Umbilical torch question

[Special K]

Hello, I`m very interested in the principles of DIR but often it raises some questions.
As I understand it, the harness is rigged with no D-ring on the right hand belt but the canister is attached to the right hand side, which amongst other things, keeps the long hose from riding up, so how is it attached?
Also the umbilical fom the torch is wrapped around the arm leading to a goodman style handle when in use, but when stowed on the right hand shoulder D-ring, i.e. entering the water and descending, what happens to the umbilical? mine seems to form an untidy U shape on my right hand thigh.
Apologies if this if I am missing the basics here, does anyone know a source of the definitive DIR kit configuration?

[And]

Hi

The canister has two jubilee clips which fasten through a webbing loop. The waist belt then threads through the loop and the canister pushed to the backplate and secured by a second buckle

The light head is held in the left hand during use, and only held temporarily in the right hand when using BC or clearing ears etc. When not used the light head is clipped off on the right chest Dring and the lightcord tucked in the waist belt, ensuring you don't trap the long hose.

The definitive DIR config is explained in the Fundamentals book. Although you could do a little research here;

http://www.gue.com/equipment/equip-anatomy2.shtml

Andy

[Special K]

Makes sense, thankyou.
Can you buy webbing loops then?

Ken

[And]

Hi

The Halcyon ones are sewn but we fix the Argon bottles in a similar manner, simply with two jubilee clips and a length of webbing as per



You could just make the loop a lot smaller or sew your own.

Andy

[TX101]

Originally Posted by And

The light head is held in the left hand during use, and only held temporarily in the right hand when using BC or clearing ears etc. When not used the light head is clipped off on the right chest Dring and the lightcord tucked in the waist belt, ensuring you don't trap the long hose.

I use mine on my right hand.. much easier IMHO. I believe the DIR way is left hand because of scootering... but I have no scooter! Also, transferring the light between hands when you want to use BC or clear ears sounds like a pain in the ass...

[Special K]

So you fit the argon to the belt too, why is nothing held on the backplate?

[And]

Hi

Actually you will find that the right hand is kept free as much as possible throughout DIR due to deploying the long hose (or stage hose or deco hose). If your light is in the right hand then when deploying the reg you blind the person you are trying to help. You will then use your right hand to guide the person along, and if the light is in your left hand you can still see where you are going. Our depth timers are on the right wrist and so you can illuminate them with your lighthead held in the left. The reels are designed so they can be held in the lefthand together with a light head, the right hand setting the secondary ties and placements. Using BC is just a case of passing the light head to the right hand and holding the lighthead at the ballast. Even when I have finished with the light head as it is in the left I can simply pick up the lighthead by the boltsnap on the goodman handle and clip it to the right DRing in one motion. Nowadays it feels very unnatural to have the lighthead in the right hand for me. It does all work better with the light in the left hand and of course, when I do get a scooter, then the system is the same and I don't have to unlearn what I have been doing.

You can get goodman handles with thumb holes on so you can hold the lighthead in the right temporarily as well as operate the scooter. (Or you can just hook your thumb round the goodman handle).

Ken, my argon is mounted to the backplate, although Mark Emery, my buddy, mounts his argon on the waist band. I've tried both and prefer it attached to the plate. Mark tried both and preferred the waist.

Andy

[Special K]

Very informative, Thanks And