Recreational diving versus Technical? diving

[MXGratefulDiver]

LOL... sorry ianr33... you're simply referring to DIR-talk... "technical diving" is a much broader/wider thing than "only" the DIR stuff, or "only" cave diving you know...
E.g. the long hose is something useful for cave diving but if e.g. you want to go for deep diving etc. there is no added benefit to even considering a LH...
Idem dito for the rest of your list... this is simply a copy&paste from the DIR "religion"...

Just curious ... have you ever dived with a long hose?

The "rest of the list" is pretty much standard fare for an array of technical diving applications ... and was so long before DIR ever came into existence.

FWIW - I've taken DIR, IANTD, and NAUI Tech classes ... and they all require pretty much the same setup ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Sideband]

LOL... sorry ianr33... you're simply referring to DIR-talk... "technical diving" is a much broader/wider thing than "only" the DIR stuff, or "only" cave diving you know...
E.g. the long hose is something useful for cave diving but if e.g. you want to go for deep diving etc. there is no added benefit to even considering a LH...
Idem dito for the rest of your list... this is simply a copy&paste from the DIR "religion"...

Have you ever had to share air on a 3' hose in a ripping current while the 2 of you were doing your best flag impersonations on the ascent line?

Joe

 

[Luc Dupas]

Just curious ... have you ever dived with a long hose
?

Of course! I've got one... I've been using it and after a few dives it ended back in my collection of unused gear...
I tried it and unless you're diving with a BP/wing, and with a big cannister lamp etc. such that you properly route the LH it's a plain vanilla damn pain in the ***... that's why I ditched it again...

 

[Luc Dupas]

Have you ever had to share air on a 3' hose in a ripping current while the 2 of you were doing your best flag impersonations on the ascent line?

WOW... did you ??? So what went wrong that time when you did plan (or forgot to plan) you dive such that you were facing this ripping current and still had to stick to the ascent line???
I'm sorry... but it never did happen to me...

But... yes... it already did happen to me that towards the end of the dive my buddy was swimming next to me on the left, breathing on my 120cm yellow hose and octopus reg, while we were facing an indeed ripping current and we're were grabbing and pulling rocks and oyster shells etc. to hold ourselves and get forward against the heavy current... And yes, this 120cm hose was no limitation whatsoever!

 

[ianr33]

Of course! I've got one... I've been using it and after a few dives it ended back in my collection of unused gear...
I tried it and unless you're diving with a BP/wing, and with a big cannister lamp etc. such that you properly route the LH it's a plain vanilla damn pain in the ***... that's why I ditched it again...

Is there any way of diving other than with a BP/Wing ?

With a bit of imagination you can hook a long hose under a waist mounted knife or pocket,or just stuff it in a cummerbund,or use a 5 foot hose that runs under your right arm, or................

Luc,you are probably the only person I have ever come across that has gone back to a short hose !

 

[Rick Murchison]

I personally don't use the term.

Walter's probably much wiser than I, but I do use the term so I suppose it demands definition.
In its simplest form I call diving with an overhead (be that physical or physiological) "technical."
But recreational divers make "sort of" technical dives all the time - I'd put single stop deco-on-backgas and cavern dives in this "grey" area. And dives that don't involve great depth, overheads or decompression can be highly technical indeed... so... to my mind "real" technical diving is considerably more than just making the dive.
- Planning. The technical diver has pretty much done the dive several times with many contingencies and scenarios before ever hitting the water. Where, when, how, who, goals, depth, time, navigation, gas plan, contingencies, emergencies... all have been thoroughly thought through and discussed within the team before the dive. The "envelope" for the dive has clear boundaries; decisions are made on the surface to the maximum extent possible so that whatever happens on the dive, the team's actions are planned and automatic. Plans are kept as simple as possible; fat is meticulously trimmed. "Do we need to do that? Is there a great advantage in doing it? If not, don't. Is there an easier way? If so, use it." KISS applies. Plans may take only a few minutes for familiar sites and teams that dive together routinely or they may take months to develop and finalize.
- Equipment. The equipment works. It is high quality and well maintained. If it isn't needed it isn't carried; if it's needed for life support it is covered with a redundant backup that works.
- Discipline. Team members know the plan cold and follow the plan. If an abort situation occurs they call the dive. The thumb trumps all; no argument. Stick to the plan; don't get fancy.
- Skill. Buoyancy control, trim, body control is natural and impeccable; anti silting technique too. Normal, contingency and emergency procedures are executed smoothly, quickly and effectively. Overlearning skills is the norm. Handling equipment is familiar - a place for everything, everything in its place - and in easy reach.
- Knowledge. Both background fundamentals like physics, physiology and equipment mechanics to normal and emergency procedures to site specifics like visibility, temperature, weather, currents, hazards etc.
- Attitude. Respect reality. No dive is perfect; learn from every dive how to make the next one better. Learn something new on every dive - pay attention to life, the earth, the water... Respect the site; touch only when necessary, then to minimize impact. When harvesting, take the care to kill efficiently and swiftly or don't take the shot at all - there's always McDonalds in a pinch. Respect the team; be a team player alert to not only developing stress or dangerous situations but also ways to facilitate others' enjoyment. Take the time to see as well as look. Respect other divers you may encounter. Don't be snooty - share the wonder with enthusiasm; be as captivated with the newbie's narrative (that you've heard a hundred times from a hundred newbies) as the old timer's sea story. Always remember that the laws of physics have no respect for money, rank, social status, qualifications or experience... not even for a big expensive camera or scooter
Rick

 

[Luc Dupas]

Is there any way of diving other than with a BP/Wing ?

Maybe... I guess so... well... I think so... at least I managed to accumulate almost 900 hours of openwater dives without it...

Luc,you are probably the only person I have ever come across that has gone back to a short hose !

You should talk to more people and meet more people! I came accross several folks (I admit, all non-BP/wing ones!) who have been trying a LH/necklaced configuration because their DIR-friends were so enthousiastic about it and decided to give it try... and ditched it after a few dives because it was non convenient, not handy, and most important, it did not have any added value/use for the kind of dives (non cave dives) they're doing...
But I did have to admit... you do need to have a fair amount of guts to tell, in front of your DIR friends and maybe a bunch of tekkie wannabees, that their so beloved LH thing didn't meet the expectations they were projecting...

 

[ianr33]

Guess we just agree to disagree. No worries

 

[Diver0001]

and ditched it after a few dives because it was non convenient, not handy, and most important, it did not have any added value/use for the kind of dives (non cave dives) they're doing...

I'd venture a guess that they had it routed incorrectly and as a result it was in the way.

It can take a little fiddling to get a comfortable routing with the LH on a traditional vest type BCD but it can be done.

R..

 

[rongoodman]

Agree with the BP/W but how many OW divers also start off with a long hose,no split fins,DIN tanks and regs,wrist mounted depth timer,light with Goodman handle etc. ?

There's no reason not to, the trick is to know about this stuff early on. For that I thank ScubaBoard and The Deco Stop. I've been lucky--the only gadget I bought and don't currently use is a Pelican light I purchased before the can light.