Newbie questions about tech diver opinions

[grazie42]

For me, its first about "attitude", you either feel comfortable diving with someone or you dont. A diver with the right attitude will understand the why´s of their own config/preference as well as others. When its time to dive together (the only time I care about someone elses diving), you decide if you can work out a solution that all in the team can accept, or not...then you go diving...

if there is a will there is a way, for a few dives another 5mins of deco is just a good idea anyway, if were going to be diving together regularly we need to find "good common solutions" or dive with someone else...

 

[Rick Inman]

I think part of the issue is that people judge configuration variations based on when everything is going right, not when it goes wrong. If everything is going right, most of the variations are a big, who cares? And things rarely go south, so after 100 event-less dives, a diver begins to believe that there is nothing wrong with their configuration, skills or mindset.

But when things do go south, then the real truth will come out. It's amazing how the simplest unclipping maneuver can suddenly be a giant issue under multitasking pressure. And then one problem can snowball into another, and two "simple" maneuvers can rapidly escalate into a crisis.

However, if you've ever done dives with "team" divers whose gear choices and placement and procedures are standardized,and who train regularly on their systems, you understand something about dive safety that people who have not experienced it (except on the internet) don't.

Do 100 unified team dives with competent team divers, and then tell us how it's all an egotistical, tolerance-reducing, Stepford-diving way to dive.

Gear and agency training does not automatically make someone a great diver, and I've seen some amazing divers who snicker at GUE-ish diving and gear. I'm not DIR (never even passed fundies). My tech instructor is not DIR (although he is wise enough to see the positive merits of team diving and equipment configuration standardization). For goodness sake, I even dive solo sometimes, and I'm now diving CCR, which is the biggest stroke-machine for diving there is. But I've seen team diving and gear standardization, dived with many excellent team divers, trained with them, and I've see those divers under fire. And, IMHO, I have not seen a better, safer, more predictable and consistent and fun way to dive.

Dive any way you want (I do), but I don't think someone can realistically critique something they have not experienced.

Just my .02.

 

[b1gcountry]

...That's also why the term "technical diver" came about in the first place. It's pretty much meaningless, but it feeds their egos.

Random thought; when I took AOW, my instructor made a couple references to "techies" and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what Star Trek had to do with diving. I thought he had meant it as a derogatory term for people who liked to dive deep with a lot of gear.

Tom

 

[TSandM]

I thought he had meant it as a derogatory term for people who liked to dive deep with a lot of gear.

If he's anything like the owner of my original LDS, he probably did!

 

[Mattyo]

regardless of how you set up, the most important thing is you are comfortable and capable with your own gear. Once this is achieved you will relax and enjoy your diving more. You will most likely be the one to get yourself out of trouble if it occurs, so no point diving someone elses set up if you don't feel comfortable with it.

 

[AndrewA]

Over the years as my diving has developed the thing I have noticed is that far from hugh differences between technical divers it is the great similarity in both attitude and equipment. Almost subconsciously my buddies and I have developed virtually identical gear.

 

[LastManOut]

Crikey it's funny, such an old thread, but I have to have a laugh at it

Yes yes all technical divers are egotistical, and all scubaboard geeks like hearing the sound of their own voices... or typing. Whatever.

Heck, the only reason I'm here is to get my name changed to green! It's a real status symbol in the scuba diving community!

 

[Web Monkey]

And I'm sure your BC matches your pink split fins perfectly.

I tried to buy a pair just to piss people off, but the shop didn't have any in XL.

Terry

 

[IDS_Bill]

In my opinion, technical gear configuration falls into 3 categories:

Safety - Does a change in the gear configuration cause a potential safety issue? (swing gate clips - aka suicide clips, etc...)

Muscle Memory - If you find a configuration that works, stick with it. That way if you need your backup light, you always know where it is, even in narcosis.

Team Logistics - If you have an emergency situation, you know where to find your teammates' gear (i.e. backup inflator)

When I teach and go through configuration, I present my reasoning behind doing something and then the student decides for themselves. I do insist on certain things during the class (like writing your gas MOD on a piece of tape on each 2nd stage reg) but ultimately the student must find what works for themselves. Anyone who judges you for your gear configuration is a bonehead. If I see someone who has something configured in a manner that I think is dangerous, I find it better to ask them about their configuration. That way you can either learn something new or (if they ask) suggest an alternative. I like a lot of what DIR has and says but I hate the little DIR Nazis out there.

To do something the way it has always been done might be overlooking new techniques that just might benefit you.

Oh and I dive split fins (gasp) but they are the Apollo Bios - the only ones I have ever dived. If you haven't tried them, don't know 'em.

 

[Rhone Man]

I like a lot of what DIR has and says but I hate the little DIR Nazis out there.

This thread is about to get a lot more interesting...

[P]ossibly the most important piece of wisdom in the diving world, and is something we should all apply to all of our diving. It is, simply, 'Don't dive with strokes.'

The term 'stroke' refers to someone who, knowing there is a better system, chooses to dive in a less than optimal way. It applies to those instructors who encourage students (who know no better) to exercise Personal Preference, in order to sell more equipment; it applies to those who don't plan their dives; those who dive beyond their abilities; who dive deep on air; who take unnecessary risks; who do big dives using unfamiliar gear; who's only reason for diving is depth.

Diving with strokes moves us into an area where our safety is no longer in our own hands. Strokes are sometimes highly 'qualified'. Often they seem very confident - usually because they have no concept of the danger they are getting themselves, and you, into.

Billy Williams