Staying Alive...

[Doppler]

Is it on Kindle yet???

Yes it is, Pete.

Not crazy about the way it has translated from print to eBook, but you can order it here


Amazon.com: Staying Alive: eBook: Steve Lewis: Kindle Store

 

[The Chairman]

Woot! It's on my tablet now! Thanks!!! Has your six skills been put on Kindle yet?

Yes it is, Pete.

Not crazy about the way it has translated from print to eBook, but you can order it here


Amazon.com: Staying Alive: eBook: Steve Lewis: Kindle Store

 

[Chief Dave L]

Steve,

Just want to say I am a third of the way through it and it is awesome. Very thought provoking. Should be required reading.

Dave

 

[raftingtigger]

Steve,

Just want to say I am a third of the way through it and it is awesome. Very thought provoking. Should be required reading.

Dave

Ditto that as well.

I do have a question. I have been asked to mentor a diver (100 dives, OW, no AOW or Rescue) and am concerned that they admit that most of their dives are "trust me" to some level or another. I have already told them they need to finish up AOW and get Rescue / Stress and Rescue trained. Not for the cards, but for the personal risk assessment that Rescue gives. I don't really care about the AOW, but usually it is needed to take Rescue. So my question: If I can get them to read only one book, should it be "Six Skills" or "Staying Alive"? I haven't finished my kindle copy of Staying Alive yet, but so far I'm leaning toward that one because of the tendency to dive "trust me" by this person.

---------- Post added February 1st, 2014 at 08:52 PM ----------

Not crazy about the way it has translated from print to eBook

Steve, care to expand on what you didn't like about the translation?

 

[raftingtigger]

Calculating the size of a pony (or minimum redundant air source). Location 863 on the Kindle version. I've taken the liberty of making an Excel spreadsheet for it. Remember these calculations don't leave air for a buddy.

View attachment Calculating a pony size.xlsx

Plug in your own RMV, or typical SAC rate. Mine are plugged in and I use a 13 cuft pony and don't exceed 100'.

If I screwed up any of the math, someone please let me know and I will fix it.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Ditto that as well.

I do have a question. I have been asked to mentor a diver (100 dives, OW, no AOW or Rescue) and am concerned that they admit that most of their dives are "trust me" to some level or another. I have already told them they need to finish up AOW and get Rescue / Stress and Rescue trained. Not for the cards, but for the personal risk assessment that Rescue gives. I don't really care about the AOW, but usually it is needed to take Rescue. So my question: If I can get them to read only one book, should it be "Six Skills" or "Staying Alive"? I haven't finished my kindle copy of Staying Alive yet, but so far I'm leaning toward that one because of the tendency to dive "trust me" by this person.

---------- Post added February 1st, 2014 at 08:52 PM ----------



Steve, care to expand on what you didn't like about the translation?

I'm going to make a recommendation based on not only having read The Six Skills and reading Staying Alive now, but also as a student of Steve's. Buy both. The Six Skills gives a great deal of practical advice and does go into the area of proper mindset, but Staying Alive is more about the latter. If you have someone doing trust me dives they need the latter IMO. I would also advise them to get a copy of another book that Steve has great deal to do with and that is The SDI Solo Diving Manual. That one should be in every new divers library right after their OW class.

I would also recommend they not do AOW with the "trust me dive mindset" under any circumstances. Rescue first and there are several agencies that do not require any formal training beyond the OW class to do it. Many AOW classes are nothing more than gussied up trust me dives and are no place for diver that already has that attitude.

 

[raftingtigger]

Jim, Thanks for the above. I do own and have already recommended both the "Six Skills" and the SDI Solo Diver manual. I'm currently reading the Kindle version of "Staying Alive". IMHO, after only completing 1/2 the latest book, is that "Staying Alive" should be read first to establish the proper mindset for the other books.

This diver has asked me to mentor them after seeing what I did with another diver in our loose group of buddies. While I have never actually buddied with them, I have seen them dive and heard more. Way too trusting of a mind-set. I also agree with Rescue first, but am unsure who in the Monterey/San Jose area to recommend without getting AOW first. Anyone know of a good place? The Rescue class in this case is NOT to make them competent to rescue someone else, but to make them more able to rescue (or better yet, not need rescuing) themselves. They will benefit even if they don't "pass".

I'm seriously considering making my mentoring dependent on their taking Rescue and reading at least "Staying Alive". But on the other hand I'm not sure I want to stand around and watch them dive the way they are right now. To separate myself from this diver would mean leaving a group of people I really enjoy being with (this diver included) and diving with. FWIW, I'm comfortable enough with my skills, self-sufficiency, and redundancy that diving with this type of diver (OW, max 70') does not significantly impact my own personal safety.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Find a NAUI, SEI, or PDIC Instructor for access to a rescue course that does not require additional training or a bunch of dives. SDI does not require additional training if the diver has logged 40 dives. That's way too many in my opinion but if your guy has that many no problem. My own feeling is that Rescue should be the first course after OW if the diver did not get any rescue training in the OW class. I have had divers who told me they in no way want to dive deep, at night or in low vis, and frankly are content to putter around popping up to see where they are instead of being expert navigators. I do not feel it is right, moral, or ethical to deny them rescue diver training. Fact is many problems arise on simple shallow dives where a couple of rescue trained divers with no other specialties or training might make a real difference. So who in their right mind would deny them that? And I know of several fatalities where a new diver with some basic rescue skills could have made a difference. But some agencies think they should be denied that training until they toss some money in for something else first.

 

[UWPhotoKeith]

My new book is now available via my CreateSpace eStore: https://www.createspace.com/4576566

should be on Amazon in the next few days... Expected on Kindle around the same time.

I just finished the "Six Skills" and bought Your new book, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. Not many people can do as good a job as you have translating their knowledge to something succinct and digestible for us common diver folk.

 

[Doppler]

Jim, Thanks for the above. I do own and have already recommended both the "Six Skills" and the SDI Solo Diver manual. I'm currently reading the Kindle version of "Staying Alive". IMHO, after only completing 1/2 the latest book, is that "Staying Alive" should be read first to establish the proper mindset for the other books.

Thank you for the feedback. Appreciate your opinion.

I just finished the "Six Skills" and bought Your new book, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. Not many people can do as good a job as you have translating their knowledge to something succinct and digestible for us common diver folk.

Keith, glad you enjoyed it mate. It's my pleasure

I'm going to make a recommendation based on not only having read The Six Skills and reading Staying Alive now, but also as a student of Steve's. Buy both. The Six Skills gives a great deal of practical advice and does go into the area of proper mindset, but Staying Alive is more about the latter. If you have someone doing trust me dives they need the latter IMO. I would also advise them to get a copy of another book that Steve has great deal to do with and that is The SDI Solo Diving Manual. That one should be in every new divers library right after their OW class.

Thanks Jim!

Steve, care to expand on what you didn't like about the translation?

Some of the type effects have been lost... so to several important tables and photos.

Steve,

Just want to say I am a third of the way through it and it is awesome. Very thought provoking. Should be required reading.

Dave

Thanks, Dave. Tell your friends!

LOL

Really do appreciate the support you folks give. Truly neat.