Air Hog Award

[dflybldr]

I think I may be up for an award! Since I had a computer starting from my very 1st OW dives I looked at my SAC and was quite surprised. They were all up over .7

Even the last two Nitrox dives. I thought they might be a little lower. I will have to go back and look so I can post the actual numbers, but I happened to think that I have the adjustment set all the way out on my MK25/S600 (max flow setting).

More air is better right? Maybe not. What criteria do I use to adjust the rate/flow for me? I think at this SAC my contraint will be available air. Maybe a lesson on "why we really breath" and how much volume/pressure is required is in order.

Thanks again for the input

 

[MarcG]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Your number isn't all that bad and your SAC will decrease with experience. This has very little to do with your regulator adjustment. Just get out an dive.

 

[GDI]

Relax, Most students and new divers have a SAc rate of 0.6 or higher to 0.8.

you may have the dial of death set opento much on your reg. You do not need to have air thrown back at you it is a waste. Set the control to closed and dial it open to the point where you feel you are breathing just fine with little to no resistance.

Also check your buoyancy and see if you trim out good and can drop some weight off. be lazy man and good luck

 

[Scuba Jerm]

I agree with MarcG. I still consider myself new to diving and I've seen improvement over the last few dives. You just need to experiance different situations, night dives, low vis situations, etc. More experiance = more comfort. More comfort = less air consumption. Have fun.

 

[lamont]

I think I may be up for an award! Since I had a computer starting from my very 1st OW dives I looked at my SAC and was quite surprised. They were all up over .7

first dive i took my sac rate on it was 1.1 cuft/min averaged over the whole dive. cold water, super-low soupy viz. recently my personal best is .45 -- just dive more often.

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

I drained 100cu/ft tanks in 20-30 minutes, when I first started... I was the ultimate air hog. Here are some things that have helped me:

1. Get your weighting correct. If you're diving with a half-inflated BC, you're going to dive like a brick.

2. Streamline your gear. Anything you can put in your BC pockets, do it. The less stuff you have flopping around and hanging off of you, the better.

3. It's not a competition to see who can jet around the reef the fastest. Slow down. Relax. Try to keep the image of yourself, lying on the couch, watching TV, as a picture of how you want to be breathing.

4. If you're out of breath when you first hit the water, from shrugging into and lugging your gear, if you're not in a current, STOP. Take the reg out of your mouth and just BREATHE until your breathing slows down. Remind yourself to RELAX.

5. Underwater, you're not going to be able to do anything FAST. It's not a race. It's recreation. Slow, smooth, and graceful is what you're striving for.

6. Stop using your arms and hands. Instead, pull your gauges/computer/octopus in towards your cumberbund, clasp your left wrist with your right hand, and just cruise.

7. Fin as little as possible. Experiment with different kicks until you can get the most glide out of each kick. (Personally, I like the frog-kick much better than the flutter kick.)

8. The more frequently you dive, the more relaxed you're going to be.

9. R E L A X . . .

 

[dflybldr]

Wow ......

NOW I REALLY WANT TO GO DIVING !!!!!!!!!!

Do you think my boss will stop by my desk and say "Hey, didn't you just get certified? Why aren't you out diving right now? Take a few days off and enjoy your new found obsession. You'll be so much more productive when you get back"

What? Huh? Oh, I just drifted off there for a second. Oh well' back to work so I can earn diving money.

 

[**ping**]

I started out with lasting 35 minutes on an AL 80 tank with 3000 psi at 35 fsw...

90 dives later I am diving with 10 lbs weight (full 3 mm wetsuit on a 230 lbs guy) and average out on 65 minutes on a 70 fsw gradual ascent dive. (and that was when I was still smoking like a chimney... haven't been diving since I quit 2 weeks ago)

It's all practice... relax, drop that weight, streamline yourself and enjoy the ride.