Perhaps - I don't get it - I teach Rec scuba and wear a stainless steel plate,
wings and breath the long hose . When my students ask about this I show them 
the simplicity and value of the rig. I also explain the origins in WKPP and
cave diving. The owner of the shop will not sell a plate and wings to a new
diver 
because of the belief that it will keep them face down in the water on the
surface ! Many of my dive buddies however are switching and  going DIR.
I think that an early exposure to the DIR concepts is very appropriate. 


Eric


On Wed, 28 Apr 1999 04:04:17 -0700 (PDT), Kevin E. Harris wrote:

>Sean:
>
>We all had a mentor who showed us the ropes early on.
>As it is I'm moving in a Hogarthian direction today.
>
>I have only just started diving doubles and YES in 35F
>water I can reach my manifold and turn the valves.
>
>My early influences used home made back plates and
>home made Bungeed wings (1990).
>I didn't (I'm not worthy attitude) mainly because I
>was interested in bottom time, animal life, not depth.
>I did go for the "latest and greatest" - YES the
>ZEAGLE. Why you ask, dive shop owner gave it to me at
>a KEY price so he could order enough stock to gain the
>local dealer ship (1994). 5 years of diving (w/a
>zeagle) and frustration- nothing fit together! I was
>constantly re-organizing never satisfied.
>
>"Divemastering" on a small charter boat I was busy
>catering to new divers. The past couple of years my
>interest was peaked as a few divers who had previously
>boarded using a "traditional" BC, 80 AL and PONY for
>the "deep" stuff had evolved with "new" gear and a
>long hose wrapped around there neck.
>
>I have searched out sources of info on alternative
>dive equipment which to my surprise was getting back
>to basics. Technology (new)does not equal TEC DIVER
>(better) as I'm sure you would agree. Many pieces of
>the DIR (Hogarthian) equipment are from the early
>years in diving (fins/spring strap/neckless Back up
>second/~harness/steel banded tanks/~manifold/metal
>buckles)I'm sure I'm not telling anyone on this list
>anything new (no positive). I just see an opportunity
>to get my 2 cents in and maybe help make a difference
>in a new generation of divers.
>
>Granted technology, available materials and human
>error have changed some of this (equipment) however
>the basic concept still prevails - KISS!
>
>You could influence your students by exposing them to
>Hogarthian concept as it relates to entry level diving
>(knowledge is power). Just don't do it by showing them
>the DIR or DIR II tape - too harsh too early! Give new
>divers the tools (knowledge) to fight the "DARK SIDE
>of THE FORCE".
>
>A mentor once told me: "The true predator of the DEEP
>is the DIVE SHOP OWNER" and he was an owner!
>
>Example: look at the old DACOR style back pack with a
>small set of wings! Alternative to the "NORMAL BC" And
>at least start a new generation earlier down the
>simple is better path.
>
>Early exposure in a non-technical environment may make
>a difference. If nothing else it may keep an advancing
>diver from asking the same old questions when they
>jump into so called technical diving Arena.
>
>http://www.divedacor.com/accessories.html
>Single cylinder deluxe soft band - 6817-00
>
>My .02 "Non-Tec diver exploring the ropes"
>
>PS: I would say you can see no "strokery" in the
>recreational community since being a stroke implies
>knowledge of DIR correct!?
>You may however see a lot of clutter and dangling!
>
>
>--- "Sean M. Cary" <SMCARY@MI*.CO*> wrote:
>> 99.9% of my regular customers will (thankfully)
>> never Tech dive.  To sell
>> them all backplates and harness's would be extreme. 
>> I use and dive a
>> Halcyon backplate and wing, wear a dangly and dive a
>> long hose on every
>> dive. Students and others see this and ask why I do
>> it, and I explain that
>> it is a carry over from my technical diving.  I have
>> a ratio going of about
>> 9 backplates to 1 bcd's sale...so I guess my wearing
>> one is rubbing off.
>> But I sell the customer whatever they want, based
>> upon the type of diving
>> they do.  Someone who will never venture past 60' is
>> going to be fine in a
>> normal BC.   In the early 90's when I was wearing a
>> Dacor Caribbean and Al
>> 80's, diving in warm, relatively shallow waters,
>> that was the best setup for
>> me.  Now that I do tech, I wear what I wear all the
>> time, and never have to
>> change my config to meet the requirements.  The
>> whole point of my post was
>> the nature of this list, and TheNerds comment that
>> he doesn't have the cash
>> to do the dives properly...
>> 
>> And as I said before...If you can't afford to do the
>> dives with the right
>> equipment...DON'T DO THEM.  All we have to do is
>> apply Rule Number One...
>> I'd say we have more to worry about in the so called
>> "tech" community then
>> the "rec" community.  I see far more strokery on the
>> tech trips I go on,
>> then the rec trips I do each weekend.
>> 
>> My .02
>> 
>> Sean
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>===
>Kevin E. Harris
>
>Life is like a grindstone,
>Whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends on what you're made of!
>Author Unknown
>_________________________________________________________
>Do You Yahoo!?
>Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
>
>--
>Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
>Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
>



--
Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.

Navigate by Author: [Previous] [Next] [Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject: [Previous] [Next] [Subject Search Index]

[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]

[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]