Buddys in the DIR system

[Deep Blue]

I cut this out of one of the links posted by Scubert on the last thread. It addresses the whole "Buddy" issue, thought that it might spark some good discussion. For the rest of the article, see:



4. How to be a better "Buddy".
Lets say that you and your three friends all get set up with a WKPP style, "Doing it right" type Hogarthian configuration, using the Halcyon or Dive Rite type gear. Each of you breathes off of your long hose as the primary, each has your alternate hanging right under your chin, and each of you is moving effortlessly along on the bottom. If anyone of you has a problem, the other three have exactly the same equipment configuration, so each knows exactly what the problem is, and each knows how to fix this. If it was as simple as an OOA emergency, you'd have three guys trying to stick a regulator in your mouth----you'd feel little threat of not receiving air quickly, and easily. How many times have you seen someone on a dive swimming along, and suddenly their tank slips off----this actually happens frequently on charter boats. You've NEVER seen this BC before, and the tank band system is so convoluted you really don't know how to help this guy quickly----so from this, you have just experi enced one of many reasons why your diving buddies should all have the same gear---they will all know how to fix the typical problem, and anything they can't fix right away, they can still get you safely to the surface. And of course, an even bigger rule than all others mentioned in this article----Rule number one is don't dive with unsafe divers. Try to dive only with people you know are safe, and who dive the same procedures and configurations you do. If you are "stuck" with someone you see gearing up badly, with a poor configuration, try a good natured explanation of "why" the "Doing it right" system would have him/her configured differently. Perhaps you can get them safer on this dive. You can always look around on a boat for someone who seems closer to your gear and diving mind set, and try to buddy up with them. Remember, if you don't bring a good dive buddy with you, you have no sure way of knowing you have redundancy. You may decid e that the more extreme 120 foot dive you were planning to make, is not ideal, without a good buddy---and so you may opt for a different site for your first dive. You may even consider the idea of "checking out your buddy", and letting them check you out, before you dive with them on that more extreme dive site you are still looking forward to. At least in Florida, most boats will have multiple dive sites you can choose from, so you "should" be able to pick two dives with your new buddy where you can limit the risk by choice of dive site. And once you find a good buddy you can trust, treat them well--someday your life may depend on them.

[matt t.]

I guess the "DIR ideals" are all sound and proven (I own and have read the "Fundamentals" book), BUT, in my opinion there are still alot of good safe divers NOT diving Hogarthian rigs, using computers, etc. Do you have to be GUE trained to be a "real" DIR diver? My opinion would be yes. What do you guys think?

[Deep Blue]

Matt,

Yes, there are safe divers not diving backplates and long hoses out there. I believe recreationally, it is possible to dive a non DIR system and not kill yourself. I would be foolish to say otherwise, because thousands of people do it every day. I would argue that anyone not diving DIR could vastly improve their diving by integrating the concepts into their diving be it recreational or technical though.

Where I think DIR becomes much more critical is when you start to move beyond the recreational relm. As you progress into overhead situations, both actual and virtual, as in a deco situation, your gear and mindset become much more critical.

As an instructor, I routinely dive without a DIR buddy, however, I when diving a more aggressive profile, I am very selective on who I am willing to dive with.

I also think it is possible to dive DIR without taking a GUE class, it just is much harder to do and you need a great BS detector, because there are so many pretenders out there. People were diving DIR before GUE came out, as I said, it was much more difficult to get good information consistently.

[Chris H]

When I took DIR-F, it was mentioned that GUE is currently working on an open water course. They are testing it at 5th D, and if all goes well, it will be an official GUE thing. This would incorporate all of the "right" equipment from the start.

[Omicron]

Many of the things could be taught in OW class. I encourage my friends that are starting to dive to check out something different when they are buying gear. Most of them are the in the mindset that they want to get that really sweet jacket bc w/ integrated weights and those awesome Air2's.

I take them to my gear rack and start showing them things...I give 'em both opinions, tell them how I bought all my first round of gear and then went and did it again. I try and show them the advantages of the backplate and how it will last them forever, through any diving they do, etc, etc.

A good foundation can be put into anyone from the start. Granted, they won't be perfect from the start but if they had a good base to start on, it would certainly help!!

[Chris H]

The equipment is a start, but the training needs to happen someplace other than kneeling on the bottom. Proper trim, position in the water and a kick other than the traditional flutter kick need to be stressed.

[Omicron]

That's more of the foundation that I meant - it would be really neat to see some of that stuff in the starting classes!

[matt t.]

That may sound good to people that already dive, but I remember what a freak show I was just going from the pool to the open water dives with the addition of cold water, a hood, gloves, heavier wetsuit, and more weight. Now you want to throw in some more skills? I think it would add a lot more time the "basic" open water class if this were required (maybe not such a bad thing I guess". Most of these things are (or should be) taught in an "Advanced Open Water class) and are developed in a diver as he/she gets comfortable with the required skills. Just my 2 cents.....

[Deep Blue]

Hey everyone, I am back!!

Between running the store, having my full time job,and taking time with the family, posting has got to take a backseat sometimes

At Deep Blue, we teach traditional donation from the retaining device in our open water classes, simply because most open water students will never dive outside of a few times a year and will run into this equipment configuration in rental equipment all over the world.

We do expose them to the system, through classroom discussion as well as in the open water dives, since I personally wear a long hose setup during checkouts. If I am not wearing a light, my snorkel makes a great holder to route the long hose under and hold it in place.

There is nothing in either the PADI or NAUI standards to prevent a store from implementing a DIR approach in their training, however, we do not make it a focus in the open water course. We do however, take many of the principals such as team based diving, personal fitness and streamlined equipment configurations and incorporate them into our discussions.

One goal of our training is to have all of our open water divers understand the basics of the DIR system so that they can make good equipment choices that will hopefully not limit their options down the road. Some pursue this direction, others do not, but at least they have the information.

Starting with advanced open water, we focus much more on the DIR system, that is when we really start to serve the koolaid

I disagree with the idea of a "tech AOW" this implies that training in a backplate adn long hose is automatically tech. I also believe that this system can and does dramatically benefit the recreational diver.