[Mr T.]

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Dudes,

OK, on the build up to 'greater things' I've gone and done it - I've gone and bought the TDI Deco-Procedures course and will be doing it with Andy Hayhurst at a date to be confirmed soon.

So can you guys please give me your experiences (do's and dont's etc.) and/or suggestions for this gig?

Will I need my own trapeze? And what about a gold lame leotard? Twirling batton?

Seriously folks, any helps gladly received.

Cheers in advance,

 

[Davey Willo]

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The first thing you're gonna need to learn to do mate is exactly the problem I'm having at the moment and that's being able to shut down all three of those bloody valves...

Yoga anyone??  

 

[Mr T.]

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Roger that Davey,

Being-able-to-place-ankles-on-back-of-neck classes will start Monday.

I can do it with a slight loosening of the waist-harness, but just reaching back and sorting it is proving illusive/impossible.  

Ah well, practice and all that. You never mentioned any advice about the lame leotard mate? I'm shocked!

 

[Mark Scott-Simons]

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Quote[/b] ]being able to shut down all three of those bloody valves...

But not all at the same time as an ex GF once did.. but only once.  

Scotty

 

[Dr Stevil]

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<font color='#0000FF'>I know there's been a bit of interest from others here (Dave, Gav myself etc), any other YD-ers booked on it yet ? Do I detect another troop gig in the offing? I realise date is TBC but any rough approximations of when?
Chee-az
Steve

 

[Mr T.]

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Hey Steve,

You're right, Willo, 2Tanx, Jay, You, Gav, Wee Ben, there is a squad of us who'd like to do the course at various times over the coming year.

You may remember Duncan ('Dunkster') who dived with us at Hodge on the mass Adv Nitrox course weekend? He's currently (as I write) doing the course with Andy Dales.

I'm yet undecided when I'm gonna do it, but sometime in the next coupla months looks likely. You?

 

[darlodiver]

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Bren and yall, as a relative newby allthings diving the whole area of trimix/task loading amazes me (perhaps one day).
But vis-a-vis reaching the valves I've seen guys using inverted rigs I assume for that reason??
tell me to go away!!
darlodiver

 

[Mark]

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<font color='#000080'>Bren,

I did the course last year, combined with Adv. nitrox. It's easy and I found it very usefull at the time. As long as you can hold a stop and can follow runtimes you shouldn't have any major problems.

You say you can't reach your valves. If you set up your harness as they discribe on that BAUE site (main points to bare in mind are:

1. The top of the backplate should be level with the 2nd vertebrate and you should be able to reach back and touch it with your suit/undergarments on. If you can't reach it your suit/undersuit is probably restricting your movement and you will have problems.

2. The shoulder straps should be pretty tight as they will stop the tanks from moving down (and away from your hands). When they are correctly adjusted it will be awkward to get out of the rig.

3. When doing a valve drill keep your head jammed back against the isolator and try to squeeze your shoulder blades together. Do not look down or arch your back as you will be pushing the valves out of reach. Also, stay horizontal as gravity will pull the tanks away from your hands if you loose trim and go at all vertical.

It works for me.

HTH.

Mark.

 

[Mr T.]

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Quote[/b] (darlodiver @ Mar. 13 2003,14:28)]Bren and yall, as a relative newby allthings diving the whole area of trimix/task loading amazes me (perhaps one day).
But vis-a-vis reaching the valves I've seen guys using inverted rigs I assume for that reason??
tell me to go away!!
darlodiver

Hey Darlo,

You are right in one respect, inverted twins (or 'Twinverts') are used by a goodly number of divers (Hobby, Steve W, Andy2Tanx from these very boards being day-to-day practitioners of the 'art') are used for a number of reasons - here's a couple:

* Personal choice - where that diver has tried other options including 'standard' config twins, but has found that for them, inverting their rig allows the freedom of movement to enact a shut-down and isolation is a hurry. Some divers are simply not happy or comfortable with the standard twin-rig config.

* Military/RE/Royal Navy Diver - these guys dive to rules that any recreational and some tech divers would find simply anathema. They don't get the option to dive in a recreational dive rig as you and I might understand the term, whilst 'on the job'. Mine-clearance, U/w Ex - when not using their rebreathers - all dive using the modified 'twinverts' on most jobs. If ever you get to see the video of the RN re-setting the White Ensign on the wreck of HMS Royal Oak in Scapa Flow (a video I can strongly recomment you all watch), then you will see a number of configs used, but mainly the one above.

There are certain schools of diving which might frown on the use of 'twinverts', but then again, the guys actively diving using the rig are passed caring about what any given diving agency might have to say.

HTH.

 

[Mr T.]

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Hey Mark,

Very lucidly put mate.

Indeed, very much worth trying to 're-jig' (a technical term with which not all of you may be familiar  

 ) my rig before my next wet before giving in-water stuff a try-out also.

Thanks very much - very good advice for all in a similar boat to me I feel.

 

[darlodiver]

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Bren, thanks for the 'twinvert' gen much appreciated.
Look forward to reading about your experience on the course as and when.
cheers mate
darlodiver

 

[Gavin Yates]

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<font color='#000F22'>I'm fairly new to this twins thing and I have got arms like a gorrilla.

But I've had no shutdown probs so far.

I think this is down to a few things:-

1. I swim a lot so I keep flexibility in the shoulder girdle
2. I always stretch out after every swim - usually in the jacuzzi!!!!!!
3. I've been doing shutsdowns/switch-ons with singles for a long time.

If you can do it with a single then twins are easier so next time yer in the pool just spend ten minutes reaching behind and shutting on and off without adjusting the harness.

Also relax whilst your doing it. If you tense up there's no way you can stretch easily. (oo-err missus)

Just a thought.

 

[Dr Stevil]

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<font color='#0000FF'>Darlodiver, I can indeed confirm that Gav is blessed with extra long arms, unlike myself - hence my twinverts setup.

Bren , re time slot for the course, anytime suits me really, got a few plans in the pipeline for trips etc so I guess it'd be wise to sort out the DP course before anything else to avoid clashes.

Gav, DAve, you wanna hook up to do the course together? any preferences etc re dates? AIUI you do the theory seperate to the diving so would probably involve either a full weekend or 1-3 seperate days.

My immediate thoughts would be sometime later this month or anytime next month, give us time to sort out arrangements with Andy and  genning up on the reading material etc

Chee-az
Steve

 

[Jay]

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Bren - if you have to loosen your harness then you have to loosen your harness - there are no style points awarded in this one. Its 'Can you do It' and not 'How did you do it' that counts.

From todays dive, I can thoroughly recommend you beg, borrow or steal a 7l stage and dive with it to get your weight right and get used to having it as part of your kit. My trim went all to cock and I was grossly over-weighted this afternoon - again, I need to find my best config for stage diving long before I attempt the course.

Oh, and speak to Andy about the skill sets HE will be running! You just KNOW he's gonna make you earn that badge.

 

[Ben Harris]

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Here here, no points for style.

If u can do it anyway possible, its safe.. if you cant your basically diving a big, un redundent single.. bollocks to that.

Not that I know owt but anyway!!

 

[Jay]

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Quote[/b] (Gavin Yates @ Mar. 14 2003,15:23)]I'm fairly new to this twins thing and I have got arms like a gorrilla.

Lets not even talk about your face, eh?

 

[Mark Chase]

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<font color='#000F22'>My M8 used three slob knobs for his trimix course

Honistly I am not kidding one on each valve.

And he passed?

?

He is a good diver as well but finds reaching he center valve impossable. As he said he relies on the one remaining tank after isolation and his loyal buddy (his wife) to get him up and he is talking about from 50m plus as thats all he and his wife do.

Deco procedures was an interesting course from a dive planning point of view but I was dissapointed it didnt go into stage use. If you can hold stops at set depths do horizontal hangs and keep a close eye on your computer / bottom timer its easy diving. Lern / re lern all the gas signels to indicate remaining gas and the hand signels for stops etc.

I had to do shutdowns at 36m on air so the added nark factor comes into play if it affects you at these depths.

I only did it as a steping stone to Trimix but it was an enjoyable course. The course would have real meening for people who have done Advanced Nitrox but dont want to go Trimix if it included rich deco mix using stages.

I did quite a few air or leen Nitrox dives with rich deco to increse bottom time or safety factor, prior to going Trimix but there dosent appear to be a course that covers this sector of diving adiquatly.

Have fun

Mark Chase