Why DIR?

[Ontario Diver]

jonnythan once bubbled...


What do you mean by "full DIR kit"? The way I see it, an Al BP with a Pioneer wing would seem to be less kit than a typically bulky BC. What "DIR kit" wouldn't you want, exactly?

Second.. one of us must misunderstand DIR [what follows is my opinion ]. DIR isn't taking all the same gear on every dive. You wouldn't take several 500 foot reels and deco bottles on a 40 foot reef dive, and you wouldn't take a large knife and big shears 3000 feet back into a cave. I believe if you sat down with GI or JJ, they;d agree that some extra cutting devices would be entirely appropriate and DIR for a deep mangled wreck dive, and would gladly discuss with you the appropriate ways to carry such devices.

I believe that for a 40 foot reef dive, a simple BP/wing with a swimsuit or lycra jumpsuit, a small knife on your hip, a mask, and some fins are pretty much all you need, right?

I think we are in exact agreement.

The "pure" start to DIR is taking the equipment that is needed for the dive - no more, no less. My point was that *Many* (obvously not you, Butch, or I) seem to believe that DIR means that the gear describes the diver not the dive.. I think that they are focused on the gear not the philosphy. I feel very certain that JJ would agree. After reading the Quest mail list (specifically the rants on cutters, and helments/lights on helmets), I'm not sure about GI3 - but I hope that you are right.

By the "Full DIR kit", I meant the traditional Doubles/Drysuit/Scooter that seems to personify the DIR equipment attitude. Hmmmm - lets head down to a warm tropical reef and try this concept out

 

[jonnythan]

Butch103 once bubbled...
Particularily his first post in this thread.......and to reiterate or add....DIR is a great concept ( from my limited knowledge from reading this board) for cave, pentration and technical dives.....but for simple recreational diving...(read coral reefs simple external wreck diving)... a usual rec outfit works. Obviously (or at least obvious to me) one wouldn't wear a DUI drysuit in Bonaire to look at the coral reefs. :boom:

See the post below yours... DIR on a 40' tropical reef would *not* be a drysuit, doubles, and a scooter. It would be what's called for for that particular dive.. probably a light backplate, an Al 80, and a Pioneer wing.

I am right about this, right? Can someone who knows DIR better than I shed some more light on this?

 

[jonnythan]

Here we go.

http://www.halcyon.net/images/pioneer_profile.jpg

This guy, even in wetsuit and hood, looks much more streamlined than anyone i've ever seen wearing a BC. There's no useless junk there. Get rid of the hood and wetsuit, and he's ready to jump into 85 degree water in Cozumel.

Butch.. do you think this rig is "too much" for "simple rec diving"?

 

[ScubaDan]

I’m a new diver also, 7 dives and have been reading this forum for months and have seen all the DIR comments for and against it. I first thought they were nuts then I was certified and went diving with the family and seen some nice setups that were BP & Wings and thought that looked streamed line and straight forward. Then I went diving and noticed that my buoyancy was horrible could not stay at a 15 ft stop if I wanted to (without a line that is). I think this is what some of the DIR people complain most about is the lack of training and I now agree with them. I personally think most training agencies are lacking in training and I intend to take a DIRF class to get to were I think I need to be.

 

[O-ring]

...but..

I am right about this, right? Can someone who knows DIR better than I shed some more light on this?

You are right. One of the core concepts is minimalism...if you do not need a particular piece of gear for a dive you leave it behind. This doesn't apply to training scenarios, i.e. quarry training sessions, where you might wear everything you own to work with the gear and practice before taking it into the ocean/caves for a "real" dive.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Here is a quote from the DIR czar, George Irvine:
"To quote Bill Gavin regarding gear, a diver must 'settle for nothing less than perfection. Those who do will discover on their own the value of such effort. Those who do not will never understand what the others are talking about'. What we have presented here is called the "Doing It Right" system, and is a platform that is integrated completely and accommodates all contingencies and additions, but no phobias."
If you believe that, you'll fit right into the "DIR" crowd and philosophy. If you don't, you won't.
Rick

 

[roakey]

Let me rephrase your question in two different ways and answer them:

Is the DIR philosophy required on a warm, shallow reef dive?

No. Recreational gear is adequate. Please understand the full import of that last word: adequate.

Is there place for the DIR philosophy on a warm, shallow reef dive?

Absolutely.

First of all let’s forget the concept of “technical gear.” While recreational dive training has being dumbed-down for the last 20 to 30 years*, so-called “technical divers” kept the art of diving alive because they were in less forgiving environments. They HAD to be better divers and have better techniques and better gear because their lives literally depended on it. They had to have better trim and know alternate kicks in order not to kick up silt, they had to know how to donate gas in a simple, robust and consistent manner. They had to be able to add and delete mission-specific equipment without having to reconfigure their entire kit, since moving this widget from here to over here in order to add a canister light might cause a dangerous delay when they went searching for where they THOUGHT the widget was. [ Mark, along these lines look for a comment on your current choices in equipment toward the end of this reply.] Buddies had to be right on top of one another in order to be available in case of emergency, so buddy awareness was tantamount.

Note that I have only mentioned specific techniques so far, no specific gear. And these techniques make a better diver, they’re not just applicable to “technical” diving.

The technical divers found that certain types of gear helped them achieve these goals. A backplate (among other things) moved their center of gravity forward, giving them better trim in the water, saving them effort, gas and causing less silting. Everyone donating the primary from the mouth gave them a reliable, quick, able-to-act-before-thinking approach to getting gas to an OOA diver. High thrust stiff fins helped them use alternate kicks they required and battle currents more effectively. Buddy awareness, a pivotal concept of DIR, didn’t really require any specific equipment, but did dictate some techniques.

So to actually phrase your question as I see you asking it in this light:

“Does a philosophy that encourages better trim, better kicking options, a better and more flexible gear configuration, a safer response to an OOA situation and better buddy awareness and assistance have a place on a warm, shallow reef dive?”

I’ll let you answer that.

Please note I’m not saying two things: I’m not saying to dive doubles in a drysuit on a warm, shallow reef dive. You can be DIR and dive a single AL80 without a canister light, reels, etc. I’m also not going to say you’re gonna die in a jacket BC. Bazillions of divers dive in recreational gear every day and live. But it’s only adequate gear, DIR has a superior philosophy and equipment.

Along those lines a friend asked me the other day “Why do you promote recreational divers use technical gear?” My response: “I’m NOT promoting technical gear, I’m promoting BETTER gear.”

DIR is not rocket science. It’s not Indy racing, it’s not even NASCAR. It’s equivalent to any adult taking an adult driving course to improve their road skills and replacing those bald Kmart tires with some Michelins. Think of PADI and its peers as High School driver’s Ed. DIR (and the DIRF course) is adult driving education: It gets rid of those bad habits you’ve picked up over the years and fixes some stuff you might have been taught wrong. This analogy works for one more step: As a HS student, you didn’t know if you were getting a good or bad driving education. As an informed adult, you’ll know if you’re being fed a line of BS or not. As a uninformed OW student, you didn’t know if you were getting a good diving education or not. If you’ve continued along the normal progression of classes, you STILL don’t know if you have gotten a good education or not. You don’t know what you don’t know, so of COURSE your teacher seemed wonderful! Cavers, DIRF students and divers that have been lucky enough to hook up with a good mentor CAN look back on their diving education and make an informed judgement if they received a good education or not. A typical OW, AOW, rescue, DM and I hate to say it, many instructors cannot. Again they don’t have a clue as to what they weren’t taught. Again, they don’t know what they don’t know.

DIR is not some huge leap up the technology scale. If anything given the gadgets on the typical recreational BC these days, it’s a step backwards!

A specific comment to Mark: If I take your statement “While I'm planning on getting into cave diving eventually…” as a truth for the moment I can say unequivocally that you have already made a serious mistake with the purchase of your jacket BC. If you started diving from the get-go with a BP and wing, long hose, bungeed backup, etc., when you get to cave class your interface to your equipment will not change. Everything will still be in the same place and you’ll deal with it the same way. You’ll have a little more inertia, but that’s the only difference you’ll notice in your equipment.

This will allow you to concentrate on the cave procedures rather than having to split your attention between a whole new setup AND learning new procedures. I’m sure your response will be “but I’ll buy a BP and practice with it before I take cave.” Well, that means your jacket BC was a waste of money. From Cozumel to Cave to Ice, I always dive a DIR rig. This way I’m not always shifting gears from one configuration to another. Switching back and forth from “recreational” gear to DIR gear may cause you to react incorrectly when you can least afford to: In a cave. My recommendation for any cave or “technical” diver is to always keep your interface to your equipment the same, and based on your configuration in your most challenging environment. If you follow this advice, your jacket BC is already doomed. Another Ranger->eBay->BP maneuver. Last month I was in Cozumel with my BP and wing and 7’ hose. Except for being a lot brighter and having less inertia, I was diving just like I would in a cave.

Roak

*This statement is not open to debate, I was trained almost 30 years ago, I know.

 

[JamesK]

roakey once bubbled...
*This statement is not open to debate, I was trained almost 30 years ago, I know.

BUT BUT BUT!!! That is just cuz your one of those old foogies set in there ways! You an UP! !!!!

ut:

 

[roakey]

JamesK once bubbled...
BUT BUT BUT!!! That is just cuz your one of those old foogies set in there ways! You an UP! !!!!

I know you had smiles, but to give you a serious answer:

Yhea, UP and I have been diving for a long time. But the fact that we sold a ton of gear and threw out a bunch more and completely changed the way we dove to embrace DIR is a good example how open minded and NOT set in our ways we were.

What’s funny is how the DIR folks are always accused of being so closed-minded. Heck, to get there you have to change a TON of stuff about the way you dive and they way you think. If that isn’t being open minded I don’t know what is.

Roak

 

[Aquamaniac]

roakey once bubbled...



What’s funny is how the DIR folks are always accused of being so closed-minded. Heck, to get there you have to change a TON of stuff about the way you dive and they way you think. If that isn’t being open minded I don’t know what is.

Roak

I dont think it is "closed minded". I think it is "content" or "decided".

How often would you be looking in the sunday paper at the used auto's section if you owned a brand new Ferrari?