Why not Fundies?

[SparticleBrane]

As per usual, perhaps it's time you stop thinking that the Scubaboard "DIR" divers are the real people out there who are DIR. Maybe get out there and talk to people who have actually taken the classes...

Several people I know who haven't taken the course but still have great skills are that way because they are cave divers and want their skills perfect. To them there's no point in taking the class because it might as well be a step backwards.

For me I'll probably take the class at some point. It really just depends on $ and my schedule.

 

[Wildcard]

It would infer that becouse someone took a class from someone they consider "world class" they feel they are better divers than everyone else.
Case in point, look at all the childish comments here becouse some one dares to speak aganst DIR.

 

[Tollie]

For recreational divers DIR-F is continuing education... with the goal of setting a benchmark for you to strive for as a diver. (OK I know that it is much more than that)

Continuing education for the recreational diving market is a hard sell unless the course assists a diver in going deeper, doing more challenging dives, using new tools that enhance diving fun (cameras, DPV's).

IMO Most recreational divers think they are "ok" for the kind of diving and the frequency with which they dive.

The person who signs up for "F" who is a recreational diver and who is not actively looking down the tech path is a rare bird.

Take this and the other reasions cited above and you have empty spaces.

I think the "mini" concept that AG has advanced might be more atractive than the 4 day class. But then again I dont know how he is doing with it.

 

[Darnold9999]

I am just up the road, would take the class if I heard it was on (and I had the time that particular weekend). Looked at the GUE website a while back - did not see any classes up this way so filed it under one day. I must be missing something.

Not even slightly interested in DIR as "you will dive this way or die" philosophy, but suspect that is not the reality. Doesn't matter one way or the other. Am interested in upgrading my skills - will take what I deem useful away and ignore the rest. Many have tried to indoctrinate me with the "true path" in my life. The army, law school, an ex-wife - none have taken yet.

Already dive BP/W - a long hose and break out the old Rocket fins and I should be good to go. $300 for three days is cheap for any useful instruction.

Can you pass me details please Lynn or am I too late.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Aside from the cramps I get from frog kicks, the price tag has always kept me away. I was fortunate to meet a few DIR divers back when there were only a handful of GUE instructors. We practiced skills and protocals without the name-calling or being led to believe that our old buddies were now unsafe to dive with. I have seen some of the nicest people begin to think that way after taking Fundies. I'm very satisfied with my skills underwater. One of my buddies told me the reason she signed up for Fundies was because she wanted to be like my buddy Ross and me. I told her we're not DIR but she loved the way we dive. I hope she still feels that way.

 

[King Kong Matt]

It would infer that becouse someone took a class from someone they consider "world class" they feel they are better divers than everyone else.

I don't know you so I may be way off base here, but I think you might be reading a bit too much into the world-class comment. I think it was just a shorthand way of saying that while the price of the course might be a bit more than the traditional scuba diving course, you really are getting great instruction from great instructors.

I don't think the implication was that, by necessity, people who take the course are therefore better divers than people who don't.

Again, I don't like "internet DIR" any more than you appear to. Having said that, I regularly train with a GUE instructor and dive with GUE trained folks and will tell you that there is a world of difference between the real GUE instructors and the folks who talk about it on the internet. To an individual, the GUE folks I have spoken to in person, on the phone, or through e-mail have been really considerate, very friendly people.

In the end, wildcard, I think you would agree that everyone should make the decisions that are right for them. For me, DIR made perfect sense and gives me the experience in diving that I was looking for - a team-based approach that focused on safety, training, and diving as a holistic exercise. If DIR doesn't meet your needs, it doesn't meet your needs. So be it...

 

[bradshsi]

Because it would require most people to completely change the gear setup they own/use/rent/whatever for an idea that they may not understand or simply be opposed to.

It's expensive, it's tough, it's very controversial, and requires considerable dedication from the student to simply sign up. It's in many cases ridiculed and often purported by non-DIR as some "Tech" or "wannabe" or even a "cult" class. There is a considerable stigma carried by DIR divers. We get accused of all sorts of stuff from all sorts of people.

Unfortunately it's not something that can be taken casually.

Some of the above would be my reasons for being dissuaded from taking the class.

Having to rent equipment would be one. I own a Transpac which is basically a wing without the metal backplate. I'm very happy/comfortable with it and to be quite honest I don't see the reason why I should have to rent a very slightly different configuration.

In addition I've found some of the gear configurations (such as the canister light head on the left hand, and hip placement for spg), to be a poor ergonomic fit for me. (OTOH most all of the other recommendations are excellent).

However the main reason is that to be quite honest I don't believe my skills are up to the challenge of such a class. It certainly has the reputation for being very demanding. Perhaps in a couple of years I might be in a postion to give it a try.

 

[SparticleBrane]

The "only way to dive" comment is starting to get old, too.
I had a conversation with a WKPP member several months ago and he highly recommended not getting caught up in the "internet DIR crap", because it really isn't useful. He thinks it's pathetic that people argue over the smallest things, like whether or not the inflator hose is over the bungie or under..
He also said "DON'T do something one way just because JJ does it like that. YOU need to understand why we like it like that, before you use it."

Most people on the internet who push DIR seem to blindly follow the idea without thinking--I believe that those people are NOT DIR, because of that. They aren't thinking for themselves--and GUE's biggest push is to create thinking divers.

 

[Halthron]

Case in point, look at all the childish comments here becouse some one dares to speak aganst DIR.

I don't see the problem being the aversion to DIR, rather that your opinion seems to be based on the Internet version of DIR (correct me if I'm wrong). Your comment that no one will tell you where to put your SMB is a prime example. In my DIR-F, SMBs were placed in three places on three students, we were all different. The instructor pointed out that there's two types of equipment, that which can affect others and should be roughly the same for each diver, ,and that which is individual and doesn't matter as long as it doesn't interfere with the dive.

An example of the former would be lights. If two people are using 21w HIDs focusable to 6 degrees and the third is using a 10w that only supports 15 degree focusing, will the third member be able to signal very well? Probably not.

An example of the later is the SMB. Put it in a bellows pocket, in a backplate bag, bungee it to the bottom of the plate, etc. As long as it's accessable and doesn't interefere with the dive it's all good.

Honestly, there's too much speculation about the color the bungee necklace needs to be going on here.

 

[Wildcard]

Accualy, DIR does meet my needs and when a class comes along that fits into my schedule, I'll take it but Im not going to run out and get a DIR license plate when Im done. I do infact dive with DIRs on a regular basis and all are realy good divers. Is it becouse they are DIR or are they real good divers that took DIR? Prolly a little of both.