out. I searched for a list of Scuba acronyms and found hundreds, but not DIRF. Help.

DIR-F stands for Doing It Right - Fundamentals. Its an entry level (but not OW) course offered by a training agency known as Global Underwater Explorers (GUE). The course stresses risk minimization and buoyancy control using very specific procedures and relentless practicing of buddy skills, streamlining basic dive skills and dive planning.

You can find more at www.gue.com

 

[ASUPaula]

Thanks!

 

[jepuskar]

Ok, after practicing some OOA drills with my buddy today, I am coming to the realization that I want to enjoy some of the configuration of a DIR diver, but I do not want to fully implement the entire physical setup.

I want to keep my Halycon SS Backplate and Wing, I love it, don't want any other kind of setup. I am thinking that until I get further training I should shy away from the necklace as my secondary. Would my buddy and I get through an OOA situation, yes we would, but I'm not fully confident in this system unless properly trained with it. Taking a DIR-F course seems a little to much for me right now, not really what I am looking for at the moment, besides I didn't see one being offered at Haigh this year.

I'm not sure if I should start another thread in another section, but what are my options for my octo setup keeping in mind that I want to keep my backplate/wing setup?

Jason

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Ok, after practicing some OOA drills with my buddy today, I am coming to the realization that I want to enjoy some of the configuration of a DIR diver, but I do not want to fully implement the entire physical setup.

I want to keep my Halycon SS Backplate and Wing, I love it, don't want any other kind of setup. I am thinking that until I get further training I should shy away from the necklace as my secondary. Would my buddy and I get through an OOA situation, yes we would, but I'm not fully confident in this system unless properly trained with it. Taking a DIR-F course seems a little to much for me right now, not really what I am looking for at the moment, besides I didn't see one being offered at Haigh this year.

I'm not sure if I should start another thread in another section, but what are my options for my octo setup keeping in mind that I want to keep my backplate/wing setup?

Jason

You really don't need to take the DIRF class just to learn the skills. Check out http://www.fifthd.com/divestore/classes/video/ooa.htm
Donating the long hose and switching to the necklaced backup is actually much easier than looking for an octopus in the triangle, pulling it out of its holder (if it's even still in there) and having to stay within two feet of your buddy.

 

[Laser]

I'd recommend replacing the 5 ft hose with a 7 ft hose. I have used the 5 and found it difficult compared to the 7.

 

[cornfed]

I'm not sure if I should start another thread in another section, but what are my options for my octo setup keeping in mind that I want to keep my backplate/wing setup?

I would probably start another thread in a different section. But before you do, would you elaborate as to why you don't like the long hose/bungee backup setup?

 

[MikeFerrara]

Ok, after practicing some OOA drills with my buddy today, I am coming to the realization that I want to enjoy some of the configuration of a DIR diver, but I do not want to fully implement the entire physical setup.

I want to keep my Halycon SS Backplate and Wing, I love it, don't want any other kind of setup. I am thinking that until I get further training I should shy away from the necklace as my secondary. Would my buddy and I get through an OOA situation, yes we would, but I'm not fully confident in this system unless properly trained with it. Taking a DIR-F course seems a little to much for me right now, not really what I am looking for at the moment, besides I didn't see one being offered at Haigh this year.

I'm not sure if I should start another thread in another section, but what are my options for my octo setup keeping in mind that I want to keep my backplate/wing setup?

Jason

What kind of problems did you have while practicing?

 

[mer]

As to the original question in the thread, the bungeed backup getting tangled in the long hose when deploying-- If you try to grab for your backup (with left hand) while you are deploying the long hose from over your head (with right hand), you run a good chance of trapping the long hose with your left wrist.

Get the OOA diver the reg, then get your backup. Not breathing for 15 seconds won't kill ya Then make the rest of the long hose slack available, show SPG and the rest of the show.