The BOSS

[OutlawCaver]

The BOSS.....The Brotherhood Of StrokeS is accepting applications for its 2007 membership drive. The SOSS.....The Sisterhood Of StrokeS has agreed to join their forces with The BOSS creating one unified organization. Membership in The BOSS is considered by many members to be the pinnacle of their diving career typically evidenced with T shirts, vehicle tags & stickers.

With your application for membership, The BOSS would like to show its appreciation by giving you its signature line arrow. These arrows, once attached to the line, are free to rotate 360 degrees and point in a random direction. Imagine the look on your buddy's face when he spins it looking for the exit.

Since acceptance to The BOSS fraternity is very selective, it is important that you include why you consider yourself good BOSS material and should be inducted into its ranks. Once accepted, inductees are assigned to a local BOSS chapter.

[Tegg]

Since acceptance to The BOSS fraternity is very selective, it is important that you include why you consider yourself good BOSS material and should be inducted into its ranks. Once accepted, inductees are assigned to a local BOSS chapter.

I dive sidemount with a nonbranded rig; does that count?

[panout]

I defy authority. I accept my cave instructor's configuration suggestions, but then make up my OWN mind!

Hey, I am the BOSS of me!

it is important that you include why you consider yourself good BOSS material and should be inducted into its ranks.

I need to PROVE why I belong? Give me a break - I thought my reputation preceeded me!

[Bill Rotella]

When I used to work in the prison system the inmates would call us BOSS (Sorry Son of a B_ _ _ _) spelled backwards. :-D

[jeandiver]

I would like to be considered for SOSS!

Big Reason: Comon , I dive in a 3MM shorty and SHORTS for goodness sake. Now if that isn't SOSS material , what is? :-D

Da Beany Bean

[jeandiver]

I would like to be considered for SOSS!

Big Reason: Comon , I dive in a 3MM shorty and SHORTS for goodness sake. Now if that isn't SOSS material , what is? :-D

Da Beany Bean

2. My nickname...Jeano Beano ... How SOSS'y can ya get with that one?

P.S. And of course , look who my Roomies are ... :lol:

Opps ... SEE , only a SOSS would Quote a previous post of hers and NOT edit the darn thing. :oops:

[Mike]

Most of the stuff I dive with has different brand names.
Does that count? :-D

Mike M

[MengTze]

I sometimes use a computer for deco. Now if that isn't the pinnacle of strokeness, then I am even more of a s.t.r.o.k.e for not knowing what is.

I dive sidemount with a nonbranded rig

I defy authority. I accept my cave instructor's configuration suggestions, but then make up my OWN mind!

I dive in a 3MM shorty and SHORTS

Most of the stuff I dive with has different brand names

I sometimes use a computer for deco

Lightweights.

Here is the Top Ten List of reasons I should be the King of Strokedom:

10. I dive solo quite often.

9. I wear my light canister on my left hip; when I sidemount, it's butt-mounted.

8. My SPG, light head, and primary reel have suicide clips on them.

7. My doubles have D-rings on them to hold my backup lights and reels.

6. When diving a single cylinder in open water, I use a 24" hose on my reg, and a BC with an AIR2 on it.

5. I wouldn't give you two cents for an Apeks regulator.

4. I wouldn't give you two cents for a spool, either.

3. I've been known to hold my light in my right hand.

2. I breathe off a normal-length hose, and stuff the 7-footer the way the Good Lord intended.

And the number one reason I should be the King of Strokedom:

1. My instructor was Jamie Hempstead, and I think he is the greatest cave instructor ever!

There is only one roadblock to my being King of Strokedom: I NEVER dive with an unsafe attitude.

[JDostal]

I dive a homemade sidemount rig....with my light in my right hand!

You'll pry my Poseidon's out of my cold dead hands if you want to take them from me.

I *gasp* use computers to augment my diving!!

I dive air on occasion!

When I dive doubles, I actually clip my SPG on my left chest so I can see it at a glance without unclipping it.

I want my spinnable line arrow :)

[OneBrightGator]

You'll pry my Poseidon's out of my cold dead hands if you want to take them from me.
There are probably a few people who don't think making that happen will be too difficult, esp. if you are diving with them! :lol:

On another note, Russell, care to elaborate as to why the cannister is on your left? Haven't heard that one before, any other quirks to go along with it? (long hose, hip D-ring locations, stage use)

[OFG-1]

You'll pry my Poseidon's out of my cold dead hands if you want to take them from me.



Is that because rigor has set in after the damn things have drowned you?

[JDostal]

Is that because rigor has set in after the damn things have drowned you?

Sheesh! Lots of Poseidon love :) I knew I'd get some comments like this.

I love the things though.

care to elaborate as to why the cannister is on your left?

When I started diving in the eighties, there was only one irrefutable given in configuration: weight belt is right-hand release. This was purely a safety reason. In the event of a distressed diver at the surface, a rescuer's first response is to drop the diver's weight belt.

If a rescuer were to release the diver's BC belt by mistake, it could be deadly. Imagine a (distressed) diver wearing 16 pounds of lead suddenly being released from his BC.

For this reason, weight belts were ALWAYS right-hand release, and BCs were NEVER right-hand release.

When I started cave diving, BCs were still left-hand release. This put the bare end of the belt on the left side, ergo the canister slides onto the left side. Back when canisters were HUGE, everything worked out fine: power inflator on the top left, canister on the bottom left, and a stage on the right. Nothing got in each other's way.

I don't know when people started making the BC belt right-hand release; probably in the mid-nineties. I've never heard anybody give me a reason why they did, but my guess is to be different from the way "average" divers do it.

[Starryskies]

5. I wouldn't give you two cents for an Apeks regulator.



Hey now .... I like my Apeks...

:P

[OneBrightGator]

When I started cave diving, BCs were still left-hand release. This put the bare end of the belt on the left side, ergo the canister slides onto the left side. Back when canisters were HUGE, everything worked out fine: power inflator on the top left, canister on the bottom left, and a stage on the right. Nothing got in each other's way.
So where is your SPG? Do you use std. 40" hoses on your stage regs? What about your backup lights and spo...reels? :lol:

I am genuinely interested, feel free to take it to PMs if you desire, but I thought some other people might be interested too.

[stairman]

I recently had a dive buddy jump to the much admired by themselves ranks of DIR.He said he wanted to be all he could be.He also said hed still dive with me,but I havent heard from him since.Heres my opinion for what its worth.I think DIR is for people with a learning curve or too much money.I dont veiw cavediving as a religon either,as in do it our way or else.They are probably stronger than ever right now and thats great.Ive read some of their requirements and can say with assurance that theyll get about as much of my money as Snoop Dog.

[sskasser]

Hot pink fins

Purple drysuit

Yellow SM webbing

Orange pouch

Green knife

Blue belt loops

Am I in? :smt026