Just from the marketing perspective, she doesn't look very happy in that suit.
New Drysuit manual from SDI coming.
- Thread starter Jim Lapenta
- Start date
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A question and/or comment or two:
a. Image is probably reversed by the editor to make it fit properly on the cover. Not only is the dump on the wrong side but it is more likely she was holding the bag with her right hand. (Most people are right handed and thus carry things on their right side.)
b. Jim -- you started this by saying you were contracted by SDI to write the manual. Just for kicks, care to describe your expertise in dry suit diving and instruction? What special expertise did you bring to the table for this?
a. Image is probably reversed by the editor to make it fit properly on the cover. Not only is the dump on the wrong side but it is more likely she was holding the bag with her right hand. (Most people are right handed and thus carry things on their right side.)
b. Jim -- you started this by saying you were contracted by SDI to write the manual. Just for kicks, care to describe your expertise in dry suit diving and instruction? What special expertise did you bring to the table for this?
Better than a photograph of these guys in drysuits!!!
Well I don't think it was thought out quite so well....
A) how many suits have dump valves in other non-standard locations - VERY FEW - and usually only by special request for unique modifications that have mission specific rationale.
Why use a nonstandard picture for the manual for a standard course? Right off you will have students questioning their gear at the outset (it's the picture on the training book - it must be right...) thinking something is wrong. Just violates the KISS principle.
B) The right arm dump can be a HUGE ISSUE from a safety pov. First it means controlling buoyancy is now a two handed operation. Not good from task loading, simplicity or functionality perspectives.
This is almost impossible as a configuration in technical diving - which I imagine is a large part of the drysuit market- with other considerations from depth monitoring to regulator swapping, dive console/computer reading, to goodman handle light holding being compromised.
For example, in a cave you'd get punched if you kept sweeping your light every time you played with your right arm to adjust the drysuit and messed up the safety protocols of light overlays...
But in an emergency it effectively takes reading your wrist mounted dive computer - let alone hose mounted spg off the table if you need to affect buoyancy rapidly in such a situation. Effectively playing two handed superman will increase disorientation as monitoring the depth gauge is severely compromised. And again it also means not able to perform any other task- like holding that reef hook or john line....
C) Your "pros" are anecdotal excuses... out of water donning or doffing ease does not outweigh the safety issues created by needing two hands to control buoyancy.
Moving the dump means You now also need consider reconfiguring the LP inflator hoses on the side's regulator to avoid getting caught in the hose. Certainly moving the inflator valve to the opposite side would cause an increasing the risk as both LP lines would run from the same side (and presumably same regulator) -if that sides reg has a catastrophic failure it's a problem - before with suit and BC on different regs you could still have redundant emergency buoyancy control. Of course a separate argon bottle could alleviate this OR you could route a longer LP hose around from the other side (entanglement hazard?)... But again this is hardly ideal.
Seems the placement of dump valves and inflator valves actually came from thinking out what would or wouldn't work well under GENERAL circumstances.... And applying the information to the design.
MAYBE it isn't a great idea to throw out untested suggestions or half baked rationales or not quite right images to confuse the new student in a "revised" training manual?
Just a thought....
OP
It could be. I didn't see the cover until BTS. As for the other posts from me. Forget it. No longer worth the effort to post a lot of stuff here. Love getting shot down after doing something I am proud of.
Damn guys he had nothing to do with the picture. How many times have we seen marketing get it wrong? I'd be more concerned about what the text reads.
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As long as that same "philosophy" gets used every time PADI or scuba pro uses a bad picture or DAN has advocated a position disagreed with by the same "scuba police"- I'm fine with that. But as I recall that's not been the case.
Also- I agree completely Jim did not chose the picture (or reverse the image in the photo) BUT what he did do- is offer a bunch of excuses why the location of the inflator or dump valves doesn't matter to a "good instructor" or "new student".
THATS a DIFFERENT problem because it shows a lack of understanding of those systems and why they are arranged as they are and the consequences and impact of moving them.
Now THAT is not something the author of a book on drysuits should display.... because one would expect the author of a treatise on dry suit diving would understand such things....as an "expert" in the field.
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OP
I just offered some alternatives and posed the question if it really matters. I was made aware a diver did ask a dealer for it to be on the right. Is it ideal or standard or even right? Maybe not. But is it wrong to suggest possibilities? I guess so. I'm done here. Never should have posted a thing.
Jim,
You should be proud- getting to write a book for SDI is a real honor.
What you shouldn't do is make up off the cuff excuses to justify a picture you had no control over....
I'd respect you more if you said- "just saw the picture- I noticed the problem and asked them to change it but it wasn't my call".... because 1) they screwed up 2) it's a reversed photo image error 3) they used a bad custom suit.
Instead you started reacting DEFENSIVELY trying to justify why the picture is fine and inflator & dump valves can be moved because "it shouldn't matter".... Which you know is utter nonsense.
Again- congrats on authoring the book. Just don't let legitimate criticism twist you into saying things you don't mean.... It makes you look like you don't know what you are talking about.
---------- Post added April 1st, 2015 at 10:37 AM ----------
That's not the way an author in a technical field handles criticism. You need to gut-up and take it in stride.
You wrote a book for a major agency- that's a big deal- and puts you on the map. Don't ruin that by demonstrating an utter lack of ability to handle legitimate criticism.
THAT would be a disservice to your self and the agency who had you write their book! I'll be asking my students to buy it no doubt - and wouldn't want to have to qualify the recommendation.
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