Signed up for DIR-F...

[Ben_ca]

Ok... I'm getting nervous since my DIRF class is coming up this weekend. No one from the first batch (last weekend) passed. :O

I'm freaked about the 50 yard breath-hold swim and the 300 yard swim, since this is over-all endurance. The skills... well, can't really do anything about that now... so if I suck.. I suck.

How does it go? What happens if you fail... or get a provisional rating? When do you get to take the test again?

Fail: You'll have to take the whole thing again... work on the skills you've learned

Provisional : You work it out with your instructor when to take the retest on teh skills you didn't get to do or need to do again. You have to complete this in 6 mos

 

[Ben_ca]

What would be better/more useful for DIR-F: a Halcyon lift bag (SCC 60) or a Halcyon Semi-Closed Alert Marker (3.8’ long, 20 lbs lift)?

The lift bag was recommended to me but I'm not sure. Advice please.

Laurens

I like the small marker... Most guys I know have the marker pre rigged with the 100Ft spool in a pocket.

 

[El Orans]

It's 50 FEET (15 meters) for the breath hold. 60 yards... now THAT would be impressive! LOL

OK, OK, I ****ed up.

My wife doesn't think it's too much though.
But then, she's a freediver.

Laurens

 

[detroit diver]

Ok... I'm getting nervous since my DIRF class is coming up this weekend. No one from the first batch (last weekend) passed. :O

I'm freaked about the 50 yard breath-hold swim and the 300 yard swim, since this is over-all endurance. The skills... well, can't really do anything about that now... so if I suck.. I suck.

How does it go? What happens if you fail... or get a provisional rating? When do you get to take the test again?

Don't worry so much about passing or failing. I know that sounds easy from someone who has already gone thru it (twice), but I really mean it. You will learn so much from this class that in the end, you will have taken away more info than any class you've ever experienced. If you pass it great-most don't. If you provisional-great, you'll have time to work on the skills you've learned and try it again. If you fail it, great. That sounds cocky, but you'll still be a better diver with knowledge on where you have to go and what you have to do to attain the next level.

As for the swim test-if you're in any reasonable shape, you'll have no problem with it. They're not looking for Olympic hopefuls! They give you enough time for a leisurely (within reason) swim.

Enjoy the class, and let us know how it went.

 

[jplacson]

Bad news... Snif... snif... I got a Provisional rating. Good news... so did everyone else in the class (and the previous class last week). ya ya... misery loves company.

I really couldn't get the backwards kick consistently, and don't even ask about the helicopter turn. Oh well... at least I learned a whole lot... and could FINALLY see how I looked finning.

 

[jbd]

Bad news... Snif... snif... I got a Provisional rating. Good news... so did everyone else in the class (and the previous class last week). ya ya... misery loves company.

I really couldn't get the backwards kick consistently, and don't even ask about the helicopter turn. Oh well... at least I learned a whole lot... and could FINALLY see how I looked finning.

What is the process now for you to get the certification?

 

[lamont]

Bad news... Snif... snif... I got a Provisional rating. Good news... so did everyone else in the class (and the previous class last week). ya ya... misery loves company.

Join the club. Our entire class got provisional.

I really couldn't get the backwards kick consistently, and don't even ask about the helicopter turn. Oh well... at least I learned a whole lot... and could FINALLY see how I looked finning.

Funny, i screwed up every fin kick other than the helicopter which I nailed for some reason. Kinda funny because when I did the helicopter I had hit that frustrated and completely pissed off point after it seemed like everything in the world was going wrong, so I just went out there and did it and it wound up looking good on the video...

Somewhere, brando has some video of my first attempt at a backwards kick which looks like i'm molesting something....

 

[El Orans]

At the moment I don't really care if I will get a provisional. What's important for me is that I learn how to improve my diving skills. I'm not thinking about when I can do Tech1 or Cave1. I may change my mind later on though

On my first dive with a Uwatec bottomtimer instead of my computer I discovered one advantage of the bottomtimer: at 60ft its display is much easier to read than my Mosquito.

Laurens

 

[detroit diver]

How was the class in general? Did you learn some new skills?

Bad news... Snif... snif... I got a Provisional rating. Good news... so did everyone else in the class (and the previous class last week). ya ya... misery loves company.

I really couldn't get the backwards kick consistently, and don't even ask about the helicopter turn. Oh well... at least I learned a whole lot... and could FINALLY see how I looked finning.

 

[jplacson]

Oh ya... essentially, all the things I've been trying to figure out from watching GUE videos and my friends, I learned the 'proper procedures'.

Like the backward kick.. I may not be good at it yet... but at least I know how it's supposed to be done.

Same goes for the helicopter turn. At least I can now slowly practice them and not develop any bad form from the start.

SMB deployment is still a bit tricky for me... specially when trying to master all the other skills at the same time. I will be switching to a much smaller balloon though since it's easier to deploy.