Signed up for DIR-F...

[El Orans]

I've really got to stop preparing for DIR-F...

Every dive I do for DIR-F something goes wrong. This time after the dive.
Every drill (valve, mask, air, SMB) went OK, some could have been done (a lot) better, but we got the job done.

The problem appeared in the parking lot. No matter how we tried, I just couldn't get the first stage off of my tank. Bummer. Back to the LDS. A good thing I have spare tanks and a spare regulator set.

Laurens

 

[pete340]

The problem appeared in the parking lot. No matter how we tried, I just couldn't get the first stage off of my tank.

That's usually caused by not closing the tank valve all the way.

 

[El Orans]

That's usually caused by not closing the tank valve all the way.

You can trust me, that is not the case.

 

[HarryH97]

Laurens,
If its a DIN Valve, your first stage "Handwheel connector" which is the cylinder piece that fits thru the handwheel and threads is loose. You will need a wrench with teeth on it to undo the DIN hand wheel. Make sure your tank valve is turned off. Once you get it off, you'll need to tighten the handwheel connector with an allen wrench.

This happens periodically and can be spot checked by visually inspecting the distance piece between the handwheel and the body of the 1st stage. If there's a gap, the handwheel connector needs to be tightened.

Harry

 

[Derek S]

Laurens,
If its a DIN Valve, your first stage "Handwheel connector" which is the cylinder piece that fits thru the handwheel and threads is loose. You will need a wrench with teeth on it to undo the DIN hand wheel. Make sure your tank valve is turned off. Once you get it off, you'll need to tighten the handwheel connector with an allen wrench.

This happens periodically and can be spot checked by visually inspecting the distance piece between the handwheel and the body of the 1st stage. If there's a gap, the handwheel connector needs to be tightened.

Harry

Harry - Thanks, good info to know. I just switched both of my MK25s to DIN.

 

[Derek S]

I've really got to stop preparing for DIR-F...

Every dive I do for DIR-F something goes wrong. This time after the dive.
Every drill (valve, mask, air, SMB) went OK, some could have been done (a lot) better, but we got the job done.

The problem appeared in the parking lot. No matter how we tried, I just couldn't get the first stage off of my tank. Bummer. Back to the LDS. A good thing I have spare tanks and a spare regulator set.

Laurens

Laurens, as someone who recently completed Fundies (provisional), I can tell you that "preparing" for the class isn't needed, and it might end up hurting you in the long run. Unless someone is showing you the correct technique from the start, you'll just have to unlearn/re-learn it correctly when you take the class.

 

[jagfish]

Laurens, as someone who recently completed Fundies (provisional), I can tell you that "preparing" for the class isn't needed, and it might end up hurting you in the long run. Unless someone is showing you the correct technique from the start, you'll just have to unlearn/re-learn it correctly when you take the class.

The key comment here is "someone showing you the correct technique". I think preparation is essential in many instances. Good to have a group of divers that have gone through the training to be mentors to those about who are about to.

Also, I think just regular old bouyancy work can be very helpful. Practice in motionless hovering is great, and not too much to mess up there. Even better if you can be doing something while hovering, a bit of task loading to make the bouyancy/trim become automatic; photography, wetnote use, etc.

 

[JeffG]

Also, I think just regular old bouyancy work can be very helpful. Practice in motionless hovering is great, and not too much to mess up there. Even better if you can be doing something while hovering, a bit of task loading to make the bouyancy/trim become automatic; photography, wetnote use, etc.

One (if not The) of the toughest things to do underwater is ....nothing

 

[El Orans]

On July 29th - 31st, 2005 4 students (all members of the DIR-NL community) met in diveshop Aqua Diving, Veenendaal with GUE-instructor Andy Kerslake aka the "Master of Disaster" :evil: for the DIR-Fundamentals course. Due to having to travel to France for a Cave1 course Andy wanted to start the class on friday morning.

Since the focus was to be on teamwork and buddy awareness we all had done a few dives together so that we would not be complete strangers for each other.

The majority of our group was already diving with doubles, drysuits and cannister lights. Only one student used a wetsuit and a single tank (that would be me ). Certification levels ranged from NOB Club Instructors (a CMAS-affiliate) to IDD/NAUI Rescue Divers. Everyone had at least 150 dives under their belt under varying circumstances.

Friday:
Fitting the harness proved to be an interesting hour. Wearing our exposure suits in the blazing sun was just a bit exerting.
Then it was on to the divesite: de Beldert, Zoelen.

Valve- and safety drills were done on dry land.

Before the first dive Andy told us: "Thing may go wrong." And they did. :11: If he had the idea that you were not paying enough attention to your buddy he would lose his mask, go out of gas, have his wing inflated or a combination of problems. It would be an understatement to say they those dive were the most stressed dives I've ever had.

Jacuzzi time:
at the end of our second dive we were asked to reduce the pressure in our tanks to 30 bar to check your weighting creating a nice jacuzzi effect in the water. The amount of lead used turned out to be too much.

Saturday:
Saturday started with some more theory before moving back to the water for the swim tests. These were not done in a pool but in open water. The only problem was that while the water temperature was pretty warm, the wind was rather cold. So while Andy and Frank were donning their drysuits we were freezing our *** off. The swim tests were easy.

After the third dive we were asked once again to check our weighting. A reduction to 3 kilos still wasn't enough. 2 Kilos was good but may needs to be checked for a possible further reduction.

The video footage that caught me swimming away with my primary unclipped while receiving gas bought the instructors a round of beer. :11:

Sunday:
Some more theory and the debriefing. The debriefing was done per team. We were found lacking in the awareness department. Bummer. I guess that makes me a GUE-trained diver, working to be a GUE-certified diver.

The results:
# Passed: 2
# Provisionals: 2
# Failed: none

 

[Randy43068]

Good job El Orans!!