THE "PERFECT ( being horizontal ) TRIM" HOAX

[Wibble]

Then of course there's the other massive bug-bear: out of control stage cylinders (deco, bailout, backup, whatever). It's an insult to diving to watch those who dive with them at 90 degrees to their body; streamlined it is not, nor is it clever.

Sidemounters, your time has come to show the world how it's done!

 

[Celt]

Sun vista has several decks of long corridor to glide through. All the doors were opened from the stern on each deck. And we went in at the deck with the outside swimming pool. Good reference.
The most worrying aspect for us was the hanging carpet. Because if it came down we would be in serious serious trouble!!
That was long long time ago and no idea about the latest condition of this huge wreck.

Brilliant dive, lovely to see the video.

 

[Centrals]

Brilliant dive, lovely to see the video.

You ought to check HMS Hermes in Sri Lanka ~51m to the bottom.

 

[Coztick]

Being in total control has nothing to do with being horizontal. Here I am in perfect trim for the diving I am doing. In total control.

View attachment 657615

Oh, I was referring to directional control, not control of your bowels.

 

[Celt]

You ought to check HMS Hermes in Sri Lanka ~51m to the bottom.

Thanks, unseasonably windy and wild for the weekend here so I’ll check it out.

 

[Wibble]

Thanks, unseasonably windy and wild for the weekend here so I’ll check it out.

The weather chart looks like a zebra's backside this weekend! Deffo no diving on Saturday; Sunday's dubious.

 

[David Novo]

Oh, I was referring to directional control, not control of your bowels.

 

[beester]

Wrecks have been mentioned a number of times as reasons you need to maintain a horizontal trim and frog kick. But the image of a diver gracefully frog kicking down the passageway of a wreck has nothing to do with the reality of 99% of wrecks. Unless they’ve been cleaned and placed as dive destinations. All WW1 and most WW2 wrecks are collapsed piles of metal and fishing gear. Especially ones that have been commercially salvaged. There may be sections of the bow or stern where you could swim in for a look around. That’s my experience of wrecks at any rate.

I don't think any real wreck diver (or cave diver for that matter) will argue that you need to be in perfect horizontal trim and have your left pinkie up your ******* to booth. Nope in trim just means in a position to avoid dropping visibility by silting up ****, avoid getting holes in your drysuit or damaging gear on any sharp ends and edges, etc. I think you would agree to this...

All those positions, all the different kicking techniques, they are just tools in my toolbox... and I take out whatever tool that suits the moment (and even then it depends on what kind of gear I'm using)... I might switch 10 times during a dive to a different kick, and I can be upside down or sideways if I'm trying to snake myself to the engine room. Is horizontal one of those tools... of course, and with my normal gear setup I can do hours of deco, almost falling asleep.

To be honest I don't get this back and forward arguiing at nausea about a very mood point... who cares?? The only reason I'm reacting in this topic is because inevitably someone is dragging DIR or GUE or UTD in the discussion, calling us TRIM NAZI's or whatever... yes during a course there is focus on horizontal trim, specifically on the entry course (fundamentals), because many people don't have the "horizontal trim" tool in their toolbox yet, just like it is (and should be) in every entry level technical course... but that's it...

32 pages of this pro and con nonsense...really!!

 

[The Chairman]

Like a fish, I often orient to my environment. Some of my more gifted students get to swim upside down using the surface of the pool as their reference. It's a bit disorienting at first, but quite rewarding. It's awesome to do this in a cave or overhang where the ceiling is filled with fossils. You can't do that without control. You can't get control without practicing perfect trim and neutral. But then, some have suggested I'm nothing but a Nazi and a hoax.

 

[Wibble]

More like we've Seen The Light. Once you've sorted your core skills, the world is your lobster.

Probably the best thing anyone can do in diving is to sort those core skills. Everything is so much easier thereafter.