Yes

[grazie42]

piikki: I have seen "DIR-divers" with poseidons here.

I will admit that I didn´t "card them" but that´s what they told me. Maybe DIR-instructors are less "orthodox" here (in Sweden) and feel that "what works, works" or maybe these particular divers just decided they wanted regs that worked well rather than what "the bible says".

Even though I don´t own a poseidon myself I´d advice you to hang on to yours, at least until you´ve talked to your instructor...

Oh...bonus disclaimer: I am not nor am I likely to become dir in the near future (though I´ve read both the "bible" and dan mcays books)...

 

[diveski01]

One downer I just might have realized – is it so that Poseidon’s regulators only work with exactly Poseidon’s hoses? Man I am going to take a hit replacing those. Anyone know of any better price than Diveinn’s? I’d hate to get rid off my brand spanking new Cyklon – is it going to be laughed at on DIR-F and more so: should I care?

Piikki

Even if you haven't selected your DIR-F Instructor, or haven't committed to taking the class yet you can email any of them and ask for advice about the gear you currently own.

The instructors I know typically don't want you to run out and spend a ton of money just to have what they use. DIR is not brand specific but like mentioned previously, some brands don't offer appropriate equipment to meet DIR expectations for configuration (e.g.: hose routing) or performance.

If you can buy, rent or borrow most of the essential gear well before your class it's a good idea to get in as many practice dives as possible in that configuration before your DIR-f class so you are comfortable with your gear. The class will give you PLENTY of other things to pay attention to!

 

[TSandM]

Second the recommendation for a lot of dives in the gear before class . . . lamont said 20, and I think he's probably right. I'm still clearly on a learning curve with the stuff I'm borrowing from Bob.

 

[Soggy]

piikki: I have seen "DIR-divers" with poseidons here.

I will admit that I didn´t "card them" but that´s what they told me. Maybe DIR-instructors are less "orthodox" here (in Sweden) and feel that "what works, works" or maybe these particular divers just decided they wanted regs that worked well rather than what "the bible says".

Just because they say they are DIR divers, or have the cards, doesn't mean they are practicing all the best practices in the system. Poseidon regulators are definitively not DIR, unless they have a regulator that is a simple, downstream design where the 2nd stage diaphragm can be accessed underwater without tools and that doesn't require custom hoses. These are the requirements of a DIR regulator. Whether you agree that these requirements fit your needs is irrelevent to what is DIR and what is not.

This does not mean that you can't take and pass a Fundamentals class with Poseidons, only that they are clearly not in the list of 'DIR gear.'

 

[piikki]

Well, my game plan for the off-season is to:
a) find out if this affliction passes (yeah right)
b) get the basic books
c) contact couple of the possible instructors to discuss ‘personal’ (heh) issues
d) get myself a plate and hog-harness regardless of what anybody says (it was so great on first go, I see no reason holding off on that purchase whether or not I ever did anything else DIR-F –wise)
e) most likely (pending discussion with authorities) get my current regs hosed because getting new ones at this point would be a bigger deal anyway (and I fail to see how, with my sausage fingers and 5mm gloves I’d ever be cleaning the diaphragm underwater without losing it), if I went totally purist after the course; well that will be another chapter then I predict
f) get rest of the stuff I am missing for the course according to the recommendations (I think I am only missing some line and SMB)
g) wait eagerly for the summer schedule and make a minimum of dozen dives before the course (I have to say that slamming the plate on my back the first time felt like ‘oh yeah’, and acclimation even with unfamiliar wing took about 3-5 minutes, so I am not worried about that part - but having been diving only for this season I would not like the course dives to be the first ones of the next season…)

Sound like a feasible plan?

 

[TSandM]

Have you been diving with a long hose setup, or with a can light? Believe me, learning to manage all that spaghetti takes a little time. I've done things ranging from getting in the water with the crotch strap undone, to trapping both second stage hoses in my waist strap, to wrapping my light cord around my inflator hose and having an uncontrolled ascent as a result. Not to mention my initial utter ineptitude while trying to unclip and clip off ANYTHING underwater. Practice is a GOOD thing!

 

[piikki]

Have you been diving with a long hose setup, or with a can light? Believe me, learning to manage all that spaghetti takes a little time. I've done things ranging from getting in the water with the crotch strap undone, to trapping both second stage hoses in my waist strap, to wrapping my light cord around my inflator hose and having an uncontrolled ascent as a result. Not to mention my initial utter ineptitude while trying to unclip and clip off ANYTHING underwater. Practice is a GOOD thing!

Oo-o, I hope I don't have to be proficient in clipping before the course. What all things do I have to clip? This far about only thing clipped to me is gauge (how unacceptable is my brass Cressi minigauge anyway, sigh). All the other clipped items are in my bellowes pocket (like snips and magna-doodle, latter MUST be very DIR).

I don't have a canister, and won't get one yet but sure that's a good point about the hoses being quite a different story. I hate my octo hose already at this point because it keeps on ending up on the wrong side of the arm in hassles. I think necklace should be an improvement but I am yet to have my first strangling experience, so who knows! I am quite sure I'll desperately need those dozen dives with the 7 footer...

I've been diving with crotchie all the time, so that at least should be ok. I am hoping that my shore dives with several floating starts (donning and doffing in water) gave me a little headstart for what it comes to 'buckling up' and adjusting in water - you never get 100% on surface and always end up needing to finish the job submerged/horizontal.

 

[JimC]

Oo-o, I hope I don't have to be proficient in clipping before the course. What all things do I have to clip? This far about only thing clipped to me is gauge (how unacceptable is my brass Cressi minigauge anyway, sigh). All the other clipped items are in my bellowes pocket (like snips and magna-doodle, latter MUST be very DIR).

You will want to be able to clip and unclip your you long hose from your right chest d-ring and your SPG from your left hip d-ring. Your gauge will be fine, but loose the magna-doodle and replace it with some wet notes (see equipment requierments). The only other item you'll need to be able to retrive and stow is your surface marker.

Don't bring anything extra, it will just get in the way.

 

[Soggy]

There's an interesting thread over on TDS regarding Poseidons and many misconceptions about them. I learned a bunch from it and released that some of the things said and passed along (including myself) are just wrong.

There are still many reasons why Poseidons aren't considered DIR, but some of the myths might surprise.

 

[grazie42]

Don´t know if this is ok or not but here´s the link to the thread soggy was talking about:
http://thedecostop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16011

Like Soggy said, that thread would be a good "poseidon-101", where people who actually have experience and firsthand knowledge of them do a "mythbuster" on most/a lot of the reasons usually given for them being non-dir...

None of this is likely to change their non-dir status...take from that what you will...