Posted by Maciek on July 23, 2001 at 10:37:27:
I did some diving with DIR rigging on my back thanks to MHK and Terry et al. That was very enlightening experience. To my surprise, biggest annoyance was lack of front dump valve. I see the reasoning behind it (one less failure point). But I'm also VERY comfortable with having that valve. Right now I'm trying to wager in my head, if sacrificing some of my comfort and habits is worth the safety gain. So I would like to ask all DIR converts to share their experience when switching to DIR. What was most annoying? What habits took a biggest effort to adjust? And in particular I would love to hear how do you dump air on ascent. Always back valve? Or do you go vertical and dump from inflator? Was it pain to switch to it?
Also. If someone had an experience with actual front dump valve failure, please share. In DIR world it's probably not a critical failure UW anyway - drysuit, float and weight dump are a backup.
For clarification: front dump valve = valve that dumps air when one pulls the inflator hose.
I also know now, why DIR doesn't like snorkels :). With their rig on a surface I was siting about inch or two deeper in a water than with conventional BC. That made my snorkel very full of water. I never quite believed that entanglement thing ;).
Casino Pt diving is just great! Fishes there are tame and insolent bastards begging for food like golden retrievers. Kelp is thick and healthy and perfectly "kelpy". Octopusses are fat, shark eggs lie all over the place. Water is suspiciously piss warm in upper 50 feet.
I would like to thank DIR guys for running the demo. It was meeting you guys too.
Maciek