Did you pass DIR-f?

[MASS-Diver]

Hello,

I know everyone says "don't worry about passing" but I'm curious about hearing from those who have passed, their experience level, and how difficult they found the course.

I'd also love to hear to hear from people that passed w/ a non-DIR (for example I have a sloppy fitting DS, a face-seal manifold, and a nonfocusable HID).

I'm taking the course this summer (in MA) and once I recover from an injury, I plan on training to pass (so I can take Tech 1). Any advice would be great. Basiclly, I want to show up as prepared as possible so that they don't have to waste time training me on stuff I could have taught myself.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Go here http://www.fifthd.com/divestore/classes/dirrec.html for class details, gear requirements and videos to practice with.

 

[herman]

I guess I passed, I got the C-card. The only thing I found "hard" about the entire class was the surface swim. The skills are not that hard to learn (mastery is another subject) and you are there to lean. If you want to practice anything, practice hovering in a horizonal position. As long as you have the basic DIR equipment- basically a BP, long pri hose, bungied octo and good fins you should be fine. My computer was (and still is) in a console.

Oh yea, be comfortable removing and replacing your mask UW...there was a skill I was glad I practiced before the class..

 

[bwerb]

Hey JW...I passed.

Reading your list...you're doing it in doubles right?

Valve manipulations will be a part of it. All skills are done horizontal with about a 5 foot "window" up and down in the water column maximum. Make sure you are really comfortable with your bouyancy and you'll do fine.

I agree with Herman...no mask skills are nice to have as if you aren't used to doing it...the shock of the cold water (and stress of being filmed and not looking like a complete goof) makes for a nice inhalation which can throw-off your bouyancy really quickly.

The most important thing I found with the course is that the instructors met everyone where they were at. If you are an experienced doubles diver with awesome trim and bouyancy control...you can expect that you will be challenged with extra "no mask" work and buddy awareness skills etc. You will be challenged in the areas YOU are weak in. If you are a relatively new diver, you will be challenged on doing the basics correctly. This is one of the reasons I think the course gets such great reviews from people of all abilities...it ISN'T a cookie cutter course, the instructors really spend time on each individual.

Relax...you'll do fine.

The number one failure point is "life threatening bouyancy control"

 

[ElectricZombie]

I know everyone says "don't worry about passing" but I'm curious about hearing from those who have passed, their experience level, and how difficult they found the course.

I took the DIR-F class and passed. Honestly, I thought the class was really easy. (Still don't regret taking it...was required for Cave 1 later anyway.) However, do note that I was proficient with the skills prior to taking the class. I was already diving DIR before taking the class so the skills were nothing new. I still had fun during the class and don't regret signing up for it.

If you are not familiar with the skills, I can imagine that the class may seem extremely difficult. If you want to guarantee that you pass, my advice is to practice the skills regularly several months before the class begins. You might even be ok even if you didn't. The point of the class is really to show you that there are better, safer and more efficient ways of diving; not necessarily to get a new piece of plastic.

 

[scubapig]

Attitude. No matter how weak or strong your skills are you must have a good attitude. Sure it hurts a little to be told that you're not perfect but learning is whole reason we're there! Good luck and enjoy the class.

Bruce

 

[Frank O]

When I was getting ready to take DIR-F, I asked my instructor what most people failed on, and got the following response: "[T]rim and awareness. These may be a little hard to evaluate on yourself, but in order to practice up for class the best thing to do is make sure you can share gas and turn off valves without letting your legs drop. These are the hardest skills to do while keeping a trim position, so if you can do that then you are ahead of the game."

A couple of guys in the class kind of squeaked by on the surface swim and/or the breath-hold swim.

From everything I hear, the criteria to pass Fundamentals are much more lenient than in Tech 1, if that's where you want to head right away.

Overall, though, the biggest advice I tried to give myself was to relax, not focus on whether I was going to pass or not, and just enjoy the class as a great learning experience.

 

[BlueDolphin]

Can someone elaborate on the surface swim?

Time/distance?

 

[Big-t-2538]

Right here are all the course requirements for DIR-F

http://www.gue.com/classroom/standards/2/chapter.pdf

the swim is 300 yards in 14 minutes.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Hey T, let me guess how long the surface swim took you. HMMMM, you did the 450 in 4.5 minutes during DM class, 300 yds took you about 3 min right? (heeeheeee heeeee!)