Scuba diving is an equipment-intensive sport, and while there are many arguments over what type and configuration of equipment is most efficient, the most ferocious debate by far centers on the manner in which divers configure their equipment. This contentiousness is most obvious in the technical diving community, but it can be problematic throughout the training spectrum. In some cases the disagreement may be as fundamental as the type of buoyancy compensator an open water instructor recommends or the location of the regulator a student is told to pass to an out-of-air diver (from the mouth, from a pocket or from a retaining device). 

Divers who are configured in a like manner and who dive similarly styled equipment are more efficient at managing emergency situations and recognizing partners' equipment problems. If your dive buddy carries their regulator in a velcro-enclosed pouch while yours is secured to a necklace, confusion may arise in an emergency air share as each diver responds within the context of their own configuration. Leading explorers long ago realized that a confused or delayed response to emergency situations is an unacceptable risk. 

The efforts of the Woodville Karst Plain Project (WKPP) and the international training activities of Global Underwater Explorers (GUE) have drawn a great deal of attention to the necessity of standardized equipment. In many cases, these efforts have come under fire because of the vehemence of the beliefs that underlie them. Yet,with thousands of extreme exposures, miles of explored cave and numerous world records attained, these groups are uniquely situated to establish a safe and reliable equipment standard. Unfortunately, there is a prevailing assumption that standardized equipment, clean configurations and attention to detail are only for `technical` or other rigorous diving conditions. In reality, clean and simple universal configurations are even more beneficial for divers with limited experience. GUE representatives have discovered that training all divers with standardized equipment has been hugely successful, whether for open water resort classes or for mixed gas dives in the frigid north. 

Historical Perspective 

The Woodville Karst Plain Project first began developing a standardized system of configuration in the early 80s as Bill Gavin and Bill Main initiated focused exploratory efforts in the North Florida caves of the Woodville Karst Plain. Gavin and Main later joined with Parker Turner and Lamar English to form the Woodville Karst Plain Project. The WKPP rapidly gained recognition for their deep cave diving as they explored miles of new conduit around the world. The many divers who successfully model their equipment and techniques after the WKPP further demonstrate the benefits of a clean, standardized configuration. This configuration, which grew from the early ideas of Main and Gavin, was originally named the Hogarthian configuration after William Hogarth Main. 

Over the course of roughly two decades and thousands of hours of long range exploratory dives, additions and further modifications worked toward perfecting the system and it became known as `Doing it Right,` or simply DIR. The DIR equipment configuration is clean and streamlined with an emphasis on minimalism. The `take only what you need` philosophy is central to the DIR concept and requires that great thought be given to what is needed on a dive, not what might be used. But, the DIR system is more than an equipment configuration, it is a diving style that ensures every aspect of each dive represents safety, efficiency and productivity. Diving requires a cohesive effort from early planning to safe operation and no part of this process can be deemed unimportant. DIR is a system constructed to manage all problems in the most expedient and efficient manner. The components cannot be arbitrarily changed without compromising the entire system, as each part was carefully constructed to complement the entire process. 

The DIR System 

The DIR System is comprised of a unified team, preparation and the DIR equipment configuration. 

Unified Team 

A dive team is not an arbitrary collection of individuals but a group that acts with the team's interest in mind. Each member must first be independently capable or they will only burden the buddy team. The adage that a chain is only as strong as the weakest link is very appropriate in this setting. Divers have an obligation to inform the team when dives are beyond their ability or when their sphere of comfort has been exceeded. Divers should frequently reference one another and be prepared to assist a team member with any difficulties before they become a problem. 

Preparation 

Pre-dive Preparation 

Far too many divers assume that pre-dive preparation begins the day or even hours before the dive. True pre-dive preparation is an ongoing commitment that involves three essential components: mental focus, physical fitness and diving experience. Divers who try to circumvent any of these three areas are not truly prepared for the dive and may experience reduced comfort, a missed dive opportunity or even a dangerous situation. 

Mental Focus 

Divers who are not focused on the dive cannot be responsive to a dive buddy or to the surrounding conditions. Good mental focus allows divers to truly enjoy dives as they remain aware of their surroundings and are prepared to intercede before problems escalate. Poor focus, on the other hand, tends to exacerbate problem. For example, losing focus on a dive can allow teams to miss proper air supply turn points, drift into dangerous areas or separate from their buddies. Proper awareness consistently increases the safety, efficiency and enjoyment of all diving activities. 

Physical Fitness 

Unfit individuals are subject to increased risk of disease and a shorter, much lower quality of life. Furthermore, unfit divers are much more likely to suffer from many diving related problems such as an inability to overcome a physically stressful environment or an increased risk of decompression illness (DCI). They not only place themselves at risk but also other team members who may be called upon to help them in a crisis situation. Fitness includes cardiovascular health, strength, flexibility, nutrition, abstinence from drug use, limited or nonexistent alcohol consumption and avoidance of smoking. Overweight and/or out of shape divers must take responsibility for their lives by adopting an effective regime of diet and exercise. At a minimum, divers should average four days per week of cardiovascular exercise lasting at least 30 minutes and avoid high fat, high cholesterol diets, focusing instead on a generous consumption of fruits, vegetables and grains. 

Diving Experience 

The progressively extensive `technical` dives conducted by groups such as the WKPP may give the impression that long range or deep dives can be accomplished with relative ease. Indeed, for divers who invest the proper time and energy, the dive itself may be accomplished with great efficiency. Some divers' initial assessment lacks an appreciation for the years of preparation that preceded the actual dives. For example, world record dives by the WKPP have become commonplace as they continue to extend exploration of Wakulla Springs cave system at thousands of feet each dive. A few short years ago a 6,000 feet penetration into that cave system was considered a remarkable accomplishment, but recently the WKPP extended their own exploration to more than three miles (18,000 feet) at a depth of 300 feet. These accomplishments now prepare them for even greater achievements and allow other teams to incorporate the WKPP ideas into their operations, greatly extending their own abilities. However, divers should remember that efforts such as the WKPP dives require many years of preparation; divers who try to bypass experience will be at far greater risk. 

DIR Equipment Configuration 

The DIR equipment configuration itself tends to generate the majority of interest and debate, initiating the most common misconception that one part of the system can be adapted, such as the equipment configuration, and others can be ignored, such as the team-centred approach or physical fitness. DIR is a holistic system and although incorporating one part of it into another system is possible, it is not DIR. It is also likely to be fraught with complications. The same is true within the equipment configuration itself. Divers who opt to make changes to any part of the equipment configuration are likely to upset the carefully arranged components that are structured to complement one another. 

One of the most seized upon tenets of the system is the procedure of passing the regulator from one's mouth to an out-of-air diver. This process ensures that the out-of-air diver receives a fully functioning regulator in the most expedient manner possible. Some divers will adopt this process and yet ignore some of the other components to the system. Such a pick-and-choose system is a personal choice but is clearly in discordance with the concepts of DIR. Divers using the same clean, well thought out configuration are safer and more able to assist one another. Changes to that system, however seemingly slight, invariably create problems. The DIR system was carefully designed to work in all situations, not just in the long range, mixed gas, cave penetrations for which it is renowned. 

Extreme range exploratory divers long ago realized that a complicated system would compound difficulties and that equipment had to work with their efforts and not against them. The same can be said for any diver or any situation. Unfortunately, most discussions about the system have focused on its use in long range cave dives. The system is amazingly flexible, it can be used in caves, in the ocean, in wrecks and under ice. It is ideal for relaxing reef dives at 30 feet, extended penetration cave dives or difficult wreck dives. It is the right system for zero visibility as well as crystal clear water. The DIR approach need not be modified in order to function in different environments. In fact, the system was not developed exclusively as a cave diving system and the issues that it addresses are far from cave specific. Its flexibility is owed to careful research and development dives in diverse conditions: the Baltic Sea, the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Great Lakes, the Puget Sound, the St. Lawrence Seaway. Cold water DIR divers use gloves and dry suits inflated with argon, in freezing water, dry gloves and thicker undergarments with argon and sometimes, electric heat. Cold water divers use slightly larger bolt snaps, but otherwise exactly the same system is employed whether the dive is below the ice or in the balmy tropics. With this universality in mind, let's look more closely at the DIR system. 

DIR vs. Other Equipment `Styles` 

It is impossible to really compare the DIR system to other styles as there are no other standardized systems in recreational or technical diving. However, some attempts can be made as follows. 

The Bungie Style - Donating from One's Retaining Device 

This style places the safe second or octopus hose in some type of surgical tubing or restrictive band. This band is placed on the side of the tanks, along the manifold or on the back plate. Divers who use a long hose (usually 5-7 ft. or 1.5-2 m) on their safe second usually `stuff` this hose during the equipment assembly portion of the dive. Opinion on where and how to secure the second stage of the long hose varies among divers, adding further complications to this style. By stuffing the hose in some piece of bungie, it is more difficult to deploy, may not remain properly stowed and will not be guaranteed to function (as will the regulator from one's mouth). Furthermore, most divers are not able to return it to the `stowed` location without assistance, making them dependent upon a dive buddy and creating complications in the event of an accidental deployment or an air share false alarm. Due to its inefficient operation and increased risk, most divers have given up on this system and prefer to donate the regulator in their mouth to an out-of-air diver. 

The Doing It Right System 

The DIR system focuses on the concept of minimalism. Equipment that does not enrich the dive is considered a liability and should be left at home. DIR divers use a rigid backplate (aluminum or stainless steel) with a one-piece, webbed harness, a back-mounted buoyancy compensator for streamlined movement and horizontal posture, a short reserve hose that hangs around the neck for easy retrieval and a long hose (5-7 ft. or 1.5-2 m) that can run under a hip-mounted light canister (or under the arm with a 5 ft. or 1.5 m hose). While there are numerous important details in the DIR system, this simple configuration is the foundation of DIR. 

DIR- Donating from One's Mouth 

A lack of familiarity with the DIR process of providing the regulator in your mouth to an out-of-air diver, as opposed to the regulator in a retaining device, exists in the dive community. By donating the long hose regulator, the diver guarantees that the person most in need of a fully functioning regulator is going to get it. Any other regulator passed to an out-of-air diver may contain sand or other contaminants and may not function properly. In many out-of-air situations air-starved divers will simply pull the regulator from the donor's mouth and a diver who is practiced and prepared for this eventuality will likely respond more comfortably. The DIR system focuses on helping the diver in trouble with an understanding that any competent diver desires to facilitate a safe rescue. Even if the out-of-air diver remains calm and requests air with the proper signal, their first breath is guaranteed to be an effective one as it comes from the regulator with which a diver was just breathing. 

What About My Open Water Equipment? 

Many DIR practitioners, pleased with the efficiency of the DIR system in overhead environments, were frustrated by the return to their open water configurations because the short hose was less than optimal and the BCs were uncomfortable with too much drag. Therefore, many divers started using their DIR system while diving open water and immediately found it to be significantly more effective than their old open water configurations. 

Can I Still Dive DIR While Using a Shorter Safe Second Hose? 

The DIR system requires the use of a longer safe second to be of maximum efficiency. While divers are always encouraged to use the simple, stream-lined equipment central to DIR diving, they should also utilize a longer safe second for emergency air sharing situations. Cave and most technical divers always use a longer (5-7 ft. or 1.5-2 m) hose so that they can easily share air in restrictive areas. However, while in open water the longer emergency hose can also be very beneficial for air sharing as it allows for a very comfortable length of hose to be deployed. Instead of struggling with an awkward 36-inch octopus hose, divers have plenty of additional space in which to manoeuvre. If not using a hip-mounted canister light (which is an excellent signalling device in open water) many divers prefer to use the 5-foot (1.5 m) length and run it under the arm then around the neck. For some divers, this hose will need to be slightly shorter or longer to maintain comfort. The additional hose is excellent for emergency situations, short air sharing episodes for divers low on air or for properly trained divers in wrecks or other restrictive areas. The DIR system is designed to function in all environments allowing divers maximum flexibility. If a diver is planning on a 30-foot reef dive and then suddenly locates a small coral cave or archway they will still be properly configured for the more restrictive area. 

Does the long hose decrease regulator performance? 

With literally thousands of deep exploration dives accomplished by divers breathing the long hose, the decreased performance argument loses its validity. However, divers need to be aware that regulators should easily be able to supply air through a long hose. If the regulator in use is not efficient enough for a long hose, it is not suitable for use with two divers or in generally stressful situations. The slight reduction in regulator performance when using the long hose is negligible, and in all but the lowest performance regulators, not a concern. 

In general, divers need to be aware to look carefully at the entire package and not just how the segments function together. Equipment should be a cohesive unit that facilitates dives and not a haphazard collection of available items. More equipment is not always better. The best approach is to bring only exactly what is needed. This concept does not preclude the use of any items relevant to the dive. For example, the WKPP uses the clean, DIR concept of minimalism in all styles of diving. From extensive video and still photography sessions to focused aquatic research initiatives and long range explorations, these divers are forced to make choices about what equipment will facilitate the mission and what will be left at home. Minimalism and streamlining do not limit the dive. On the contrary, they allow divers the greatest comfort and flexibility while accomplishing whatever is desired for a particular dive. From leading edge exploration to fun on a coral reef, divers who practice the DIR system allow themselves to enjoy the dive rather than fight their equipment. 

Historically, diving leaders have stressed the difference between open water and technical diving equipment. To be sure, advanced training and experience is essential for more complicated dive environments. However, divers of all experience levels can learn from the rigors of leading dive explorations and can experience the benefits of a clean and sensible configuration system.