Posted by tleemay on September 27, 2000 at 11:06:22:
In Reply to: Still more questions, but we're getting there. posted by Gerry Smith on September 26, 2000 at 18:10:11:
When I referred to the typical sport diver using
the DIR system, I am speaking to single tank dives.
As he has already spoken to, Michael prefers doing
his sport diving and intermediate tech diving with
one configuration, twin AL80's. When I dive to sport
depths I use a single steel 95; for the intermediate or deeper
tech dives, I use twin steel 112's. For me it's
not a problem to re-configure between the two
activities. But Michael prefers to keep it even
simpler for him by using the same config for both
sport and intermediate tech. This practice falls
well within DIR principals and practices - as long
as his back can hold out anyways. Michael and I
are pertty big guys, so slinging twin tanks around
and maintaing control of them on the deck of a boat
or in the water isn't a problem for us.
The typical sport diver is probably far from ever
desiring to execute tech dives. For that reason
it is safe to assume that when we talk about sport
diving and how DIR relates to the activity, we are
speaking only to single tank dives.
If you are routinely doing dives to the 150-160
range, you have to try those dives on a simple
normoxic mix (if you haven't alreday). You will
retain so much more from your dive and be able to
handle any problems much easier with the addition
of He. With this addition, the END can be brought
up to the 100' level. The effect of the N2 content
in the mix will impact your physical systems less
so you will feel much better - durring and after
the dive. Plus, He off gasses from the body much
faster than N2, a good characteristic for an inert
gas to have when doing dives that require even
minimal decompression stops. If you have done
such diving with He in the mix, tell us how you
feel following an air dive to 150 and then following
a normoxic mix to the same depth.
And of all the points you bring up, the one tennent
that has been the hardest for divers to swallow from
my experience of traveling the state giving the demos
is number 10... people have spent many dollars to
configure themselves already and shudder at the
possibility they will have to cast aside the worthless
knick-knacks for real gear that will always work
by not introducing additional failure points.
Case in point, we had a diver out with us on the
MHK/GE Chamber Benefit trip on 9/17. The diver,
let's call him Mark, had a Dive Alert on his BC.
I asked Mark what would he do if he needed to use
the Alert and his tank supply was empty or he
blew an o ring on the device. He said he would
yell. I handed him the typical $.25 plastic orange
whistle available in most shops and told him he now
has a fail safe audible signaling device. When I
asked him why he even considered putting a Dive Alert
type of device on his primary inflation source, he said
that since he already had it, he figured he should use
it. This is a case where the addition of a new piece of
gear was not making him a safer or more streamlined
diver. In fact, it added more bulk to the LPIH assembly,
introduced additional connection points and o-rings, and
still would not have helped him if he would have drained
his tank supply. The whistle slips into his DS or hip
harness pocket and always work as long as he was
conscience and still had his wits about him.
I still suggest you attend a DIR demo, it's not
conducted as any kind of pep rally. Information
is presented, questions and comments like your are
answered, and you leave with a more complete
understanding of what it all means and how it works.
This is the best way to impart the information.
Good luck -