How to plan second dive of the day using a computer

[beaverdivers]

This lack of understanding of dive computers by new divers is the exact reason why we started teaching dive computers in our beginning SCUBA courses 15 years ago.

The benefit is the new diver will know how his dive computer works, what to do if it goes into deco and how to react if it fails.

 

[Ste Wart]

All that's needed is to remove the 'ascent time' and replace it with the instruction to 'ascend now'. Reach your stop, and it gives you 'mandatory stop' and a count-down.

:thumbs_up:

Might be worth an e-mail to Suunto.

 

[DevonDiver]

That's what I draw on the board in my classes - an hour-glass with depth on one side and time on the other.

That's a great solution... for the motivated, contentious instructor. What about all the drones who just hand over an OW manual and say "fill out the knowledge reviews before tomorrow"? My initial point on computers/deco was that PADI et al were abdicating the responsibility for teaching this... either to the improvising instructor, the student with their manual... or the 'online computer training' sites.

 

[fjpatrum]

I can't look at that with anything but instructor eyes though. If I see ceiling my mind says limit. Will the average diver figure this out? I would have to say yes, we are all aware that a ceiling is limit.



What is a recreational computer?

As for the alarms do we want; GET TO 3m NOW!!!!!!!!!

or: Hey, buddy extended safety stop




Not unrealistic. Ascent time is an odd phrase, 'ceiling' is much more obvious.


I have had one instance where, out of a father and daughter buddy pair, the daughter had omitted a deco stop and locked the computer. But then this was a case of just following daddy to the surface rather than reading her own computer. If you don't even look at the computer then it doesn't matter what is it telling you.

I've read two computer manuals (both Oceanic) cover to cover a couple of times now. I'm a new "recreational" diver not trained in anything but the most basic "accidental deco" procedures. I would have no idea what "ceiling" means on that computer without having read this thread.

Thank you both. Now I have to figure out what my computer will actually like like in such a circumstance... or better yet, not ever put myself into such a circumstance.

Personally I'd like to see something that says "DECO- x min @ 15' " or something like that... no ambiguity there, in my opinion.

 

[cwhite6]

When I took my OW last year, it was thru SSI. We covered quite a lot on tables and barely anything on computers. We had to plan two and three dive days and multiple days for the instructor and then he went over the info again. He did mention going into deco on a computer and how to react. He told us that when we buy a dive computer, to bring it into the store and he will help us get familiar with it. I think his way was wonderful. I had a very thorough (for a OW diver) knowledge of the tables and he volunteered to help us with our computers when we bought one.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

The responsibility of learning how a dive computer functions rests solely with the diver in question.
I didn't need to take a formal class to come to the realization that I must read the computer manual prior to diving with the computer.
I didn't need to take a formal class to come to the realization that I must understand exactly what my computer was instructing me to do in a deco situation.

Divers should only dive with a particular dive computer once they understand how to use it.
This is just common sense, isn't it?

On a related note, I suspect that many divers who rent gear make lots of mistakes even before they leave the dive shop with the rented gear.
They don't ask how to operate the dive computer.
They don't perform comprehensive functional tests on the reg setup.
They don't perform comprehensive functional tests on the BCD.
They don't check the current pressure of the tank.
Sad and potentially scary. Perhaps instructors should emphasize this sort of pre-dive prep in basic OW class since newly certified divers often find themselves renting gear.

 

[Hawkwood]

That's a great solution... for the motivated, contentious instructor. What about all the drones who just hand over an OW manual and say "fill out the knowledge reviews before tomorrow"? My initial point on computers/deco was that PADI et al were abdicating the responsibility for teaching this... either to the improvising instructor, the student with their manual... or the 'online computer training' sites.

Ha! You know I don't know how to answer that. Our shop teaches the computer option only. I try to make sure that the students leave understanding what computers show and how to interpret the info. When I assisted as a DM and when I went through my IDC, that was all part of what I learned and observed. I also learned what it meant to be an instructor - my mentors were (and still are) motivated and conscientious.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

...my mentors were (and still are) motivated and contentious.

That's unfortunate. Although argument may be incorporated into the learning process, I wouldn't consider it a requirement.

 

[Ste Wart]

That's unfortunate. Although argument may be incorporated into the learnng process, I wouldn't consider it a requirement.

But put 2 or more instructors in a room, it invariably turns into a p*ssing contest. As most threads will no doubt support

 

[Hawkwood]

Bubbletrubble,

Thanks for pointing out the mistake...crap it even took me a second to figure it out. Changes the meaning completely doesn't it?