Why YOU should take DIR-F (Fundies)...

[TSandM]

Well, you know, Steven, I'm Intro to Cave now, so I'm obviously a superb and unusually skilled diver! (NOT)

 

[rjack321]

I have, however, seen it in plenty of people trained by other agencies. I don't want to turn this into agency bashing, but I think the root of the difference is that GUE discourages progression in training-almost holds you back out of an abundence of caution and a conservative attitude, perhaps to a fault.

Even at the DIRF level, the classes seems to be about "training hard" to dive easy. I know that when I finished both Tech1 and Cave1, I felt qualified for a bit less than the actual experience dives in the courses. DIRF doesn't have experience dives but the emphasis on precision ascents and stuff like that really is more than necessary for alot of diving or to have fun. Training for the moonshot to stay here on earth.

 

[Peter Guy]

TSandM wrote

I'm obviously a[n]...unusually skilled diver

. Absolutely. I know of NO ONE who can, with their eyes closed, turn upside down/head down, faster or more efficiently! Unusual skill indeed.

 

[GreenDiverDown]

TSandM wrote . Absolutely. I know of NO ONE who can, with their eyes closed, turn upside down/head down, faster or more efficiently! Unusual skill indeed.

Apparently, it's because her head is so BIG! Gotta stop taking all of those advanced level courses!

 

[b1gcountry]

 

[Coalcracker]

Nice post Peter. However, IMO it should've been in a non DIR forum because in the DIR forum one only gets the opportunity to agree or not post, lest one gets banned for bashing. That being said, you make a lot of good points on both sides of the fence. Refreshing.

Yes, it seems that you say "Yes"to the kool aid types or you are gone.

It all seems very weird indeed as the whole DIR zealots , at least so far, seem to be "we have the best way" ????? Those who want to learn any other system are put off by the very sophmoric posts and the usual DIR posters-jeffg etc.

 

[Rick Murchison]

I think that anybody that is interesting in Tech diving (cave and/or deco) should take DIR-f.

I'd say DIR-F is one option among several that are good prep courses. My preference is SSI's Technical Foundations course, and I think IANTD and TDI's Advanced Nitrox/Basic Deco offerings are excellent also.
The Cavern course itself is a good start.
All these courses cover many of the same fundamental buoyancy & control skills, and the case could be made, for example, that "Cavern is a good prep course for DIR-F" about as well as "DIR-F is a good prep course for Cavern"
Bottom line... My personal recommendation for anybody interested in tech diving is Cavern (or IANTD's EANx Overhead Environment Diver) & Advanced Nitrox, but throwing DIR-F into the mix won't hurt anything and will absolutely assure you of having sound fundamental skills where I can only say that the other courses should do so (and will do so if properly taught).
Rick

 

[TSandM]

The one thing about Fundies, though, Rick, is that you can teach it where there aren't any caves!

 

[Rick Inman]

My preference is SSI's Technical Foundations course, and I think IANTD and TDI's Advanced Nitrox/Basic Deco offerings are excellent also.

I took Fundies before I took IANTD's Advanced Nitrox/Basic Deco, Advanced Recreational Trimix, and then full Trimix. I watched 5 other divers (attempt to) go through the same classes after me. Only two passed. One of those has since taken Fundies. But all of them agree that a diver would get a lot more out of those IANTD classes if they took Fundies first (like I did ).

They didn't name it "fundimental" for nothin'.

 

[Randy43068]

With Fundies one can KNOW what he or she is getting, where as you mentioned Rick the other agencies should teach what one will need to know. Quality instruction is entirely instructor dependant when it comes from an agency other than GUE.