[john-flood]

Right i'm not trying to start a ruck, I have just finished my tec40 and started my tec45 course, which has got me thinking ! " hard to believe I know ", right the dir lot if you are not diving in a drysuit, and are doing tec what do you use for back up bouyancy as i know you dont use twin bladders, i am guessing that perhaps lift bag? this conversation came up as we were talking about Liegh Cunningham who has now gone dir, so anyone who goes to him will be made to dive in single bladder wing and defo no splitfins.

cheers john

 

[Naomi S]

Weighting: In Search of a Balanced Rig.. - DIR Explorers

HTH

 

[john-flood]

So I guess that will be the reason for not using 300 bar cylinders then, as you cant balance the rig

cheers john

 

[don]

this conversation came up as we were talking about Liegh Cunningham who has now gone dir, so anyone who goes to him will be made to dive in single bladder wing and defo no splitfins.

LOL, there's a big difference between doing a DIR course to meet a business need and "gone dir". I think you'd be better off asking Leigh what his course requirements are. Leigh Cunningham "DIR zealot" pmsl!

Anyway most caves have a floor so you can always walk home

 

[Garf]

this conversation came up as we were talking about Liegh Cunningham who has now gone dir, so anyone who goes to him will be made to dive in single bladder wing and defo no splitfins.

cheers john

Really? sounds like an arse if it's true - and yes I've heard of him. I dive with people who use split fins and double bladders. DIR is a personal choice, it doesn't give you he right to define what other people do. Of course, he can choose not to dive with them, but if his rationale is purely based on a double bladder and split fins then more fool him.

 

[Simon TW]

Really? sounds like an arse if it's true - and yes I've heard of him. I dive with peopl who use split fins and double bladders. DIR is a personal choice, it doesn't give you he right to define what other people do. Of course, he can choose not to dive them, but if his rationale is purely based on a double bladder and split fins then more fool him.

Do you think that the probe could have gone into the wrong hole?

 

[don]

This is an arse thread! Somebody was "talking about Leigh" and you're prepared to start suggesting he's an arse for imposing rules based on heresay?

I've had the good fortune to train and share a beer or two with Leigh and this just isn't his style.
He puts a huge amount of emphasis on thinking and chosing kit fit for the task (see enclosed) on not rejecting any particular philosophy but on using the parts you understand and want to. Yes he's DIR trained but I'll bet he's still wearing the same old OMS bungied wing that leaks like a sieve whilst doing the deep cave exploration in Jackfish alley!

The muppet wearing the Halcyon kit and jet fins is me not Leigh!

 

[Garf]

This is an arse thread! Somebody was "talking about Leigh" and you're prepared to start suggesting he's an arse for imposing rules based on heresay?

<shrug>. I don't know the man. If the information given is accurate there are definite sphincter-like qualities. If it's all nonsense then obviously there are not. We can only comment on what people say!

 

[piling pete]

Ah but Garf you DIDNOT say" That he was a stroke and should be banned from ever getting in the water"
I wonder why you have this attitude and if you could ex-plane your obvious hatred of the man
Pete

 

[Garf]

Ah but Garf you DIDNOT say" That he was a stroke and should be banned from ever getting in the water"
I wonder why you have this attitude and if you could ex-plane your obvious hatred of the man
Pete

sorry pete, woke up in a bad mood

 

[don]

Ah but Garf you DIDNOT say" That he was a stroke and should be banned from ever getting in the water"

Pete

You're right, I'll try harder!

(Garf - do you believe everything you read? I've got no gripe just trying to correct the original "we were talking about Leigh" nonsense which seemed to be being picked up and run with. After all it's possible somebody will read it and decide not to train with Ocean Tec because of these "alledged" restrictions and that will affect their livelihood which isn't fair if it's not true. Perhaps Jim D will provide an update on Leigh's conversion)

 

[jb2cool]

.....He puts a huge amount of emphasis on thinking and chosing kit fit for the task.....

.....I'll bet he's still wearing the same old OMS bungied wing that leaks like a sieve.....

Is that not a little ironic?

I've got no axe to grind either way, just your comment made me smile.

 

[Garf]

You're right, I'll try harder!

(Garf - do you believe everything you read? I've got no gripe just trying to correct the original "we were talking about Leigh" nonsense which seemed to be being picked up and run with. After all it's possible somebody will read it and decide not to train with Ocean Tec because of these "alledged" restrictions and that will affect their livelihood which isn't fair if it's not true. Perhaps Jim D will provide an update on Leigh's conversion)

I make an assumption that people are telling the truth, yes.

 

[don]

Is that not a little ironic?

I've got no axe to grind either way, just your comment made me smile.

Indeed it is! But given he probably used the same one for the Yolanda I guess it's fit for purpose.
Having had the importance of bubble checks drilled into me we jumped in, descended to 5m and I proceeded to indicate several small leaks, Leigh OK's them all indicating he's aware of them and happy to proceed, next dive I'm slightly more blase and give him an ok only to be pulled up on the debrief for not doing bubble checks correctly.
He has several other tricks up his sleeve to catch the unsuspecting trainee but I wont spoil the surprise for anybody that does do a course with him.

 

[john-flood]

Hmmmmmmm feeling rather bad now, it was not my intention to slur Leighs very very good name, as was pointed out i have just completed my tec 40 and started my tec 45 course, so any thoughts of doing trimex would be a good couple of yearys down the line anyway.
This was all bought about when speaking to my instructor Ryby Stonehouse of blue ocean diving, who had dived with Leigh a few years ago.
It was Ryby's intention to set up trimex courses for blue ocean diving with Leigh, but after a recent phone call Ryby was told that he had changed his diving configeration and now does single bladder non bungied wings and uses drysuits as back up bouyancy, or gets students to wear skins as there is no compression as with wet suits, and defo no split fins.
As has been pointed out this is hear say as i have not herd it my self from Leigh, so i would encourage anyone looking to do courses with him to contact him direct for details of courses and configeration.
as i said above it was not my intention to poo poo him at all, and if there was a choice for doing trimex with his fantastic reputation i would have gone to him, but after just paying nearly £450 for a wing i will not change my gear, not that i really know what a dir rig is.

hope this has cleared things up.

cheers john