Mailing List Archive Mailing List Archive
Hi Curt, You bring up a good point in that it seems to me that on these lists, there may be a significant disagreement as to exactly what constitutes a "stroke" or "stroke gear." Perhaps we need a clearer definition. As an alternative to the position you present, I am under the impression that a recreational diver wearing recreational gear and doing no-stop, single-gas, non-overhead recreational dives, is not necessarily a "stroke." But this seems to be asserted in many of the messages on these lists. I am under the impression that a "stroke" is someone who has an unsafe attitude (and who may be using unsafe or unnecessary gear for the particular dive he or she is making). I do not believe that a dive done safely within recreational diving limits using recreational gear, is necessarily a "stroke dive." Based on the above, I would tend to reword your second paragraph as follows. "Equipped with my AL80, an aluminum backplate with Halcyon Pioneer wings, a single piece webbed harness, a 3 mm shorty, an 8 or 10 pound weight belt, a high quality regulator setup, no lights, spring strapped jets, no bolt snaps, no aluminum stages, no reels, no lift bags, an air fill, a BT and a depth gauge or a single unit doing both, etc., etc., etc., I stride off the vessel into 83F water and spend the next 35 minutes with my identically suited Team in 10 meters of currentless clear reef water and play with the fish." IMHO, there is nothing wrong here (other than the dive would probably be significantly longer than 35 minutes) and nothing conflicting with my understanding of the DIR concept. And although this is surely not an advanced dive, I see no reason to label it a "stroke dive." But then, this is only one instructor's opinion. :-)) Take care and dive safe, Scott Some weeks it's just not worth the effort to gnaw through the restraints and scramble up out of the pit. In a message dated 11/11/01 2:07:11 PM, cdegler@aq*.co* writes: << Imagine this: I've spent $5000.00 on training and an equal amount on gear. All of it DIR, according to the higher power who determines these things. Equipped with my steel doubles, SS plate, isolated manifold, Trilam drysuit with argon inflation, the latest (by DIR standards) din regulator setup and config, cannister light and halcyon bu's, spring strapped jets, ss bolt snaps, aluminum stages, HE fills, BTs, etc. etc. etc., I stride off the vessel into 83F water and spend the next 35 minutes with my identically suited Team in 10 meters of currentless clear reef water and play with the fish. Something wrong here? You bet there is. This is a stroke dive. They have their place. I'm sure we all have enjoyed them thoroughly. Where the dive is more about experiencing and enjoying a safe and benign aquatic environment and friendly marine life then about fooling around with too much expensive gear and a philosophy better designed for a deep space walk, a night beach assault, a 5 mile OH penetration at 100m or a filthy invective filled net dispute. Stroke gear is appropriate for light recreational diving (a stroke dive) by those who want desire to engage in this activity. DIR gear and philosophy is out of place here unless very significantly altered to conform with the demands or lack of them made by the environment in which it is to used and the people who realistically will be making these dives and only these dives. They want convenience, attractive gear, ease of use, reduced cost, and no arguments or put downs because they have the wrong kind of fins. Curt Degler >> -- 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]