Why the Compass on the Left Arm?

[lv2dive]

Further, of course not every configuration decision is best for *every* environment - how could it be? - but the benefits outweigh the costs.

If you are going to quote me, don't quote me out out of context, please. The words prior to "the benefits outweigh the costs" had a lot to do with the meaning of those five words. It was clearly a general statement not meant specifically to speak ONLY to your compass but to reference the holistic approach. Either one understands the benefits (and accepts the tradeoffs- I'm not saying there aren't any), or they don't.

 

[PfcAJ]

ITT:

Someone asks a question

Question is answered

OP doesn't like the answer, restates the question

Question is answered

Etc etc



The "begin with the end in mind" thing has to do with the equipment and procedures scaling. You might not ever want to dive deep, or do a deco dive, or ride a scooter, or cave dive. But guess what? I said a lot of those same things when I started diving. Its incredibly hard to predict the future, and the GUE equipment config gives you the ability to move up without changing the placement of anything.

The fact of the matter is that you can choose to dive however you want, there are no dive police. But we all see the value of a constant standard, and choose to adopt that standard into our diving. If you don't see it, and don't want to do it, that's completely cool. Go nuts.

 

[Diver0001]

I think the biggest question I have is: Why does it matter?

It matters because DIR divers believe that standardization matters.

It's really quite simple. If you believe that standardization matters then you will believe that the location of the compass (regardless of the reasons given) has been well thought out over a long period of time by some of the world's most accomplished divers, and that the location indicated is optimal for the system. The system is prescriptive and the intention is that the system forms a coherent whole.

If you do not believe that standardization matters then it will be hard to accept that the system matters, since standardization is one of the foundations of the system. If you don't believe that the system matters then it will be difficult to adhere to it.

There are other systems, other diving philosophies, but *this* diving philosophy has certain key stones that are not open for negotiation. Standardization is one of those.

R..

 

[DaleC]

I think Vegan Shark is simply bumping up against some of the limits of DIR diving that many people who are initially interested in it find. It's a great system, for those who want it, but it does limit your freedom to adjust your diving to your personal wants/needs. You will also do things designed for divers other than yourself, so that, if you ever swim in their circles, you will all be standardized.

That may sound negative but it is not meant to be that way. It just is what it is. You are joining an established group with certain ideas about how they dive. Either join it or not. Their methodology allows certain divers to progress quite far along certain pathways if they want to, with a sense of continuum between beginners and advanced practitioners. You do the same things, you use the same gear, you speak the same language. That's what it's designed to do.

At the same time that methodology limits other pathways. If you want to adopt a more individual approach, dir is probably not going to be the central tenet in your life. I sympathize with the desire to make sense of the rationale but it's a little like wondering why they don't waltz in a tap dancing class. There are a lot of good things to say about waltzing but...

R we sort of posted the same thing at the same time.

 

[nimoh]

there are things in the GUE system that change based on the type of diving. As an example, when diving above 100 feet I will normally have a dry suit hose run off my left post. However, going deeper and adding helium, I will have an argon bottle. This is a pretty significant change to the configuration, but necessary since inflating my drysuit with a helium mix is not a good option, and there is a significant advantage to adding the argon bottle. Why then isn't an argon bottle required right from the start? Well, there are disadvantages such as being a snagging hazard, additional failure points, so it is only used if needed.

Moving the compass to the right arm does not result in a significant advantage and mounting on the left arm doesn't present any significant disadvantages, and also, it is not a big deal to take it when you know you aren't going to use it since it is small and out of the way. I have seen a few points discussed in this thread such as checking your SPG while navigating, or dumping gas while navigating. In reality for either of these, take a bearing, perform the needed function and take another bearing. Really, how far off line can you get in the 10 seconds you aren't staring at your compass?

On the other side of the coin. Go ahead and put the compass on your right arm, it isn't like you are going to die if you do it. Your system won't be DIR anymore, but is that a big deal?

---------- Post added February 27th, 2014 at 01:05 PM ----------

If no one reinvented the wheel we'd still be driving around on stone wheels.

I think your subject line pretty much sums up the original question

 

[PfcAJ]

I think its important to note that the configuration doesn't really change. You might add things, but the base is the same.

Add argon. Add a stage. Add a deco bottle. Add a Scooter. All the way to the top, all the base items are the same. Harness, longhose, backup reg, gauges, compass, lights, etc, are all in the same spot. Its quite handy for everything to be in its normal position when moving from a 30ft reef dive in the Caymans to a 240ft multi-stage multi-scooter cave dive. For me, that's one of the things I like most about the system. Everything is always where I expect it to be, no matter the dive.

 

[nimoh]

I think its important to note that the configuration doesn't really change. You might add things, but the base is the same.

Add argon. Add a stage. Add a deco bottle. Add a Scooter. All the way to the top, all the base items are the same. Harness, longhose, backup reg, gauges, compass, lights, etc, are all in the same spot. Its quite handy for everything to be in its normal position when moving from a 30ft reef dive in the Caymans to a 240ft multi-stage multi-scooter cave dive. For me, that's one of the things I like most about the system. Everything is always where I expect it to be, no matter the dive.

good point, and can't think of anything in my configuration that actually changes in this respect.

 

[DaleC]

Yep, it really depends on how and what you want to dive. If your interests fall within the dir umbrella it's a good fit. If they don't it's not a big deal.

I think sometimes these questions come from a POV of wanting to have an optimized rig but wanting to do certain things a different way.
What about routing the SPG down the inflator or clipping off to the chest D ring. What about a D ring on the right hip if you don't use a canlight. Can there be solo dir.
At least that was partly my motivation when I asked many questions.

The poster attempts to argue that their idea is still "doing it right" even though it's different, which makes sense in one way but misses the mark completely in another. Dir isn't interested in what might work at any one particular point in the spectrum, it looks at what will work along the entire length. It gives up breadth to increase depth (of experience).

In the end I made peace with the fact that dir wasn't about capturing all the ways a person can dive in a successful manner. It's just one way. I found my interest was in breadth at the rec level and not depth at the tech level so I found it's methodology limiting. Someone interested in depth of experience in one area would conversely find it's choices liberating.

 

[TSandM]

In practice, this is the reality. I know you don't like to hear it, Lynne, but the fact is that if you don't understand the reason given that people will explain it but if you don't agree with the reason given that you don't have a choice.

There should ALWAYS be a reason. You may not agree with the reason, or agree with the decision, but there IS a reason. Sometimes, the reason is, quite honestly stated, that there were several ways to do something and each had its advantages and disadvantages, but one had to be chosen so that standardization would be maintained. This is pretty much the case with running the long hose under the light cord, for example. It is entirely true that, if you don't value standardization, some of the nit-picky points may annoy you, but JJ has said he would rather see a team in a standardized, non-GUE setup, than not standardized. Consistency is one of the touchstones of the GUE system of diving.

We see this kind of discussion all the time, whether it's about smoking, or where to put the compass, or diving best mix . . . and it always results in a bunch of people talking past one another, because one side is saying, "But this one little thing isn't that big a deal," and the other side is saying, "It's a holistic system, and you can't buy it in pieces." There are lots of great ways to dive. I think simple equipment setups that are streamlined and have as few complications as possible are ideal. I think basic gear that doesn't break very easily is great. I think thorough dive planning and a thorough pre-dive check should be universal. I like standard gases. But my husband and I agreed on the way home today that, the next time we go to the Philippines, we're going to put 5' hoses on our regulators, instead of the 7 footers. It's not DIR, and I won't argue that it is. We aren't going to die as a result of doing it. When I come home and dive with my GUE buddies, the 7' hose will go back on.

 

[Vegan Shark]

But my husband and I agreed on the way home today that, the next time we go to the Philippines, we're going to put 5' hoses on our regulators, instead of the 7 footers. It's not DIR, and I won't argue that it is.

Why isn't a 5' hose DIR? GUE's website states that the long hose can range from 5' to 7' and that for open water 5' is often used. 7' is only suggested for overhead dives. Or is the Philippines diving you're talking about overhead?

Long hoses typically range from 5 to 7' (1.5-2m). Shallow open water divers who do not use a long hose commonly use a standard 32” (81.3 cm) hose. Overhead divers should use a 7' hose. Open water divers who use a long hose often use a 5 or 6' hose, depending on their size and the use of a hip-mounted canister