make sure you have Jet Fins or something else that is negatively buoyant, will help. Adjust the manifold as low as you can go and still comfortably reach each valve and the crossbar, and you'll be fine. Valve shutdowns and S-drills aren't rocket science, but you should read up on them. There are some books and websites about gear configuration that help. First stages with fifth ports and rotating turrets help immensely for hose routing, but aren't needed if you don't have them. I go back and forth regularly between them and it doesn't bother me.
Equipment Configuration | Global Underwater Explorers
That will help some and shows you the basic two ways to route hoses, one with the non turret first stages flat, and the other with the turrets at angles. Depends on what you have for first stages, either is fine. I prefer flat which is shown with the Apeks DS4 first stages, the other one is a MK25 setup but can easily be done on any turret first stage, the MK25/S600 piston turret is just the GUE preferred first stage.
I prefer to route my drysuit down on the right post and have the only hose crossing my neck be my secondary. The inflator crossing stems from the rolloff potential of the left post, but I would rather lose my inflator than lose my drysuit, and with the inflator rolled off you are likely to notice far sooner than if you have it on your left post and the only duty your left post has is secondary and SPG. You're diving dry more than likely up there, so I'll assume you'll always have your drysuit, but even still, if you're wet, you're guaranteed to have to use the inflator on the left post, so I'd just rather know it rolled off, so that's the method to my madness. Obviously not the norm, and not DIR, but I don't really care, and do what works and makes sense for me.
