OK, apols in advance as this is going to be a long post, and if by the end of it you think I'm deranged or too fecking anal, then just say so
.
I'm thinking about DIR, which you'll know if you can remember my last post, and I have a question or perhaps 2 about when and how. Below, I have added some info about me and the kind of long-term plan I keep thinking about, and wondered what you thought about it. I know it incorporates issues about kit purchase, (I think I'm somehow going to have to develop that gradually), but I am looking for your thoughts about the "career trajectory" thing (if that can be separated from the kit question). OK, here goes...
Me:
1. Roughly halfway through BSAC Sports Diver training, with about 30 dives, mostly in the sea in various places, that I have accumulated since May 05.
2. Ageing too fecking quickly...
3. Want to be challenged by the diving I do, but also want this to be done in as safe a manner as possible, hence my interest in DIR.
4. Devloping an interest in wrecks, but would love to do some cave diving in the future, seen some fab video clips. Done a bit of ordinary pot holing in my youth and loads of climbing/mountaineering for, well, longer than I care to remember.
The Plan:
1. Complete my SD training soon, and build up my experience (that's the eay bit
)
2. I'm going to Mull in July and have been thinking I need to get a pony for that, and really should have one asap as my depth range is progressing beyond 20m.
3. The pony - gives me redundancy = good thing. And it also allows me to start the kit journey. Planned on getting a 3L Luxfer cylinder, to side sling, with a DS4, SPG on a 6" hose and an ATX40 or 50. I presently use a set of ATX40s with a DST4 with a BuddyTD jacket. I was thinking that I could use the DS4 and new reg when I plan to move to a twinset. In the process, I would exchange the DST4 for another DS4 (so would then have 2) and could change the hose lengths on my apeks regs to conform to the DIR system.
4. After what I hope would be an enjoyable set of dives during the summer (as many as I can), I was then thinking asbout doing a twinset familiarisation course perhaps Sept/Oct time, with someone like DalesDivers.
5. If that goes ok, then it would get the kit (although this plan is still a tad rusty).
6. Develop my experience of using a twinset over the winter, refine kit etc
7. Dare I say it...enrol on Fundies c. spring 07.
As I said above, I know it may be difficult to separate this from the kit question, and I know about the argument which says if you think you need a pony then you probably need a twinset, but I don't think there is any way I could afford to move to a twinset earlier, and I'm not sure I would be ready for it psychologically. I have also seen posts where people have said you don't need to be on a twinset to do fundies, but as the safety issue is important to me, I wouldn't want to do fundies if not doing it using a twinset. (And beofre you say it, I know lack of money is compromising the safety issue, but then what's new!)
Right, I'm finished. Thanks for bearing with me...
Dave