DIR Config In Restricted Caves

[Jim Butler]

Is there a  DIR kit config for cave diving in areas where there is not space to use back mounted cylinders?

If so I'd be greatful if anyone could direct me to any internet sites that detail it or provide photos.

Thanks Jim....

[Bob Cooper]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Jim Butler @ April 07 2004,13:19)]

I don't know of any websites but I know of people who dive sidemount gear (I don't myself).

A small wing is sandwiched between two steel backplates to give a bit of weight.  The harness is exactly the same, except an extra d-ring is added to the right side on the waist.  Neutrally buoyant cylinders are added (one on each side).  The canister light goes in exactly the same place and suit and wing inflation is of one of the sidemounts.  Backup lights, knife and harness configuration is identical o the backmount rig.

[StuartM]

I've seen various descriptions of what DIR sidemount is but they all seem like clumsy attempts just so they can say they have a DIR system. Why would you use a wing if you were in a cave that was so small you couldn't use backmounts? What good does it do you? If you need buoyancy control then a drysuit is adequate. Why carry two backplates? They are awkward to carry, not very pleasant to wear going to the sump and can restrict your movement on the surface. Most cave divers will only carry lead once to a hard to reach sump and leave it there for the next time -- 6kg of lead is cheap, 6kg of stainless steel backplate isn't. I've heard of recommendations to wear a helmet on the surface if it is needed (e.g. caving to a sump) and then take it off and clip it to a d-ring whilst underwater (why???). I've even heard of "DIR" sidemount divers trying to wear two ali sidemount bottles on the same side (like in backmount diving with stages)... and not getting very far...

Virtually every sidemount set up is different, if it works then it is right. My own sidemount setup for a longish sump:

- Dragon harness (www.dragon-speleo.co.uk), but there are many other good makers
- a bottle is clipped to either side with bungee holding their necks
- Poseidon Cyklon regs
- gauges bungeed to the bottle necks where I can see them
- any weight needed attached to the harness
- if I need a big, bright lamp then I butt mount it, it sits below the level of my arse, its upper edge isn't sticking out more than my arse does. I don't use HID, I wouldn't want to rattle a £60 bulb over rocks to get to the water.

My cylinders are attached by a snoopy loop round the bottom with a carabiner through it rather than jubilee clips and bolt snaps. It gives me more scope to remove and/or adjust bottles. You can actually hold very big bottles in this way, I've even carried 20's like that. At the top I hold the bottle neck with the bungee straps on the harness. I use carabiners because (mainly) I have loads and they are also easy to use with cold, gloved hands. It's difficult to attach a bolt snap to a snoopy loop around a bottle. I always use steel bottles for sidemount diving: good for buoyancy and more robust. Aluminium bottles have a huge buoyancy change as they empty and really offbalance you. It doesn't take much to gouge a chunk out of one either, I once had a US AL80 get condemned because of the damage it sustained after it had been dragged over just 300m of rock.

I wear a helmet with a pair of Princeton Impact LED lights (one is always on, 150hr burn time) but usually carry at least one other back up light (generally a Pelican).It is surprising how much you will bash your head without backmounted bottles to warn you where the ceiling is. I'm slowly replacing all my lights with LED's as they need replacing.

For buoyancy, I use a drysuit if necessary. I find this actually gives a better distribution of buoyancy with the lower position of the bottles than a wing does. With a wetsuit if buoyancy is required, I am told an old ABLJ is easier to rig than a wing.

Instruments I use are a small wrist mounted Suunto compass or an oil filled Silva compass in a pocket. Sometimes I wear a bottom timer, sometimes I don't -- if its somewhere I know well and its shallow then I often don't bother. I carry a Sensus Pro (www.reefnet.on.ca) dive recorder on all dives.

For short sumps then it would change. A pair of 3's on a webbing belt with a wetsuit is often enough (or too much sometimes).

I'm not saying this is right, certainly not DIR. Sidemount is about finding something that works for you, it is a very unique and individual sport. I don't think you can standardize it as you can with backmounts.

Hope that helps,

Stuart

[Jim Butler]

Stuart

Thanks for taking the time to provide this level of detail.  Could you just let me know if you carry any redundant buoyancy in addition to your dry suit.

I take your point about using a wing without cylinders appears to be a bit of a strange approach as the wing is going to take almost as much space as cylinders once inflated.

Thanks Jim.....

[StuartM]

In general, no I don't use any redundant buoyancy. Caves are somewhat different from open water in that there is a hard surface all the way to the surface that you can "walk" out on (by hand or foot). It isn't that hard to use your lungs to control buoyancy if you are weighted right too.

Places like Stoney are always whingeing about sidemount divers practicing with a drysuit and no BCD. But they never say anything about wetsuit divers diving with a stab jacket... where is their back-up buoyancy?

[Duncan Price]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Jim Butler @ April 06 2004,14:19)]Is there a  DIR kit config for cave diving in areas where there is not space to use back mounted cylinders?

If so I'd be greatful if anyone could direct me to any internet sites that detail it or provide photos.

Thanks Jim....

<font color='#8D38C9'>See here for the lowdown on DIR sidemount from The Man himself. &nbsp;Enjoy!

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Duncan Price @ April 15 2004,16:00)]

See here for the lowdown on DIR sidemount from The Man himself.  Enjoy!

Oh God

Another calm reasoned reply from GIT. I am sure a lot of the proper DIR foloweres are glad that idiot is out of the picture.

ATB

Mark Chase

[StuartM]

Here and here are rant-free articles