Further Confessions Of A DIR Virgin...

**Howard Payne** · January 24th, 2006, 04:40 PM

I promised I'd post a continuing log of how my build up to fundies is going, for the benefit of people who are looking at the system for the first time:

I'm starting to get used to a Hogarthian rig now. I'm still on a single tank until my Apeks DS4 1st stages arrive. This a real PITA because without the weight of twin 12's - I need a lot of weight on a belt to dive my drysuit with all the underlayers necessary for 7 degree quarries at this time of the year

. My Xerotherms Arctics are absolutely superb - makes a change to give someone other than Phill some money for a change. That man's had more of my money than the ex wife :D .

The plate and harness is hard going to start off with. They really aren't very user friendly for beginners until you get used to getting in and out of them, but once in the water - you'd never go back to a BCD and the perseverance becomes worthwhile - the buoyancy and the weight are in just the right place. They tend to place a tank much higher up your back (on singles) than a BCD which helps your trim no end and means you can reach the tank valve. Long hoses, clipped off spg’s and all the other new equipment take a bit of learning, but it isn’t hard. Can't wait to dive this rig in a 3mm shortie with hardly any weight in the Caribbean next week!

Trim and buoyancy - I really wish it learnt these basics right at the beginning rather than having to relearn them this far down the line! Its like going back to kindergarten again. Just thinking in terms of "hows my trim" and constantly working on being perfectly neutral at all times has improved my diving no end. I'm much more comfortable in the water and I reckon my air consumption has come down a lot. Just hovering neutral, flat and "legs up" gives me a perverse pleasure for some reason.

I've put a lot of work in at the pool and the quarries working on frog kicks, turns, modified flutter and back kicks. You hear seasoned tech divers moaning that "I've been diving all me life without ever needing a back kick". Fair point - but its amazing how many options these sets of fin ******s give you underwater. Ignoring the "not churning up the cave, reef, wreck silt" argument, which is pretty compelling in itself, you just have so many more options in tight situations underwater that don't involve flailing your arms around like a demented windmill. Marianne (MJH) and I went for a dive at Vobster last Friday and we swam through the plane fuselage with me leading. As I came through the plane door, I turned on my axis and then backed up to see her through and give her some space to exit. I couldn't do that 8 weeks ago, but there have been plenty of times in the past when it would have been really useful!

I find it very hard diving in low viz with buddies who don’t have a decent primary light now. Never even gave it a moments thought before, but now I’m constantly looking round or between my legs which is a right PITA. Amazing how much more “buddy conscious” you become despite only having just started out down the GUE path.

Horizontal ascents are slowly starting to come together. Not easy, but the benefits of not having your head offgassing at 6m whilst your feet are offgassing at 8m are obvious! Using a spool with a DSMB is a piece of cake and I’d never go back to one of the reels currently sitting in the “cupboard of shame”. Spools symbolically sum up what’s great about DIR for me: nothing more and nothing less than is needed to do the job perfectly. I find that gently winding them in with your finger tips helps with a nice steady, slow ascent as well.

I know from reading the article that Rich Walker did with Helen recently that he is concerned about people arriving for DIR-F – “pre-fundied”. Fair enough – but it seems to be generally accepted that it’s not a good idea to turn up to the course with a complete new set of equipment. Clearly you will get a lot more out of a DIR / GUE course diving a DIR equipment configuration, not least because many elements of recreational equipment simply aren’t compatible with the course anyway eg: more than one short hose. Most of the people that I’ve spoken to who’ve taken fundies in the past without any kind of familiarisation whatsoever have failed outright. For me a few dives with more experienced GUE trained divers has proved invaluable in this respect. It’s just enough just to get you started along the right lines, make sure you've got the kit configured correctly and to stop bad habits developing. A provisional pass is a great idea - but I think for a lot of people a fail, having to take another 4 days off to redo a course and pay for it again is too much to ask. I am just aiming to arrive at fundies comfortable with the equipment and with good trim and buoyancy and a basic grasp of the skills. I reckon this will keep the stress and task loading to a minimum and enable me to get the most out of the tuition. Never liked Golf and I’m not about to start now :D

JAG · January 24th, 2006, 07:34 PM

Quote: (Originally Posted by Howard Payne)

Someone recently posted on one of the other forums that "some people dive to see what's there whilst others prefer the journey". After the cyber applause had died down and someone had even adopted the phrase as their signature - it got me to thinking: It was obviously a pop at GUE divers and to be fair – you can see why people would think that way - there is a lot of time spent on kit detail, skills and drills. Had I been feeling a little more "frisky" at the time I think the appropriate reply might have been: "Would you set out to drive to a destination in a knackered, overladen and unmaintained car, with no driving licence, drunk and without enough fuel to complete the trip and how would that enable you to enjoy your destination when you got there?"

I’d call that “diving without due care and attention” - just not on that forum :D

Howard, Howard, Howard. You really haven't got to grips with actually understanding what people write have you? The insuation you're making again that anyone other than GUE divers are using crap kit, poorly weighted, unfit in most ways to carry out the dive, unable to plan a dive, blah blah blah are tiresome in the least. Your analogy above is pants. Reread DD's post and please try to understand it.

Mate, dive how you want to dive, but honestly, please don't use a DIR site as your medium to slate everyone else. Please?

**Howard Payne** · January 24th, 2006, 08:16 PM

I read Howard's post in great detail. I believe it is reasonable for me to conclude from it that it doesn't matter how you execute a dive as long as you "arrive" and enjoy what you went to see. For me - getting the journey right and safe and stress-less is as much a part of the fun as the destination itself. I've repeatedly said that how people choose to make that "journey" is down to them. Some of the things I've seen people do since I've been diving beggar belief - but it's not a problem because that's their choice. I thought the analogy was pretty spot on actually - but I appreciate on re-reading it that it was un-necessarily inflamatory - so I've removed it :D Nothing if not an arguementative tw%t eh?

LCF · January 24th, 2006, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Just hovering neutral, flat and "legs up" gives me a perverse pleasure for some reason.

I know just what you mean . . . and I've been lucky enough recently to dive with a buddy who has gotten into underwater videography, and if you think hovering like that gives you a perverse pleasure, try watching it on video over and over again -- my husband thinks I'm nuts.

Quote:

I find it very hard diving in low viz with buddies who don’t have a decent primary light now. Never even gave it a moments thought before, but now I’m constantly looking round or between my legs which is a right PITA. Amazing how much more “buddy conscious” you become despite only having just started out down the GUE path.

This was one of the first things that started me down the path to the "dark side". The wonderful man who became my mentor showed me passive communication and signalling with high-intensity lights. It doesn't take long before not being able to do that just frosts you. I take a spare light with me to share with anybody who might not have one, although I'm not lucky enough (yet) to have a spare HID

There are just so many things about the DIR approach to diving that make good sense and make diving more efficient and easier. It's worth the initial effort to get the gear sorted out.

fraser · January 25th, 2006, 12:38 AM

H,

Have you considered using an inline weighted single tank adapter or a "plate weight" on the backplate to get some weight off your belt? Also you can mount weights on the cam bands.

Fraser.

**Howard Payne** · January 25th, 2006, 11:29 AM

Yeah I'm using Clare's P Weight and I've got cam band weight pouches arriving from knackers today funnily enough :D S'not a big deal - just need about 12 kilos to sink two undersuits at this time of year! Roll on Cuba and about 4 kilos in a weeks time

Mark Chase · January 25th, 2006, 11:42 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by Howard Payne)

I read Howard's post in great detail. I believe it is reasonable for me to conclude from it that it doesn't matter how you execute a dive as long as you "arrive" and enjoy what you went to see. For me - getting the journey right and safe and stress-less is as much a part of the fun as the destination itself. I've repeatedly said that how people choose to make that "journey" is down to them. Some of the things I've seen people do since I've been diving beggar belief - but it's not a problem because that's their choice. I thought the analogy was pretty spot on actually - but I appreciate on re-reading it that it was un-necessarily inflamatory - so I've removed it :D Nothing if not an arguementative tw%t eh?

So why do you need an organization to make you dive properly? Why couldn't you figure it out for your self? Trim buoyancy finning etc are all covered in PADI OW and the peek performance buoyancy course is apparently excellent for people who don't seem to be able to figure it out for them selves.

However i agree the emphasis on teem skills in DIR is better and more focused than in other training but this is not often put forward as an example of how good DIR is it always seems to be trim, weighting and buoyancy control??

With a view on pre training for DIRF.

I would say you need to practice some form of skills in shallow water before attempting DIRF. Task loading and skills in 6m of water is something rarely done and it is a specific skill. Stuff thats easy in 20m+ of water becomes hard in 6m.

If you cant do anything in 6m than you probably wasting your time even attempting DIRF. I am glad i had a few goes to refresh the memory.

Apart from that ill let you know after the w/end. It should be interesting. I have said for years I cant do shut downs. I can get to the left and right valves just about but the isolator is a bitch. I worked around the problem with bailout orientated deco gas and a slob knob and managed several hundred dives without killing my self. However i was always told it was lack of proper instruction and lack of proper kit set up that prevented me doing shut downs and in fact any one could do it???

However I remain to be convinced I have been doing stretching exercises daily and contorting kit to make it happen but ultimately I am struggling and i am in agony after doing just one shut down let alone three days of it.

Now it looks like my only option is to freeze to death and get rid of the 400g under suit. Without this its doable but my god it hurts. Id like to meet the bloke one day who decided the center isolator needs to be fully open and went for barrel oring unbalanced manifolds and shove my entire twin set up his arse. Christ does he think all divers are so thick they cant remember which way to turn a knob??

Ho hum

ATB

Mark Chase

Sterny · January 25th, 2006, 11:43 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by Howard Payne)

Yeah I'm using Clare's P Weight and I've got cam band weight pouches arriving from knackers today funnily enough :D S'not a big deal - just need about 12 kilos to sink two undersuits at this time of year! Roll on Cuba and about 4 kilos in a weeks time

Assuming we're still on for this Sunday at Vobster, I've got a weighted Single Tank Adapter (about 5-6kg) and a tail weight which might possibly be some help too. Can't quite recall what you're kit set up for singles is, so they may not be 'compatible', but I'll bring 'em along on Sunday and we can see if they'll fit with your kit and be any use or not.

Cheers!

D

**Howard Payne** · January 25th, 2006, 11:48 AM

A weighted STA would be cool - see you Sunday mate

**Howard Payne** · January 25th, 2006, 11:59 AM

Yeah 6m is the killer - the pressure gradient (non deco) is steep enough at that depth that one misplaced breath and you're like a Polaris missile! I think some mask off practice might be in order on Sunday.

I don't seem to be struggling too much with reaching the valve at the moment. That said I've choosen drysuits and kit knowing that I'd have to do it and i'm reasonably fit and flexible.

Sounds like your going through the mill here Mark - why are you doing it to yourself - its not like you've got anything to prove? :D

January 24th, 2006, 04:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
Howard Payne(Offline) Never Knowingly Underfabu Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: London Posts: 1,198	Further Confessions Of A DIR Virgin... I promised I'd post a continuing log of how my build up to fundies is going, for the benefit of people who are looking at the system for the first time: I'm starting to get used to a Hogarthian rig now. I'm still on a single tank until my Apeks DS4 1st stages arrive. This a real PITA because without the weight of twin 12's - I need a lot of weight on a belt to dive my drysuit with all the underlayers necessary for 7 degree quarries at this time of the year . My Xerotherms Arctics are absolutely superb - makes a change to give someone other than Phill some money for a change. That man's had more of my money than the ex wife :D . The plate and harness is hard going to start off with. They really aren't very user friendly for beginners until you get used to getting in and out of them, but once in the water - you'd never go back to a BCD and the perseverance becomes worthwhile - the buoyancy and the weight are in just the right place. They tend to place a tank much higher up your back (on singles) than a BCD which helps your trim no end and means you can reach the tank valve. Long hoses, clipped off spg’s and all the other new equipment take a bit of learning, but it isn’t hard. Can't wait to dive this rig in a 3mm shortie with hardly any weight in the Caribbean next week! Trim and buoyancy - I really wish it learnt these basics right at the beginning rather than having to relearn them this far down the line! Its like going back to kindergarten again. Just thinking in terms of "hows my trim" and constantly working on being perfectly neutral at all times has improved my diving no end. I'm much more comfortable in the water and I reckon my air consumption has come down a lot. Just hovering neutral, flat and "legs up" gives me a perverse pleasure for some reason. I've put a lot of work in at the pool and the quarries working on frog kicks, turns, modified flutter and back kicks. You hear seasoned tech divers moaning that "I've been diving all me life without ever needing a back kick". Fair point - but its amazing how many options these sets of fin *****s give you underwater. Ignoring the "not churning up the cave, reef, wreck silt" argument, which is pretty compelling in itself, you just have so many more options in tight situations underwater that don't involve flailing your arms around like a demented windmill. Marianne (MJH) and I went for a dive at Vobster last Friday and we swam through the plane fuselage with me leading. As I came through the plane door, I turned on my axis and then backed up to see her through and give her some space to exit. I couldn't do that 8 weeks ago, but there have been plenty of times in the past when it would have been really useful! I find it very hard diving in low viz with buddies who don’t have a decent primary light now. Never even gave it a moments thought before, but now I’m constantly looking round or between my legs which is a right PITA. Amazing how much more “buddy conscious” you become despite only having just started out down the GUE path. Horizontal ascents are slowly starting to come together. Not easy, but the benefits of not having your head offgassing at 6m whilst your feet are offgassing at 8m are obvious! Using a spool with a DSMB is a piece of cake and I’d never go back to one of the reels currently sitting in the “cupboard of shame”. Spools symbolically sum up what’s great about DIR for me: nothing more and nothing less than is needed to do the job perfectly. I find that gently winding them in with your finger tips helps with a nice steady, slow ascent as well. I know from reading the article that Rich Walker did with Helen recently that he is concerned about people arriving for DIR-F – “pre-fundied”. Fair enough – but it seems to be generally accepted that it’s not a good idea to turn up to the course with a complete new set of equipment. Clearly you will get a lot more out of a DIR / GUE course diving a DIR equipment configuration, not least because many elements of recreational equipment simply aren’t compatible with the course anyway eg: more than one short hose. Most of the people that I’ve spoken to who’ve taken fundies in the past without any kind of familiarisation whatsoever have failed outright. For me a few dives with more experienced GUE trained divers has proved invaluable in this respect. It’s just enough just to get you started along the right lines, make sure you've got the kit configured correctly and to stop bad habits developing. A provisional pass is a great idea - but I think for a lot of people a fail, having to take another 4 days off to redo a course and pay for it again is too much to ask. I am just aiming to arrive at fundies comfortable with the equipment and with good trim and buoyancy and a basic grasp of the skills. I reckon this will keep the stress and task loading to a minimum and enable me to get the most out of the tuition. Never liked Golf and I’m not about to start now :D __________________ The Foxturd Chimp Last edited by Howard Payne; January 24th, 2006 at 08:02 PM.*

January 24th, 2006, 07:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
JAG(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Essex Posts: 130	Quote: (Originally Posted by Howard Payne) Someone recently posted on one of the other forums that "some people dive to see what's there whilst others prefer the journey". After the cyber applause had died down and someone had even adopted the phrase as their signature - it got me to thinking: It was obviously a pop at GUE divers and to be fair – you can see why people would think that way - there is a lot of time spent on kit detail, skills and drills. Had I been feeling a little more "frisky" at the time I think the appropriate reply might have been: "Would you set out to drive to a destination in a knackered, overladen and unmaintained car, with no driving licence, drunk and without enough fuel to complete the trip and how would that enable you to enjoy your destination when you got there?" I’d call that “diving without due care and attention” - just not on that forum :D Howard, Howard, Howard. You really haven't got to grips with actually understanding what people write have you? The insuation you're making again that anyone other than GUE divers are using crap kit, poorly weighted, unfit in most ways to carry out the dive, unable to plan a dive, blah blah blah are tiresome in the least. Your analogy above is pants. Reread DD's post and please try to understand it. Mate, dive how you want to dive, but honestly, please don't use a DIR site as your medium to slate everyone else. Please? __________________ -.. .. ...- . / ... .- ..-. . / ... .... .. .--. -- .- - . ... www.narknark.co.uk

January 24th, 2006, 08:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
Howard Payne(Offline) Never Knowingly Underfabu Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: London Posts: 1,198	I read Howard's post in great detail. I believe it is reasonable for me to conclude from it that it doesn't matter how you execute a dive as long as you "arrive" and enjoy what you went to see. For me - getting the journey right and safe and stress-less is as much a part of the fun as the destination itself. I've repeatedly said that how people choose to make that "journey" is down to them. Some of the things I've seen people do since I've been diving beggar belief - but it's not a problem because that's their choice. I thought the analogy was pretty spot on actually - but I appreciate on re-reading it that it was un-necessarily inflamatory - so I've removed it :D Nothing if not an arguementative tw%t eh? __________________ The Foxturd Chimp

January 25th, 2006, 12:38 AM	#5 (permalink)
fraser(Offline) "I'm only late on your timescale" Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Kent, UK Posts: 463	H, Have you considered using an inline weighted single tank adapter or a "plate weight" on the backplate to get some weight off your belt? Also you can mount weights on the cam bands. Fraser. __________________ Damn it feels good to be a gangsta

January 25th, 2006, 11:29 AM	#6 (permalink)
Howard Payne(Offline) Never Knowingly Underfabu Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: London Posts: 1,198	Yeah I'm using Clare's P Weight and I've got cam band weight pouches arriving from knackers today funnily enough :D S'not a big deal - just need about 12 kilos to sink two undersuits at this time of year! Roll on Cuba and about 4 kilos in a weeks time __________________ The Foxturd Chimp

January 24th, 2006, 09:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
LCF(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 622	Quote: Just hovering neutral, flat and "legs up" gives me a perverse pleasure for some reason. I know just what you mean . . . and I've been lucky enough recently to dive with a buddy who has gotten into underwater videography, and if you think hovering like that gives you a perverse pleasure, try watching it on video over and over again -- my husband thinks I'm nuts. Quote: I find it very hard diving in low viz with buddies who don’t have a decent primary light now. Never even gave it a moments thought before, but now I’m constantly looking round or between my legs which is a right PITA. Amazing how much more “buddy conscious” you become despite only having just started out down the GUE path. This was one of the first things that started me down the path to the "dark side". The wonderful man who became my mentor showed me passive communication and signalling with high-intensity lights. It doesn't take long before not being able to do that just frosts you. I take a spare light with me to share with anybody who might not have one, although I'm not lucky enough (yet) to have a spare HID There are just so many things about the DIR approach to diving that make good sense and make diving more efficient and easier. It's worth the initial effort to get the gear sorted out.

January 25th, 2006, 11:42 AM	#7 (permalink)
Mark Chase(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Kent England Posts: 905	Quote: (Originally Posted by Howard Payne) I read Howard's post in great detail. I believe it is reasonable for me to conclude from it that it doesn't matter how you execute a dive as long as you "arrive" and enjoy what you went to see. For me - getting the journey right and safe and stress-less is as much a part of the fun as the destination itself. I've repeatedly said that how people choose to make that "journey" is down to them. Some of the things I've seen people do since I've been diving beggar belief - but it's not a problem because that's their choice. I thought the analogy was pretty spot on actually - but I appreciate on re-reading it that it was un-necessarily inflamatory - so I've removed it :D Nothing if not an arguementative tw%t eh? So why do you need an organization to make you dive properly? Why couldn't you figure it out for your self? Trim buoyancy finning etc are all covered in PADI OW and the peek performance buoyancy course is apparently excellent for people who don't seem to be able to figure it out for them selves. However i agree the emphasis on teem skills in DIR is better and more focused than in other training but this is not often put forward as an example of how good DIR is it always seems to be trim, weighting and buoyancy control?? With a view on pre training for DIRF. I would say you need to practice some form of skills in shallow water before attempting DIRF. Task loading and skills in 6m of water is something rarely done and it is a specific skill. Stuff thats easy in 20m+ of water becomes hard in 6m. If you cant do anything in 6m than you probably wasting your time even attempting DIRF. I am glad i had a few goes to refresh the memory. Apart from that ill let you know after the w/end. It should be interesting. I have said for years I cant do shut downs. I can get to the left and right valves just about but the isolator is a bitch. I worked around the problem with bailout orientated deco gas and a slob knob and managed several hundred dives without killing my self. However i was always told it was lack of proper instruction and lack of proper kit set up that prevented me doing shut downs and in fact any one could do it??? However I remain to be convinced I have been doing stretching exercises daily and contorting kit to make it happen but ultimately I am struggling and i am in agony after doing just one shut down let alone three days of it. Now it looks like my only option is to freeze to death and get rid of the 400g under suit. Without this its doable but my god it hurts. Id like to meet the bloke one day who decided the center isolator needs to be fully open and went for barrel oring unbalanced manifolds and shove my entire twin set up his arse. Christ does he think all divers are so thick they cant remember which way to turn a knob?? Ho hum ATB Mark Chase __________________ The only DIR Inspiration diver in the village

January 25th, 2006, 11:43 AM	#8 (permalink)
Sterny(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: The limpid tropical lagoons of Ealing, West London Posts: 550	Quote: (Originally Posted by Howard Payne) Yeah I'm using Clare's P Weight and I've got cam band weight pouches arriving from knackers today funnily enough :D S'not a big deal - just need about 12 kilos to sink two undersuits at this time of year! Roll on Cuba and about 4 kilos in a weeks time Assuming we're still on for this Sunday at Vobster, I've got a weighted Single Tank Adapter (about 5-6kg) and a tail weight which might possibly be some help too. Can't quite recall what you're kit set up for singles is, so they may not be 'compatible', but I'll bring 'em along on Sunday and we can see if they'll fit with your kit and be any use or not. Cheers! D

January 25th, 2006, 11:48 AM	#9 (permalink)
Howard Payne(Offline) Never Knowingly Underfabu Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: London Posts: 1,198	A weighted STA would be cool - see you Sunday mate __________________ The Foxturd Chimp

January 25th, 2006, 11:59 AM	#10 (permalink)
Howard Payne(Offline) Never Knowingly Underfabu Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: London Posts: 1,198	Yeah 6m is the killer - the pressure gradient (non deco) is steep enough at that depth that one misplaced breath and you're like a Polaris missile! I think some mask off practice might be in order on Sunday. I don't seem to be struggling too much with reaching the valve at the moment. That said I've choosen drysuits and kit knowing that I'd have to do it and i'm reasonably fit and flexible. Sounds like your going through the mill here Mark - why are you doing it to yourself - its not like you've got anything to prove? :D __________________ The Foxturd Chimp