Approaching BASE'ers 4 first time

[kingmonkey 0]

Ok, first things first, been lurking here for a while so am well aware of the minimum requirements for base and such like.

Basically my question revolves around the difficulty in establishing a relationship between an experienced BASE jumper without sounding like a complete whuffo, or a time waster, whilst at the same time not alienating oneself from the rest of the dropzone. How does one do this?

I guess my question is basically for potential mentors, ie, what do you look for in a new student, or even more specifically is anyone prepared to put forward a more specific syllabus type check list of skills in the so called "200" jump minimum.

Ok then, more specifically, you got 200 jumps, what do you do on each and every one before you are "prepared" for base. Whats the ideal first canopy size one picks and attempts to dial in?

Apologies for asking all the obvious questions.

[ultraviolet 0]

Yo Monkeyman,

Sounds to me like your ready for a FJC. I'd personally recommend Johnny Utah . He just held a FJC over Memorial Day and I think he holds another one over the Labor Day weekend. Check him out at www.johnnyutah.com. Also, there is a ton of info here at Dropzone and over at Blinc (blincmagazine.com) that can practically answer any question you have on BASE ( just do a search ). Have fun

[hookitt 0]

Check out the CR BASE canopy control drills in the library athttp://www.crmojo.com.

Click on: Library
Then: The Document Library.

fjccanopy.pdf <===save and read it. Then go practice on a large 7 cell parachute.

There's a good read called "Getting into BASE" near the top of this page. Check it out.

As far as approaching an experienced BASE jumper, Just go talk to him. Ask how he got into BASE. Watch him pack if you can. He'll probably tell you don't get into it. But hey, we all say that. I don't recommend this approach.---> "DUDE, I So want To BASE jump!!!!

Seriously though, read the article for starters. BASE is a lot of fun. When things go well it's great. When it doesn't go well, it's no fun at all.

First jump courses are available nowadays so take advantage of one if you can.

Good luck!

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[douggie 0]

Nah....Just get a couple more skydives then borrow a friends bird suit and jump it off a tower. More delay=more safe. You will be just fine.

[hookitt 0]

Quote

Nah....Just get a couple more skydives then borrow a friends bird suit and jump it off a tower. More delay=more safe. You will be just fine.

...or just do that... yeah

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[Zennie 0]

Quote

I don't recommend this approach.--- "DUDE, I So want To BASE jump!

Or even worse... "I'm not sure I want to get serious, but I'd like to try it at least once. Could you take me to an antenna and help me make a jump? And do I really need BASE gear? Can't I just modify my skydiving stuff?"

I've gotten this a few times now.

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[base311 0]

LOL no doubt....

Hey man the thing that always wins my heart is someone who is always in my face asking questions - and who actually comes across like someone who really wants to get on with it. I generally find that, if someone is willing and able to get up at 4 am on sunday morning, climbs 300'+ without too much complaint.. . knows how to pack and is ready to ask questions (and actually hear the answers) at any given moment... I'm all for it.

No spoon feeding. At all. Want some? Get some.

Luv and motivation,
Gardner

[Faber 0]

Quote

Quote
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I don't recommend this approach.--- "DUDE, I So want To BASE jump!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Or even worse... "I'm not sure I want to get serious, but I'd like to try it at least once. Could you take me to an antenna and help me make a jump? And do I really need BASE gear? Can't I just modify my skydiving stuff?"

I've gotten this a few times now.

i will ask you the same,however i dont have skydive gear anymore,but i could bring both my rigs(that means after sept.)if the 2 canopyes will let you feel more safe

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[Treejumps 0]

If you are willing to ground crew, and to bring beer, liquor, and other party goodies, eventually your mentor will be too fucked up to jump, and you can take his (of her) packed rig and make the jump. This has worked very effectively for some of our newer jumpers. You won't even neeed to know how to pack with this method. Remember, bribes won't get you everywhere, but they will get you far.

Cya.

[pullhigh 0]

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to bring liqour into this thread... lol

Ganja

[peterk 0]

I think the thing to remember with experienced BASE jumpers at a DZ is that they see BASE and skydiving as very different things. But, a couple of things that I would recommend:

- Don't go up to them and say that you want to try BASE, that you heard about a really tall antenna, so it shouldn't be any worse than a low, fixed-object skydive.

- GET A RIG!!! Tons of people at the DZ that know that I BASE jump come up to me and ask me to get them into BASE. Nobody is going to get you into BASE, and you are asking for someone (if you are asking how to ask BASE jumpers to take you out, you probably aren't buddies with them already) to take you out and have them take responsibility for everything that you are going to do, and everything that you will do in the near future. Simply, everyone wants to "try" BASE, but when you have a rig, it shows that you are serious, and that you put the thought into BASE enough that you shelled out some hard-earned cash, that you could have easily spent somewhere else to get a rig...

- The one thing that I am certain about is that when I think about my first jump, I smile. Start talking to them like they are a normal person, instead of the superman that they are, and you will become, and ask them how they got into BASE, what was their first jump was like, ask what kind of gear they like, etc... People respond much better when they get to talk about themselves, instead of having to hear about how you can't think about anything but BASE, but don't have a BASE rig because you are broke, but are also spending $250 a weekend on jump tickets...

- Offer to groundcrew. You'll find out how much you want to jump when you have to leave your house at 1am to get 3 seconds of freefall from the local A, 85 miles each way, and then go to work and not act tired. It isn't all fun and games... But most importantly, when you are stuck in a car for an hour and a half each way, with jumpers getting excited about the jump, and all they can think about is BASE, it is a good time to talk to them and ask your questions then.

- Read and read and read about BASE... Not just what a tailgate is, why it works, or what kind of setup and delay you would take from 200, 400, 700, 1000, and 2000 feet, and anywhere in between. And why there isn't a good answer for any of the above since every object is different, landing areas, wires, streets, etc... Do you know how many people have already died in BASE, how many people get hurt, and what are some of the primary causes? Its all here on the internet, you can learn it and quench the thirst that you claim to have. Satisfy it by reading and reading. I bet you can't make it to the end of every post on here, and dz.com isn't the best internet resource for BASE knowledge.

The more you know, the more respect and "realness" you will present to this experienced jumper, and I'm sure he will take that into account. I think there is a fundamental flaw, and its only semantics, but you can't ask what are experienced jumpers looking for in their new students. They aren't. 200 jumps is just a suggestion, and you will find that it isn't that people are trying to keep you out with less. If you start with 300, you won't regret waiting another 100. I wanted to BASE since I got on the first plane, but had over 450 before I did my first fixed object. I didn't regret waiting...

There are tons of articles to read on here about what canopy size to get. Maybe you should already know it. What if this experience jumper asks you what kind of canopy you are going to get, and you just start studdering? BASE isn't a derivative of skydiving- it is it's own craziness, with very different gear and techniques. And it is just a tad bit dangerous. You owe it to yourself and everyone that loves you to prepare for it as completely as possible before you take that first leap...

Ok, I'm out. I just got put on nights at work, there is nothing to do here, I've already packed my rig... Damn, I love BASE...

---------------
Peter
BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

[BASE813 0]

your obviously not that bothered seeing as you are in the UK and I sent a PM that you did not respond to......................


good luck...............

[Skinflicka 0]

Quote

Basically my question revolves around the difficulty in establishing a relationship between an experienced BASE jumper without sounding like a complete whuffo, or a time waster, whilst at the same time not alienating oneself from the rest of the dropzone. How does one do this?

Begin by gettin' your narrow little ass off the fence and make a commitment. If you want it bad enough, it'll happen. You'll make sure of that.

Good luck, Jedi.

PS Obi Wan...the force is meek and crap in this one.

$kin.

Prizes to anyone who gets to read my posts before Mr Aiello's son, Tom deletes them.

[peterk 0]

I really, really, really want to BASE jump. Can you drive me to the A, my car is broke. And I don't know how to pack, can you do that for me too? Oh, I get scared easily, can you do something about that too? I wasn't like this, was I? Hehe

---------------
Peter
BASE - The Ultimate Victimless Crime

[pullhigh 0]

Quote

I really, really, really want to BASE jump. Can you drive me to the A, my car is broke. And I don't know how to pack, can you do that for me too? Oh, I get scared easily, can you do something about that too? I wasn't like this, was I? Hehe

Gee, are they going to start asking for piggy back rides to the top of the tower too? Or maybe they'll opnly want you to take them to a tower with an elevator...

If I can climb my fat ass up an object, any of those whiners can do it. I might be slow, and hold the group up a little, but I can get there.

Ganja

[BASE813 0]

Quote

Begin by gettin' your narrow little ass off the fence and make a commitment. If you want it bad enough, it'll happen. You'll make sure of that.

Good luck, Jedi.

sometimes you need someone to help you make the commitment.............. sometimes you need someone to make you realise you want it so bad.................. dont be like all the others who say "I want to..........." ........... if you want it bad enough you will do anything to make it happen......


I have you Rim Licker to thank for getting my undecided arse up and actioning it!!! - not sure if you did it intentially, but you are the single person I thank for getting me to make it happen!!!


oh apart from myself of course! ........... you did not end up with the £5000 ($7500) debt it landed me in!!!

[Skinflicka 0]

You already knew what you needed to know about yourself to do this, Mac. You just hadn't straightened your thoughts out.

I didn't convince you or try to temp you into BASE. I just repeated what you already knew. You were just prompted to make a decision to act.

None of this was really my doing. You just remember our conversation as being at the same time the balance tipped. It was all you...same as it is with anyone else.

BASE is free but noone is going to hand it to you. Think of it like picking apples. If you're hungry enough, you'll start climbing the tree...

Philosophically yours,

$kin.

Prizes to anyone who gets to read my posts before Mr Aiello's son, Tom deletes them.

[kingmonkey 0]

Ok guys, firstly some apologies.

Number one

Posing a rhetorical question about BASE b4 it is actually relevant

Secondly

For not responding promptly. Ive been off line due to a BT fault.

Lastly thanks for the intelligent replies from everybody especially the pms i got and the specifics i go tfrom peterk and base813.

Basically i probably fall into all of the above stereotypes concerning early BASERs so yes i will keep my gob shut until necessary.