I Passed OW, Thanks SB.

[MBH]

Thanks, I really do appreciate everyone taking the time to reply. I'm already snooping around and I think I've found a little DiveRite wing that I like. I'm still looking at different back plates.

I'll be trying to get in as many dives as I can regardless of my gear configuration. However....I'm now thinking that the sooner I begin diving a HOG rig the better off I'll be.

I'll be sure and hook up with some DIR people as I have a ton of questions and I have NO intention of diving with any gear that I haven't been instructed on. When it comes to diving I look at it this way; What you don't know can get you killed, and I don't know, what I don't know. (drowning ain't on my dive plan)

Thanks folks!
Brent

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Congrats Brent....You may want to slow down a little and get some experience. Dive the heck out of your current BC maybe try a BP/W setup if you can convince someone to let you.

Failure rate is not an indication of the quailty of training. A good course and instructor will not fail many "Qualified" students. When I say qualified what I am saying is there are some courses that will let people in that have no buisness being there, courses with high failure rates are doing just that sometimes for greed sometimes to make there course appear to be more important than others. I don't mean to say that Dir F is a bad course there is just a flaw in the process if they have a high failure rate.

 

[spectrum]

First of all congratulations!

Second get out there and make some dives within your training with peers. If you find a mentor then so much the better. How many? It all depends, 1-2 dozen can be good. Why? just to let you get a handle on whet you have learned. Start to build some automatic behavior before getting led into the deep, night or whatever in an AOW class. With a little practice you will be in a much better position to learn whatever AOW offers. EXCEPT: If your OW program did not leave you comfortable enough to make dives with peers (they let you down) then find another instructor and take AOW ASAP for some more mask time with an instructor.

As for your BC, If it fits dive the darned thing. Other than fit gear does not make the diver. As you get further along you may have a more logical reason to swap and then you will know what and why.

GUE, fundies, whatever go for it when you have a foundation. As TS&M (AKA Pete Guy) stated she was up to it at 60 dives. Getting a good rescue diver class under belt along the way is great stuff too.

Dive, dive, dive. Take some time to enjoy yourself. If your OW instructor did his job you have what you need for the moment.

Pete

 

[EvaL]

Congratulations! I'm glad you did so well.
I'd say it's up to you whether you want to go ahead with AOW now (I did it right away), based on your comfort level in the water and water temps/conditions in your area right now.
Most people taking GUE/DIR courses are DM and above, so I wouldn't change the BCD just yet - I'd do more dives, for class or leisure, to see how it feels. And ask yourself: Does the BCD have any limitations for the type of dives you've done (if the answer is no, why switch?). I strongly recommend the Rescue course for any diver, whether or not they go on to GUE/DIR. And do try the new BCD (whichever brand/model it is) before you buy. Good luck.
Dive safely.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

As for your BC, If it fits dive the darned thing. Other than fit gear does not make the diver. As you get further along you may have a more logical reason to swap and then you will know what and why.

Well said Spectrum! I agree totally!!

 

[jagfish]

Congrats....

As for the next step?

Dive.... Just dive... Dive with as many people you can and pick mentors that dive the way you envision your self diving.... If you are truely interested in DIR just look around for mentors.... I know there are some around your are (DIR-Atlanta for one).... Most DIR guys are more than willing to take on a ward if you are willing to listen.

Good luck and keep diving.

Congratulations, Brent.
The post I have quoted here makes a lot of sense to me. If you are interested in DIR, get into it early and start the good habits early.

 

[Ben_ca]

Failure rate is not an indication of the quailty of training. A good course and instructor will not fail many "Qualified" students. When I say qualified what I am saying is there are some courses that will let people in that have no buisness being there, courses with high failure rates are doing just that sometimes for greed sometimes to make there course appear to be more important than others. I don't mean to say that Dir F is a bad course there is just a flaw in the process if they have a high failure rate.

Are you saying GUE is in it for the money? It's a non profit.

The term "high failure rate" is miss leading... Yes DIR-F has a low pass rate for the class.... but with practice most of the provisionals come back to pass....

There are also some who just come fo the experience and never come back to get re evaluated. Then their provisional pass turns into a Fail (because they never came back)

I haven't heard of anyone out right "Failing" the course...

 

[bvmjethead]

Congratulations.

I'm new to diving and headed towards certification.

 

[Thalassamania]

Sheesh, for a second there, I had to look outside to see if cats were dancing with dogs, or if the end of the world had come . . .

Really!

But yes ... fundies, just don't drink anything you don't bring to class yourself.

 

[TSandM]

Most of the people taking GUE courses are DM and above? Where did THAT idea come from?

In my Fundies class, there wasn't a DM or instructor among us. Of the DIR buddies I dive with, to my knowledge, the only one who has a professional rating is NWGratefulDiver, who's an instructor for NAUI. LOTS of people take Fundies when they haven't done any professional training. (Some people take it when they have, and find it challenging anyway )

BTW, you can fail the course, and people do. Failing means that, in the opinion of the instructor, your diving skills are not where they would need to be to be able to pull things together to a passing standard within six months, without additional instruction. I came close to failing, but I sort of wheedled a provisional out of the instructor, and then validated his faith in me by practicing my butt off and coming back and passing.