Another other bp/w question..... and more

[GUEdiver]

If LA works better for you, contact Mike Kane at mhkane@prodigy.net. I've worked with him twice and he is great. He often does "DIR Demo Days" in LA and he also teaches Fundamentals.

 

[frase]

You may also want to look at Peter Steinhoff's www.dir-diver.com
He has a step by step illustration on how to fit your harness.
It will at least help you until you get to a DIR-F class

 

[tonyc]

Thanks for all the help and the links. I loosened up my shoulder straps some and spent the day at the lake with my buddies- Much easier to get off now. I'll get there.
Tony.

 

[WJL]

I want to take DIR-F but kind of agree with reef raff that it should probably be done in the ocean. ...

Until then Practice, practice practice at the lake.

My own $.02 is that it doesn't matter that much whether you take the Fundamentals class in fresh water or salt water. The focus of the class is restricted to basic techniques that are generally applicable to all diving.

My advice is take the class at the earliest opportunity. That way you will learn how and what to practice. Practicing before the class is generally not that helpful unless you have a DIR-trained person there to guide you along. Many people end up having to "unlearn" things in the Fundamentals class because they had been "practicing" things differently than they were taught in the class.

 

[Capnsnott]

GUEdiver,

"You don't have to complete a DIR-F to dive with them. I bet they would be happy to do some dives with you and make sure you know when the next DIR-F is going to be in their territory."

I tried that with a LDS instructor that is DIR and he blew me off. He even knows I am taking the class at the end of the summer when he gets it set up. I asked him if I could dive with him some time and have him do a once over on what I am doing and maybe point out some bad habbits I may be developing.

Oh well, I'll take the class and stay away from him.

TonyC.
I am taking the DIRf class in fresh water. Colorado is a bit too far to far away from SW......

 

[-hh]

You know what needs to be done:

• Learn to set up your own gear, quickly and efficiently.
• Learn to get in and out of your own gear, quickly and efficiently.
• Ask the dive operators to keep their hands off your gear..

2 of 3 of these have nothing to do with facilitating getting yourself safely back onboard, which was the OP's primary issue. While the other advice is useful, what's also needed is the objectivity to:

• Use the right tool for the job.

You might also consider not using a dive operator that...doesn't offer a swim ladder and doesn't turn the engines off while you're clambering out of the water....

Yes, avoid when reasonably possible, but the reality is that there are some dive destinations pragmatically mandate diving from a small live hot boats. To oversimplify, this one is saying: "never dive from a RIB".

The underlying question is if you're willing to change your rig in order to be more "RIB-compatible" when local conditions honestly do warrant diving from a live hot RIB. Its a trade-off UW performance for Surface performance/safety, versus choosing to not dive at all, which is a personal choice.


FWIW, I agree that loosening up the shoulders will help minimize - but not obviate - the described problem. There are some other solutions, but they're "controversial" to some for various reasons; PM for more.

Don't fool yourself - you've got a lot of things to practice at the lake. Be safe.

Yes, but unfortunately, the described diving conditions don't exactly exist in the proverbial local lake, so practice there won't be with the conditions that will really help identify the shortcomings and test/develop the changes in equipment and techniques that will best resolve them.

For better or worse, the only way to really learn how to get back into a live RIB in rough conditions is to do it: firsthand experience. And as the OP has already found, there are some things that makes the task harder than it really has to be, so there are trade-offs to be considered.


-hh

 

[VTernovski]

GUEdiver,

I tried that with a LDS instructor that is DIR and he blew me off. He even knows I am taking the class at the end of the summer when he gets it set up. I asked him if I could dive with him some time and have him do a once over on what I am doing and maybe point out some bad habbits I may be developing......

Sorry to hear that.. but essentially what you asked is to have him privately teach you a DIR-F class in one dive... If he is a good instructor (which I am sure he is), he will have no choice but to start teaching you and showing you stuff before he gets in a water with you, and with all fairness, I can totally understand if he would rather have you take the class first... I was the same way too, but I now totally understand after took the class. Don't sweat it; just wait for the class and you'll see his point.

-VT

 

[Capnsnott]

I have actually discussed things with on several occasions, I was not asking for a "private class" per se, my main intent was to learn the frog kick. I have most of the other skills nailed pretty well (that I know of). I was more wanting him to do the old "umm, that's not the way you do it" observation thing. I can see where he could view my intentions as being dishonest and I agree with you on the teaching side of things. I did try to make sure he understood that I wasn't wanting him to make the dive, class like. It's a fine line I guess.
He paid for his knowledge, so should I......
I am curious as to how there is a diferance between what I was asking him, and what GUEDiver was told to do?
I do see your point and agree.
Greg