Fundamentals

[scubadog]

Having passed my OW last year, and deciding to buy my first complete outfit this month, I´ve chosen the DIR route.
Eclipse 40, 2 metre hose, jet fins and springs.
I´m now thinking about the Fundamentals Course, and when I
should take it. As an OW diver I have ten logged dives. Do you need a minimum number of dives before applying?
I´ll probably have quite a few more logged before I do apply, as DIR is still relatively new in Spain and the courses aren´t held to often.The next one being held I believe, is in Murcia around May.

[Rick Huggins]

<font color='#0000FF'>I've heard the eclipse 40 is too big for UK singles!

Personally, I'd practice my skills, bouyancy/drills etc and get more dives under your belt, say 50 before thinking about going DIR.

It's your call but IMO you need to spend more time in the water and get completley happy with it before jumping over.

HTH

Rick

[Digger]

<font color='#000080'>Why not dive the rig, read all around the subject, but most importantly ask lots of other divers for opinions. Obviously you're on the boards so getting that, but also when you're diving, especially with more experienced divers, ask why they do things that way and all the rest.

Personally, I'm not sure what's expected on a DIRF course, and whether I'd pass, and that's with a few hundred dives! I'm sure some of the DIR guys will be able to give you a guide.

As for long hoses, good thinking batman, and you can't go far wrong with a wing and backplate setup. Have you had a look at Agir Brokk stuff? It's pretty good, and you might save yourself a few quid over the Halcyon.

If the Eclipse 40 is 40lbs of lift, which I presume it is, it's about right for singles diving. You might want to hold off with the credit card though, and possibly do a few dives in other setups before you committ to this sort of purchase. It's a lot of money, and if it's not right, you're stuck with it then. I'm sure some of the guys will let you try theirs if they're not using them, the DIR guys are about as approachable a bunch as you'll find on YD. There are quite a few others that use Eclipse wings too.

I think Frogamn's hit the nail on the head with getting some more dives under your belt. There's no reason not to go DIR early on, but you might want to get some real diving experience before signing up for such a strict methodology as DIR. Try DIMW for a bit. Doing it My Way. By that I eman your way, not my way, as nobody should ever try and do it my way. That would be madness.

[Dominic]

You probably won't be able to pass DIR-F with only 10 dives. On the other hand, it would give you a good idea of what to aim for, so you could take it as just a learning experience.

40lbs seems rather large for a singles rig to me - my wing is 50lbs, and I hated it intensely when I put a single on it. Great for twins tho. Fins &amp; springs are good, but shop around - Scubapro fins &amp; halcyon springs might be the big names, but you can get them for a far better price elsewhere.

[And]

<font color='#000080'>Hi

Get the Eclipse 30 wing if you haven't already bought the 40 especially as you'll be using AL80's in Spain I guess.

The sooner you do the DIRF the better as you will be unlearning less bad habits and be able to gain most from the course especially meeting up with more likeminded divers.

Kindest Regards

Andy

[scubadog]

I´ll certainly take the advice on getting more dives in. I´m a little buggered asking the more experianced divers, who I currenlty dived with. When I first mentioned DIR last November, I only received blank faces. Mentioning the long hose did however heat things up a little...along with finning techniques and removing your primary reg for either an OOA or inflating a DSMB. Know one has mentioned DIR since.
Which now leads me to the gear.
Unknowns to them, I went to Barcelona two weeks back and bought a complete Halcyon kit, including cannister and backup light.
One area I did have problems with, was buying tanks.
The cost of a DIR tank was 378€ - single valve. The one I bought, 15ltr steel - none Faber, weighs 2KG more.

As most places close in January for two months, I´ll have to wait another week or two to get a tank fill.

[Dominic]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Unknowns to them, I went to Barcelona two weeks back and bought a complete Halcyon kit, including cannister and backup light.

Living in Spain and able to buy a complete set of Halcyon dive gear...

What job do you do? And are there any vacancies?

Not surprised about the blank faces - very few people I know are familiar with DIR, and I'm the only one who using anything even approaching a DIR rig.. It's big on the Net but tiny in real life

[And]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Dominic @ Mar. 11 2004,16:17)]It's big on the Net but tiny in real life

<font color='#000080'>Hmmm

Is that what all the girls say Dom??

Andy

[Dominic]

Touche!

-*your choice of joke about long hoses here*-

[tom]

can I make a witty remark about macro photography now?