a question of DIR definition

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Uncle Pug once bubbled...

After taking your DIRf you might not need as much weight to dive in Puget Sound as you think. :D


Especially if you hand-over-hand it down the anchor line :D
 
Uncle Pug once bubbled...

After taking your DIRf you might not need as much weight to dive in Puget Sound as you think. :D

Yeah, I sure wish I knew what to get as far as weight of BP, STA, p-weight. I'd really like to start ordering my bp/wing setup up, but that's my big hold up right now. That and wondering if I'm going to be able to figure out the adjustment and so forth without help.

-k
 
kaliban once bubbled...
That and wondering if I'm going to be able to figure out the adjustment and so forth without help.
As for help:
ASK

As for the rest:
Most of my friends use 6# SS plates. A couple have weighted STAs... I don't use an STA but have a 4# channel weight that I use with a single tank. I have a couple of friends that use halcyon ACB weight pouches.. and there are a couple of us that have sold them after one dive.

It just depends on what you want.
 
Uncle Pug once bubbled...

As for help:
ASK

As for the rest:
Most of my friends use 6# SS plates. A couple have weighted STAs... I don't use an STA but have a 4# channel weight that I use with a single tank. I have a couple of friends that use halcyon ACB weight pouches.. and there are a couple of us that have sold them after one dive.

It just depends on what you want.

Ok, thanks UP, I think I'll make a new thread out of this and post it over in the BC section.
 
There is nobody, and I mean NOBODY in my diving sphere that dives a BP/W set up (I get the strangest looks when I roll in) - so as far as a support group, level of knowledge, thoughts about going it alone, relax.

There is SO MUCH good stuff on here. Heck, I posted a whole series here for months about my public humiliation - documenting my trails and errors in getting into the DIR groove and selecting, fitting and diving my rig.

But its not about gear - you'll hear that again and again. The more your read, and PM, and ask, the more you'll find a whole host of knowledgable people waiting to dive in ( :) ) and assist.

For me, I dive dry, with a single 100 HP Steel cylinder. I dive a 6# plate, 36# Pioneer wing (no STA) and the ACB system. I use a canister light, frog kick with stubby, spring back fins and breathe off a 7' hose. I went into DIR/F with 16# in the ACB's and came out with 10#.

You'll get the weighting dialed in soon - the most important thing is to get the Fundy's book, read it and talk to others here about the basics. DIR isn't a gear thing. There are MANY plate choices. Many wing choices, many light choices, a couple of hose-length choices, unlimited mask choices and exposure suit choices... but really only one way to config the stuff. Wearing the gear doesn't make you DIR - no more than a rat in a cookie jar makes it a cookie.

Read the book - see if the vibe is for you. Team diving, true situational and buddy awareness, a commitment to safety, a commitment to fitness. If you're in the groove, you may want to re-think your gear selection. If its not for you, then the gear is just, well, gear.

I made the DIR choice long before I changed my rig.

ASK.

Its a fun journey, my friend.

K
 
kaliban once bubbled...


One question I have is as far as the DIR/GUE philosophy goes, does it specify types of configurations, or does it also limit its specifications by brand of manufacture? For instance, does DIR reccomend using a bp/wing configuration with certain restrictions, such as 'no bondage wings', or is it more specific such as, if you'r not diving a halcyon bp/wing setup then you're technically not diving DIR.

A second question; Does DIR/GUE stipulate a bp weight of ~6lbs, or would it accomodate a thicker plate?

Thanks,

-k

Welcome to this board, and welcome to the greatest adventure you'll ever undertake. Scuba is just an awesome experience so sit back and enjoy the ride.

By way of background, since you are new here, I am a GUE instructor so I feel comfortable speaking to your questions, and you are doing the correct thing asking before you buy. Buyer's remorse is one of the comments I hear most often in class..

To that end let me address your two questions:

1) We do recommend BP & wings but we do not specify brand name. You are correct in that we do not allow "bondage" type wings. Our feeling is that the restrictive bands on the wing pose an unnecessary safety concern and serve no purpose so we do exclude those from our classes..

2) We do NOT specifiy a 6 lb SS BP, although for most open water applications they tend to be the most common. However, often times when I dive fresh water I find that the AL BP is more efficient so I'll switch to AL BP's. Accordingly, for a wide variety of reasons, we do not specify which BP to wear.

Hope that helps, but if you need additional information please feel free to ask away.

Regards

Michael Kane
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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