As I mentioned in a previous post, I had developed workarounds for various
shortcomings. One is reaching my valves. Even though I got a custom drysuit
fitted to my dimensions I cannot reach my valves. I don't know if I have
short arms or what but I have a problem with this. My solution was to adjust
my shoulder straps very loose. This way I would pop my belt strap and pull
the tanks up to where I could reach the valves.

I tried this once while on my knees on the bottom during a dive and
eventually I reached my valves. This was one of those "I hope to hell I
don't ever have to actually do this in a clusterfuck as I will surely die",
but I did reach my valves.

Of course the excessively loose straps caused other problems. The tanks were
too low on my back so I could not reach the crotch strap dring. The tanks
were free to flop all over the place which would cause me to turn turtle
without warning in certain situations. I knew all this stuff but, hell, I
had the "reach valves" checkbox mentally checked off in my mind. But that
was self-deluding BS of course.

During the class it occurred to me that there is no way in hell I could do
the pop the buckle drill while maintaining neutral buoyancy or anywhere
other than with my knees in the sand. Andrew adjusted my straps correctly,
so that you can touch the top of your backplate with either hand while
standing up. Underwater the change was like black and white, my balance
problems disappeared. But now there was no way at all to reach my valves.

The real solution to that particular problem was that I need a new drysuit
or I would have to get mine modified. I got the DUI 450 which which has a
very stiff cordura top half, and I think this is the root of the problem.
George warned me about the 450 after I bought it. As usual, goddamn George
was right.

I suppose I could send the suit back to DUI to see if they can alter it to
fix the problem (I have to send it back for warranty work anyway, both feet
leaked during the training, I froze my ass off) but, as anybody knows who
has dealt with DUI, this means no drysuit for 2 or 3 months and I don't have
a backup drysuit.

On a side note I can see now that having 2 (or more) drysuits is more of a
"must" than a luxury in technical diving. You spend hundreds of dollars to
do what could be the dive of a lifetime and your DS starts leaking or a
wrist or neck seal tears. Your trip is now one expensive-ass boat ride with
no dives. Of course I knew this but choose to toss the dice that I simply
would not have DS problems if I bought the best DS on the market, money be
damned. More self-deluding bullshit, I'm afraid.

(I think I will start a list of all the self-deluding bullshit I've been
doing over the years for tech diving. Then you guys can see if you are doing
the same crap. Naaa, that would be pointless as all you bone-headed MF's
would just rationalize the self-delusions away. I know how most of you guys
think.)

   Jim

On 5/8/02 04:58 AM, "Chris Stenton" <jacs@gn*.co*.uk*> wrote:

>> George, I think this list is part of the problem. You can read all the posts
>> you want, look at all the videos, web pages you want and nothing comes close
>> to you standing there in your rig with Andrew telling you that you are a
>> walking CF as he rips crap off your harness and cranks the straps down
>> tight.
> 
> <SNIP>
> 
> Jim,
> 
> What was the reason given for cranking the straps down tight on your harness?
> 
> Chris
> 
> 
> 

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