This weekend I did my SM class with Steve Lewis (Doppler here on SB) at Gilboa Quarry in Ohio. There were four of us in class. I have been backmounting doubles for over 5 years now, slinging stages for about as long, and did have two dives on my SM rig prior to this. The concept of bottles on the side was not new but slinging them properly for SM was. I had set up my rig with help from Jill Heinerth and Jeff Loflin's video. While it was not wrong it was different and a bit more complicated than the method we were shown and advised to try in Steve's class.
I had set up my bottles in the typical north Florida cave stage bottle style and got to try it that way after some adjusting of the rigging and then after being shown the method that Steve prefers. Both work. But Steve's is somewhat cleaner and less cluttered. the great thing was being able to use mine, shown another, talked about a couple options for both, and then advised to give a good try on each and see what works best for me. There was no "you must do it this way or it's wrong!" BS.
That is not how Steve teaches a class. He allows and encourages us to think with advice, comments, and instruction taking place when and where it is needed.
He had several units to choose from and try but as it turns out all of us showed up with our own rigs. I was diving a Dive Rite Nomad LT tech with ring bungee system (now gone bye bye as it was just not optimal for me), faber LP75.5's and HOG D-1 cold's with Classic Seconds. Diving wet in a 5 mil I needed for the class an extra 4 lbs on the belt.
Body trim on the first dive was good. The tanks needed adjusting and some of that was done in the water after careful observation and some minor tweaks. It was further refined during the surface intervals. And by the end of class both body and tank trim was where it needed to be. And felt so damn good!
Have to inject one observation here: BACK KICKING IN SIDEMOUNT IS SO MUCH EASIER! Wow! The amount of ground I was able to cover was eye opening.
We did a number of skills, air shares, no mask reg switching, and reg switching according to PSI used and time/PSI switching. Gas management was heavily emphasized and I learned a few things and a couple new ways to explain the process that I can use in my own classes. Buoyancy, trim, and clean rigging of the gear was paramount in the course along with strict attention to safety protocols and proper buddy procedures.
As a result of this class I am going to spend part of the day reconfiguring my gear as well as unloading it. I got home at 11:30 last night after a five and half hour drive following a class day that went from 9 - 6. I met some good people and had some fun. Most of all I increased my own personal knowledge and skills and was given a proper foundation to build them up even more. That is what I will be doing this weekend at Portage Quarry in Ohio for the DAN BBQ that is coming up. If anyone wants to come out and join me and see me try to work on this and maybe get a laugh or two as I figure out this and that (and likely screw up a few things) please, by all means do so!
My GF is unable to attend and I'd like a couple buddies for Saturday afternoon/evening and Sunday morning.
On a strictly personal note. This not the first time I've taken instruction from Steve and will not be the last. At this level some instructors tend to take things for granted and perhaps go over stuff too fast. He does not. He makes sure that we understand and absorb the material. While at the same time treating you with respect and acknowledgement of the abilities you may have. He is also willing to listen and even use your ideas. There is no ego driven BS. And lord knows there is certainly the knowledge, skills, and experience to justify one if it was there.
There are only a handful of instructors that I would take training from without any reservation. Steve is among the top of those on the list. I am proud to have been able to take this class and even prouder to call him my friend.
I had set up my bottles in the typical north Florida cave stage bottle style and got to try it that way after some adjusting of the rigging and then after being shown the method that Steve prefers. Both work. But Steve's is somewhat cleaner and less cluttered. the great thing was being able to use mine, shown another, talked about a couple options for both, and then advised to give a good try on each and see what works best for me. There was no "you must do it this way or it's wrong!" BS.
That is not how Steve teaches a class. He allows and encourages us to think with advice, comments, and instruction taking place when and where it is needed.
He had several units to choose from and try but as it turns out all of us showed up with our own rigs. I was diving a Dive Rite Nomad LT tech with ring bungee system (now gone bye bye as it was just not optimal for me), faber LP75.5's and HOG D-1 cold's with Classic Seconds. Diving wet in a 5 mil I needed for the class an extra 4 lbs on the belt.
Body trim on the first dive was good. The tanks needed adjusting and some of that was done in the water after careful observation and some minor tweaks. It was further refined during the surface intervals. And by the end of class both body and tank trim was where it needed to be. And felt so damn good!
Have to inject one observation here: BACK KICKING IN SIDEMOUNT IS SO MUCH EASIER! Wow! The amount of ground I was able to cover was eye opening.
We did a number of skills, air shares, no mask reg switching, and reg switching according to PSI used and time/PSI switching. Gas management was heavily emphasized and I learned a few things and a couple new ways to explain the process that I can use in my own classes. Buoyancy, trim, and clean rigging of the gear was paramount in the course along with strict attention to safety protocols and proper buddy procedures.
As a result of this class I am going to spend part of the day reconfiguring my gear as well as unloading it. I got home at 11:30 last night after a five and half hour drive following a class day that went from 9 - 6. I met some good people and had some fun. Most of all I increased my own personal knowledge and skills and was given a proper foundation to build them up even more. That is what I will be doing this weekend at Portage Quarry in Ohio for the DAN BBQ that is coming up. If anyone wants to come out and join me and see me try to work on this and maybe get a laugh or two as I figure out this and that (and likely screw up a few things) please, by all means do so!
My GF is unable to attend and I'd like a couple buddies for Saturday afternoon/evening and Sunday morning.
On a strictly personal note. This not the first time I've taken instruction from Steve and will not be the last. At this level some instructors tend to take things for granted and perhaps go over stuff too fast. He does not. He makes sure that we understand and absorb the material. While at the same time treating you with respect and acknowledgement of the abilities you may have. He is also willing to listen and even use your ideas. There is no ego driven BS. And lord knows there is certainly the knowledge, skills, and experience to justify one if it was there.
There are only a handful of instructors that I would take training from without any reservation. Steve is among the top of those on the list. I am proud to have been able to take this class and even prouder to call him my friend.
