Posted by Gerry on November 20, 2000 at 13:42:15:
In Reply to: Re: Ditchable -v- Non Ditchable weights posted by Kendall Raine on November 20, 2000 at 12:24:23:
Kendall,
I read and re-read every word of your post, I think you are still misunderstanding me. The reason I think this is that when I point out AT-pacs and shot plugs, both ditchable weight systems that distribute weight on the divers back, some near the shoulders, you reply with:
"The problem is to be ditchable, they (trim weights) have to be in the waiste area." my parentheses. Yes there is a disconnect here but I don't think I'm it.
And yes, I believe that DIR's often stated requirement that it be taken as an invariable whole and its prohibition on improvement (read "personal preference") amount to letting someone else do your thinking. Did you, TLM and MHK each arrive at the same gear configuration as a result of independent consideration? Did you even have the slightest input to DIR? Nope, to call yourselves DIR you had to swallow JJ's thinking hook line and sinker. To me, that means JJ did the thinking for you. Because of JJ's experience and knowledge in caves, that's probably not as bad as it sounds. But when you get out of the "small pond" (cave)and try to apply JJ's thinking to OW, you run into lots of people with similar experience and knowledge (I make no such claim, just to be sure.) When one of these people makes a valid argument, like "It's better if you can drop all your weight" you don't have the leeway to say "Hmm, maybe a droppable trim weight is a good thing" you are required by the dogma of DIR to deny the obvious. DIR is a closed system. It says "I am the be all and end all of dive gear configuration, and if you believe you have a better idea then you are wrong by definition." Where can improvement, evolution or enhancement dent that kind of tautological BS? If the Wright brothers had been DIR we'd still be taking ocean liners to Europe.
Kendall, the argument is getting boring, we are both stuck with our own opinions and it's obvious there's no room for change. Let's drop it. I invite you to have the last word, I'll wait for JJ to publish DIR standards for OW.
Gerry