Well GUE has done it again. For those of you who have looked into taking DIR-f and have decided that it would cost way too much to replace your BCD with a BPW or dress all in black... 
There is a new workshop that is a simplified version of fundies. The only gear requirement is to use a long hose (about $40.00) and non split fins.
Here is more info:
The GUE Fundamentals of DIR successfully provides DIR instruction to those students who want to continue on to the upper level Tech and Cave curricula. Divers of all levels take the course and are often struck by how difficult it is. This usually coincides with a recognition of how it positively impacts their diving. Yet we have found that the demographics of this course has changed. Instead of mostly technical divers, we're seeing 70%-90% recreational divers. However, these courses are not crafted to best meet the needs of the recreational diver new to DIR principles.
First, the requirement for the full DIR equipment requirement as mandated by GUE represents a significant barrier to those students without access to complete rental gear. The investment alone may prevent them access to the tools useful to the course. Second, the complete change in diving style, skill and extensive amount of material to be covered within the course is often times poorly matched to the learning goals of the recreational diver, with 12 hour days not unheard of as a result. Finally, perhaps the most problematic aspect of the DIR-Fundamentals is the addition of the pass/provisional/fail certification. No longer do students arrive with the desire to simply learn, as they do with many other sports (as in skiing, kayaking, and swimming). Instead, the students undergo the unnerving process of being evaluated on brand new skills they are supposed to be just learning. In effect, they must know the skills and be comfortable in DIR equipment before they arrive, which certainly isn't in the spirit of a proper educational process.
With all of these issues in mind, we decided to develop the "Essentials of Diving" class. It's a workshop-style class that removes the stress of evaluation, and therefore places no expectations upon the student to arrive with any pre- knowledge. This means that they can focus on learning, without the distraction of certification. Everyone is welcome; the only requirements are a long hose/necklace configuration (which we can help setup) and non-split fins with a suggestion that the student purchase "Dress for Success" by Dan MacKay, an excellent guide to the DIR configuration. This accessibility means that everyone can begin to learn the benefits of the DIR configuration, proper bouyancy, horizontal trim and safe air sharing (s-drill) without the need to invest in new equipment or the having the worry of "failing." To further increase learning, we've decided to focus on the "essential" skills: buoyancy, trim, and position; as well as, the important safety skills.
This brings a focus to the important skills that recreational divers can use the most. The Essentials class among other things will introduce you to the DIR recreational/ technical equipment configuration, team awareness, and personal skills such as proper trim and buoyancy, the 4 kicks needed (frog, mod frog, helicopter, and backward), 6 basics openwater skills, S-drills and more. All skills will be video taped and reviewed with an emphasis on learning and fun. In addition to the video reviews, we'll run through about 3 hours of dry runs and 6 hours of lecture covering subjects such as recreational decompression and proper ascent profiles.
We're very excited about the opportunity to focus on the basics, and welcome recreational divers to find how working on a few simple skills can improve their experience underwater. While some naysayers will dismiss this as an attempt to create another class, we see it as an opportunity to both assist recreational divers improve their enjoyment underwater, and to help prospective GUE Fundamentals or the NAUI Intro to Tech divers prepare for their evaluation based classes. Our commitment has always been to provide excellent education for every level of diver, and we feel that the Essentials class is an important new part of the 5thD-X curriculum.
There is a new workshop that is a simplified version of fundies. The only gear requirement is to use a long hose (about $40.00) and non split fins. Here is more info:
The GUE Fundamentals of DIR successfully provides DIR instruction to those students who want to continue on to the upper level Tech and Cave curricula. Divers of all levels take the course and are often struck by how difficult it is. This usually coincides with a recognition of how it positively impacts their diving. Yet we have found that the demographics of this course has changed. Instead of mostly technical divers, we're seeing 70%-90% recreational divers. However, these courses are not crafted to best meet the needs of the recreational diver new to DIR principles.
First, the requirement for the full DIR equipment requirement as mandated by GUE represents a significant barrier to those students without access to complete rental gear. The investment alone may prevent them access to the tools useful to the course. Second, the complete change in diving style, skill and extensive amount of material to be covered within the course is often times poorly matched to the learning goals of the recreational diver, with 12 hour days not unheard of as a result. Finally, perhaps the most problematic aspect of the DIR-Fundamentals is the addition of the pass/provisional/fail certification. No longer do students arrive with the desire to simply learn, as they do with many other sports (as in skiing, kayaking, and swimming). Instead, the students undergo the unnerving process of being evaluated on brand new skills they are supposed to be just learning. In effect, they must know the skills and be comfortable in DIR equipment before they arrive, which certainly isn't in the spirit of a proper educational process.
With all of these issues in mind, we decided to develop the "Essentials of Diving" class. It's a workshop-style class that removes the stress of evaluation, and therefore places no expectations upon the student to arrive with any pre- knowledge. This means that they can focus on learning, without the distraction of certification. Everyone is welcome; the only requirements are a long hose/necklace configuration (which we can help setup) and non-split fins with a suggestion that the student purchase "Dress for Success" by Dan MacKay, an excellent guide to the DIR configuration. This accessibility means that everyone can begin to learn the benefits of the DIR configuration, proper bouyancy, horizontal trim and safe air sharing (s-drill) without the need to invest in new equipment or the having the worry of "failing." To further increase learning, we've decided to focus on the "essential" skills: buoyancy, trim, and position; as well as, the important safety skills.
This brings a focus to the important skills that recreational divers can use the most. The Essentials class among other things will introduce you to the DIR recreational/ technical equipment configuration, team awareness, and personal skills such as proper trim and buoyancy, the 4 kicks needed (frog, mod frog, helicopter, and backward), 6 basics openwater skills, S-drills and more. All skills will be video taped and reviewed with an emphasis on learning and fun. In addition to the video reviews, we'll run through about 3 hours of dry runs and 6 hours of lecture covering subjects such as recreational decompression and proper ascent profiles.
We're very excited about the opportunity to focus on the basics, and welcome recreational divers to find how working on a few simple skills can improve their experience underwater. While some naysayers will dismiss this as an attempt to create another class, we see it as an opportunity to both assist recreational divers improve their enjoyment underwater, and to help prospective GUE Fundamentals or the NAUI Intro to Tech divers prepare for their evaluation based classes. Our commitment has always been to provide excellent education for every level of diver, and we feel that the Essentials class is an important new part of the 5thD-X curriculum.
