DIR Fundamentals Program

The DIR Fundamentals course is designed to cultivate the essential techniques required by all sound diving practices, irrespective of level or environment. Functioning as a prerequisite for all other GUE classes, save its recreational diver course (forthcoming), DIR Fundamentals performs a two-fold function within the GUE curriculum: 1) it provides the recreational diver, with no desire for further diver training, with a context in which to advance his/her basic diving skills, thereby developing more comfort, confidence and competence in the water: and 2) it provides the diver with aspirations of more advanced diver training with the tools that will contribute to a greater likelihood of success. Read more on the GUE website.

As from November 2005, the GUE DIR-F program has two different level: Recreational and Technical. The DIR-F Tech pass rating is now the prerequisite for GUE Tech and Cave trainining curriculums. The training needs to be conducted in double tank configuration while using additional equipment relevant to Tech and Cave training (see equipment list below). Equally, the student is required to master all basic skills.

Prerequisites:

• Must meet GUE General Course Prerequisites
• Must be a minimum age of 16 years of age
• Must be a certified open water diver from a recognized training agency
• Must be able to swim a distance of at least 50 feet/15 meters on a breath hold
• Must be able to swim at least 300 yards/275 meters in less than 14 minutes without stopping. This test should be conducted in a swimsuit and, where necessary, appropriate thermal protection
• Must apply to a scheduled class with a completed and current online student profile including medical information, release forms, and dive history.
• Must be physically fit, mentally stable, and clearly focused.
• Must hold DAN diving medical insurance or equivalent.
• Must be a non-smoker
• Must obtain an authorization for the use of prescription drugs by a physician (with the exception of birth control) and must have such authorization approved by a GUE representative prior to the onset of diver training.
• All GUE trained divers are initially encouraged to become a GUE member and to continue to renew their membership after it expires. This provides them with continued access to GUE support materials, which includes on-line training materials, quarterly issues of GUE's educational magazine, and an industry-leading educational forum. Furthermore, GUE members are automatically enrolled in Quest online, an important educational electronic mail list that allows them to further their post-class education on a variety of subjects.

Duration:

The DIR Fundamentals Class is normally conducted over a 4 day period. It involves a minimum of 20 hours of instruction, encompassing both classroom and in-water work.

Course content:

The DIR Fundamentals course is normally conducted over a 4 day period. Combining pre-course reading, lecture and practical (in-water) sessions, this training focuses on cultivating the foundational skills required by all sound diving practices. It is focused on increasing diving fun by reducing stress and increasing diver proficiency through proper control of buoyancy, trim, propulsion, teamwork, and other DIR principles and encompasses training related to the use nitrox.

Course requirements include a minimum of ten (10) hours of academics and five (5) in water sessions.

Course Limits:

• Student to instructor ratio is not to exceed 4:1 during any in-water training
  
• Maximum depth 60 feet/18 meters
• No decompression
• No overhead environment diving
• GUE General Training Limits

Course Material:

• Doing it Right: The Fundamentals of Better Diving: Jarrod Jablonski, GUE, 2001, High Springs, Florida. Order online
• Pre-course package including visual presentation, pre-reading material, quizzes and numerous articles. Downloadable with course registration.

Academic Topics:

• GUE organization
• Why DIR Fundamentals?
• Diving Proficiency
• Buoyancy and Trim
• Streamlining and Equipment Configuration
• Propulsion Techniques
• Situational Awareness
• Communication
• Breathing Gas Overview
• Decompression Overview
• Dive Planning and Gas Management
• Diver Preparedness

Land Drills and Topics:

• Dive team protocols
• S-Drill and valve-drill
• Equipment fit and function
• Propulsion techniques
• Pre-dive drills
  

Required Dive Skills and Drills:

• Demonstrate proficiency in safe diving techniques; this would include pre-dive preparations, in-water activity, and post-dive assessment.
  
• Demonstrate awareness of team member location and a concern for safety, responding quickly to visual cues and dive partner needs.
• Efficiently and comfortably demonstrate how to donate gas to an out-of-gas diver in multiple gas-sharing episodes.
• Comfortably demonstrate at least two propulsion techniques that would be appropriate in delicate and/or silty environments.
• Demonstrate a safe and responsible demeanor throughout all training.
• Demonstrate proficiency in the ability to deploy a spool and a lift bag/surface marker.
• Demonstrate good buoyancy and trim.
• Demonstrate proficiency in underwater communication.
• Demonstrate basic equipment proficiency.
• Demonstrate mastery of the following open water skills: mask clearing, mask removal and replacement, regulator removal and exchange, long hose deployment.
• Demonstrate safe ascent and decent procedures.
• Demonstrate proficiency in executing a valve drill.

THE FOLLOWING SKILLS APPLY ONLY TO STUDENTS SEEKING ADMITTANCE INTO TECH OR CAVE TRAINING. THESE STUDENTS MUST PERFORM SKILLS AT A GRADE OF 4 OR ABOVE (ON A SCALE OF FIVE) TO QUALIFY FOR REGISTRATION INTO A TECH OR CAVE OR TECH CURRICULUMN

• Demonstrate proficiency with a primary light by using it during all skills except SMB deployment.
• Demonstrate efficient deployment and stowage of a reserve light.
• Demonstrate an efficient valve drill with double tanks.
• Demonstrate good buoyancy and trim: i.e. approximate reference maximum of 20 degrees off horizontal while remaining within 1.5 m / 3 ft of a target depth.Frequency of buoyancy variation as well as general diver control remain important evaluation criteria.

Equipment Requirements:

All participants are responsible for providing all equipment or for making provisions to secure the use of necessary equipment before the start of the course. All items should be labelled with name or initials. In general, it is better for the student to learn while using his or her own equipment. However, students should exercise caution before purchasing new items, to avoid acquiring substandard equipment. Please contact us prior to making any purchases. Additional information about equipment requirements can be obtained from the equipment considerations section of the GUE web site.

n p	ITEM	DESCRIPTION	RENTAL
n	BACKPLATE	STAINLESS STEEL OR ALUMINIUM SINGLE PIECE WEBBING D-RINGS-2 CHEST, 1 LEFT HIP, 1 FRONT  + 1 REAR ON CROTCH STRAP NO QUICK RELEASE STAINLESS BUCKLE
n	WING FOR SINGLE TANK	MAX. 18 KG / 40 LB LIFT SINGLE BLADDER NO BUNGEES STRING PULL DUMP AT BOTTOM LEFT ONLY
n	SINGLE TANK REGULATOR	2 M / 7 FT HOSE W/ 2ND STAGE, SMALL BOLT SNAP 56-61 CM / 22-24 INCH INFLATOR HOSE 56-61 CM / 22-24 INCH HOSE W/SECOND STAGE, NECKLACE BUNGEE 56-66 CM / 24-26 INCH H.P. HOSE, BRASS PRESSURE GAUGE, BOLT SNAP
n	FINS	OPEN HEELED SHORT, STIFF BLADE NO SPLIT FINS
n	PRIMARY MASK	SIMPLE LOW VOLUME
n	EXPOSURE PROTECTION	WELL FITTING DRYSUIT+UNDERGARMENTS OR 5-7MM / 1/8-1/4 INCH WETSUIT AND BOOTIES 2 VELCRO THIGH POCKETS WITH LOOPS HOOD
n	BOTTOM TIMER	DIGITL DEPTH AND TIME GAUGE WRIST MOUNTED
n	WETNOTES	NON MECHANICAL PENCILS
n	KNIFE	SMALL, SHARP RELIABLE RELEASE WAISTBELT MOUNTED
n	SUBMERSIBLE MARKER BUOY	UNDERWATER DEPLOYABLE MINIMUM 23M / 75 FT OF LINE
n	DECO TABLES	SUBMERSIBLE
p	SPARE MASK	SIMPLE,LOW VOLUME DOUBLE-END CLIP
p	WATCH	WRIST MOUNTED W/STOP WATCH
p	OXYGEN ANALYZER	MINIMUM 1 PER TEAM

The following Equipment list applies to those beginning the training using double tanks (as is required for a Fundamentals Tec rating).

n	WING FOR DOUBLE TANK	MAX. 23 KG / 50 LB LIFT SINGLE BLADDER NO BUNGEES STRING PULL DUMP AT BOTTOM LEFT ONLY
n	PRIMARY REGULATOR	2 M / 7 FT HOSE W/ 2ND STAGE, SMALL BOLT SNAP 56-61 CM / 22-24 INCH INFLATOR HOSE
n	BACK-UP REGULATOR	56-61 CM / 22-24 INCH HOSE W/SECOND STAGE, NECKLACE BUNGEE 56-66 CM / 24-26 INCH H.P. HOSE, BRASS PRESSURE GAUGE, BOLT SNAP,
n	PRIMARY LIGHT	BELT MOUNTED CANISTER TYPE GOODMAN HANDLE STYLE LIGHT HEAD SMALL BOLT SNAP ON FRONT LOOP ON BACK, SPARE DOUBLE-END CLIP MINIMUM 10 W HID OR EQUIVALENT MINIMUM 120 MIN BURN STAINLESS BUCKLE FOR CANISTER ATTACHMENT
n	RESERVE LIGHTS	QTY 2 CLOCKWISE TWIST ON, BRIGHT SPOT MINIMUM 2 "C" NON-RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES W/ SMALL BOLT SNAP CLIP

Please contact us for further information about joining our next DIR Fundamentals Course.