Wikipedia article on "Doing It Right"

[boulderjohn]

I have no idea who or what Winston smith is....and don't really care to know....

I know you secretly wanted to know.

Winston Smith is the main character in the novel 1984.

 

[rlynch]

I have a couple of questions about this section:

1) What about Kydex backplates, since they are not stainless or aluminum, and do not seem to me to be "similarly rigid" (although "DIR type" divers seem to use them and find them plenty rigid, from what I have read). (I might not have asked this, but I have seen a similar requirement in other GUE/DIR places but without the "or similarly rigid" part; in other words, specifying stainless or aluminum only.)

2) Does the "slotted for straps" refer to the harness-webbing slots (I'm thinking this is the case), or to cam-band slots (probably not?).

Thank-you for clarifying,
Blue Sparkle

On the plate - the point i am making is that the material is not specified on purpose, only that it needs to be a rigid platform to form the base of the system. Steel, Aluminum, Kydex hybrid, Titanium, carbon fiber, a street sign, and other material fit this definition. The choice of materials is up a diver based on weighting needs, longevity, personal preference, and other factors. Many materials have negatives while meeting this criteria, for instance a carbon fiber back plate would meet the criteria but poses a delamination problem when subjected to salt water, hitting the deck on a dive boat, would need reinforcements around the bolt holes and webbing straps, etc. others have positives, such as stainless steel, its relatively cheap, resists salt water well, is rigid, provides a centralized placement of weight, etc. this is just an example of course.
Kydex, the ones i have seen, have been rigid, and light, and most people choose them for travel (i travel with my steel back plate) . If they flex excessively they should be replaced or i can eliminate the example if there is evidence of unsuitability. I wanted to include other materials to illustrate that there is more than one way to skin a cat so to speak.

Slotted for straps in this context are the slots that you would pass cam bands through for a single tank instead of using an STA bolted to the back plate with cam bands.
Speaking of back plates i should add something about the skeleton back plates which are unsuitable for a DIR system (they flex too much and do not allow for storage pack or substitute. Need some references though before I’ll put it in.

Always open to constructive critique on this stuff as long as were keeping in the system.

 

[danvolker]

I know you secretly wanted to know.

Winston Smith is the main character in the novel 1984.

Thanks. When the novel came out, it was too obvious for me to want to read it.... And now in the last 10 years, it would be much too sad to read.

 

[lamont]

According to that philosophy, a TDI instructor can demand 100% adherence to DIR principles in his or her instruction.

The problem what that statement is that GUE instructor training is more than just GUE training. So the only people who are really trained to be able to demand that of their students are GUE instructors. It isn't the same to have a GUE Tech/Cave trained student and have them get TDI trained as an instructor and attempt to pass that off as DIR. I've been through plenty of courses as a student, and I'm quite positive that it doesn't prepare you sufficiently to be able to teach it, and its more than just taking a DIR diver and having any agency turn them into an instructor.

 

[Tortuga68]

I'd rather see you in 4 heavy steels, a thick wetsuit and bungie wings Read that as a smile, but I'm not really kidding. No one is paying me to be nice to people like you

Apparently no one is paying you to introduce irrelevant Halcyon products into threads either, but you still manage it

 

[Jaques-Yves Costco]

Thanks. When the novel came out, it was too obvious for me to want to read it.... And now in the last 10 years, it would be much too sad to read.

It was too obvious for you in....1949?
If you do chose to read it, make a note of Winston's place of employment.

 

[danvolker]

It was too obvious for you in....1949?
If you do chose to read it, make a note of Winston's place of employment.

Right...it was too obvious when it was required reading back in school, and I chose not to read it. Certainly your reading it has made you the man you are today. Congratulations.

 

[TSandM]

Dear me, why is everyone piling on Dan? If there is really a person with the credentials to speak about DIR in this thread, Dan's the person.

The Kydex hybrid backplates are not a single rigid unit, and I use them, and have had them inspected and pronounced dubious.

 

[rlynch]

So the kydex hybrid is that flexible? the one i played with was fairly rigid. If it i, In my mind that would make it unsuitable for a back plate material. I'll be in Seattle next week if your around for the Wednesday dive (I’ll post on NWUE/facebook to see if i can borrow a set of tanks from demetrio or koos)

 

[Jaques-Yves Costco]

Dear me, why is everyone piling on Dan? If there is really a person with the credentials to speak about DIR in this thread, Dan's the person.

Piling on? Hardly.
If he really is 'the person', then his contributions are 1) sparse and 2) revisionist and 3) sometimes bizarre. Addressing 1) would be a great antidote for 2) & 3).