Why the SPG on the left lower hip?

[Scuba_Steve]

Sometimes the dive is too amazing to go through those acrobatics. I sidle up, look over, get back in the groove. Much nicer, less invasive, delivers the same result to me.

---
Ken

The only thing that bothers me a bit about that is you're switching sides/position for you both to see each others gauge, which for me, is personally irritating.

We tend to be side by side, on the same side of each other all the time, making this method less tha ideal for us.

If my buddy is checking his gauge, I will see him doing it anyway, and it is assumed that if there's a problem he is aware of it and will let me know. There isn't anyway, because we have checked, doubled checked and then checked it again.......so the story goes anyway

We've put enough checks into the game that we would have to have seriously made a few blunders to ever have a problem with the rather obvious problems that a lack of gas, percieved or otherwise, to be a problem (IE closed isolator type of deal).

If that were to ever impossibly occur after having supposedly checked it three times already, we'd know on our first gauge check.

I may of course be wrong, but I believe excessive checks are a bit of a waste and are unwarranted, which isn't to say you can't do one if you feel you must, given whatever situation you find yourself in.

Regards

 

[Mo2vation]

The only thing that bothers me a bit about that is you're switching sides/position for you both to see each others gauge, which for me, is personally irritating.

We tend to be side by side, on the same side of each other all the time, making this method less tha ideal for us.

If my buddy is checking his gauge, I will see him doing it anyway, and it is assumed that if there's a problem he is aware of it and will let me know. There isn't anyway, because we have checked, doubled checked and then checked it again.......so the story goes anyway

We've put enough checks into the game that we would have to have seriously made a few blunders to ever have a problem with the rather obvious problems that a lack of gas, percieved or otherwise, to be a problem (IE closed isolator type of deal).

If that were to ever impossibly occur after having supposedly checked it three times already, we'd know on our first gauge check.

I may of course be wrong, but I believe excessive checks are a bit of a waste and are unwarranted, which isn't to say you can't do one if you feel you must, given whatever situation you find yourself in.

Regards

I'm with you on this.

With my primary dive buddy, I'm always on the left. I like it there, and I can read her gauge. Not that I need to anymore - I use less (barely) and I can calculate to within a few PSI where she is based on where I am.

With new buddies I'm on the left because its rare to dive with someone who will use less gas than me (I dive a big tank with a respectable SAC)... so I monitor their gas.

You're so right - underwater leapfrog sucks. Nothing beats a good team formation.... I love it.

Primary buddy and I dived with a local diver recently. This guy is an excellent, experienced diver - he just doesn't dive with us often and isn't in our UW groove. PLus I think he dives solo a lot - that's the impression I got from the communication skills exhibited.

So at the beginning of the dive, I put him on my left, and I'm on primary buddy's left (me in the middle.) All good on the kick out. I'm thinking, "dang... this is sweet" I really love diving 3-person teams when its all clickin'. 3 lights, two buddys in the sight lines... just sweet.

First turn, dude leapfrogs over both of us. Now he's on her right side. We stop to see something else, now he's all "death from above", going all search light over us. She and I are in the zone, in the same great, predictable, comfortable formation we left the shore with (me on left) and this guy is all around us like a whirling electron.

Not pretty. I finally stopped looking for him. He stuck close, but was in the blind spot most of the dive. He missed a lot on that dive by not being in the zone.

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Ken

 

[PfcAJ]

Since were diving in a DIR team, maybe instead of a manual "let me see just how much gas you have in your cylinder(s)", flash light at buddy, point at your gauge, and give the "ok" sign.

A decent reply would be "ok", maybe the "little" signal for getting close, followed by an ok, or a thumb. Why overly complicate things?

We always seem to forget that DIR is more than equipment. Its team diving. We can't expect to have a "DIR" equipement configuration, hop in the water with a random buddy, and dive DIR. It just doesn't work. Everyone has to be on the same page.

Remember, its about all team, equipment, and environment.

 

[Reinoud]

Since were diving in a DIR team, maybe instead of a manual "let me see just how much gas you have in your cylinder(s)", flash light at buddy, point at your gauge, and give the "ok" sign.

A decent reply would be "ok", maybe the "little" signal for getting close, followed by an ok, or a thumb. Why overly complicate things?

We always seem to forget that DIR is more than equipment. Its team diving. We can't expect to have a "DIR" equipement configuration, hop in the water with a random buddy, and dive DIR. It just doesn't work. Everyone has to be on the same page.

Remember, its about all team, equipment, and environment.

A friend of mine has completed Cave 2 last year. One of the things he told me was the situational awareness they trained. After the dive, the instructor would ask things like: "at the time of the second out of air, what was the time, the depth, and the pressure of your buddy?".

 

[Meng_Tze]

Since were diving in a DIR team ...

A decent reply would be "ok", maybe the "little" signal for getting close, followed by an ok, or a thumb. Why overly complicate things?....

....

What he said and......

I would post that you should not have to ask your DIR buddy what his gas state is....... he should be monitoring (tracking) it himself and tell you that he is low, thumb the dive etc. Proper diving to me means that the divers plan together but manages his own gas, knows where he is and when to call the dive... that to me is Doing it Right

 

[Life-Is-Good-Diver]

Wow, many responces since I checked back yesturday!

In regard's to not diving with the SPG the DIR way, The thread was simply started because some of the divers I dive with are %80 DIR, and when diving with the same team, If placemnet is the same for all of us, I always know where my buddies spg is, and the same goes for me, they know where mine is, cause the " Team " are all diving as close to DIR as we can, as far as our confiruration.

I'm very used to chest straps, for my dobules set up, I now dive a one pc Halcyon webbing. For the past 5 years , I always thought I needed that chest strap, well dam I don't !!

My SPG was always under my left arm, coming upto my left upper D-ring.
For now, I will slide the lower D-Ring mid way between my crotch strap and rear BP, so it's still DIR, cause fact is, I may continue to dive doubles and stages etc, time will tell.

I also have had dual bladder wing's, with dual inflator hoses. After reading the DIR way, they don't except that, and now I understand their method and way sorrta of thinking. If you have a well balanced and trimmed out equipment,., you should only need a lift bag, which goes in my BP, thanks Halycon, great idea, and I am more trimmed out now then I ever been with my new set up.

I belive in DIR's method's , and that is why i started this form, so I can see what the reasoning for the SPG placement was, even though I knew it was for stages, or heard that also from another friend.

I appreicate everyone's opioun's, and all though I may not be 100% DIR, I will be working alot of there method's and take some of their training classes to make me a better diver.

 

[ppo2_diver]

Thanks for the clarifaction. I may take the DIR fundamentals class here shortley.

PP02 , I checked out your profile, and I saw you were taking there class in June of 06.

Any thoughts , how did you like the class etc?

The class was great. A real eye opener. Very little time was spent on equipment. Most of the time was spent on explaining situaltional awareness and demonstrating it. The class was more than worth the time. They stressed safety and FUN. I met some great instructors that have not only impacted how I dive, but how I teach. I can honestly say that I now have two DIR mentors to guide me on the path to better diving enjoyment.

 

[Life-Is-Good-Diver]

The class was great. A real eye opener. Very little time was spent on equipment. Most of the time was spent on explaining situaltional awareness and demonstrating it. The class was more than worth the time. They stressed safety and FUN. I met some great instructors that have not only impacted how I dive, but how I teach. I can honestly say that I now have two DIR mentors to guide me on the path to better diving enjoyment.

Wow, thats increadible !!

Thanks for your input, Glad to hear you enjoyed it !!

When I saw your name ppo2 , I thought you were into rebreathers also, thats why I checked into your profile

Thanks for sharing, I'm looking foward to taking their class as well in the near future.

 

[ppo2_diver]

Nope, no rebreather diver here. I tried a Drager Dolphin and hated it. I have a buddy who dives an Inspiration and I did a "trust me" dive on it. The CCR was better than the Drager PoS, but I will not convert over to CCRs.

 

[JimC]

Note, moving the D-ring is not DIR. Your creating an entanglement hazard. Leave the D-Ring and build the muscle memory to clip and unclip.