Diving: the future

[Rhone Man]

I went diving the other day with an old friend who hadn't had a tank on for about 20 years. The dive went great, but I remember beforehand thinking about what I had to tell him about that had changed in diving since 20 years ago, and the answer was "not a lot". Fins and masks are better quality these days, but they are still fins and masks. Weight belts have not advanced significantly. Computers are new, but for a single tank dive in shallow water I think I failed to adequately convince him of the upside. Same with safety stops. Tanks are the same. Regulators work better, but are still the same. BCDs continue to evolve (don't see too many horse collars these days). Nitrox is "new", but again, that didn't feature in our dive.

It got me wondering two unrelated thoughts: First, in 2030, will we see weird retro "vintage" divers who insist on using jacket-style BCDs and analogue depth gauges? Second, what will mainstream recreational divers all be diving with as standard in 2030 that is not standard today (by "standard" I mean down in the PADI open water manual under 'dive equipment')?

 

[Garrobo]

I doubt that there will be much of a change in equipment except that maybe they might come up with some lighter plastics which could bring on smaller diameter thus lighter weight hoses. I think they've run the course on metals weight. If we are able to keep the government's nose out of our sport there shouldn't be any really mandatory rulings about safety since scuba is about as safe as it's going to get. If the manufacturers and LDS's have anythig to do with it there will be an ever-increasing issue of forced use of the products which they sell, like the BCD. Collusion between these two groups, to make it mandatory to use this product, has helped keep them alive (for the time being).

 

[victor]

Reliable electronic sensors, and standardised easy to use cartridge design for scrubber, are essential for the introduction of re-breathers into everyday diving.
If / when these ecome available and the computers give a high level of automation then re-breathers will become the standard. Why, so much lighter, no bubbles, extended dive times. Only the dive operations will be upset as they won't be able to keep the dives to under an hour.

 

[TSandM]

It does seem as though some kind of rebreather is the most likely major change. All the problems associated with rebreathers are amenable to solution, if there is enough potential profit to be made. Right now, the market is too small to motivate most of the big companies, but the new Poseidon rebreather is a step in that direction. Rebreathers actually make more sense, in some ways, for recreational divers than for technical divers, since the bailout requirements are so much smaller.

Many of the other items in the poll have to do with electronics, and the issues around electronics in salt water are basic physics, and unlikely to change much.

 

[Karel26]

Intresting post. . You made me think a bit Rhone. .
I geuss i can just wait and see what will happen that
by that time. .

Live to dive and dive to live. . . . :burnout:

 

[Buoyant1]

Oh I'm sure that rebreathers will be the norm! Imagine basic OW classes full of people using them!

It's all technology anymore...the more things get refined, and easier to operate, the cheaper they become, and the more people will own them! Technology seems to improve exponentially, so in 20 years it will all be a lot crazier than you can imagine!

I can also see dive sites that have self contained units; rebreather, scooter with GPS that you can program to take you from "a-z" without thinking, making compasses, and navigation a thing of the past!

 

[BDSC]

People will have stopped diving by 2030. There will be nothing left to see because the Lion Fish will have eaten everything!

 

[Walter]

Where's the "none of the above box?"

Rebreathers - rebreathers have been around longer than open circuit. There's no reason to believe they will become standard.

Sidemounted tanks - the future will likely see folks looking for easier options. Lots of people are lazy. Side mount will stay, but they won't become standard. They will continue to be rare.

Long hoses - Long hoses are great in overheads with narrow passages. There is no other advantage to them. Diving education, in general, will continue to decline. When assisting an OOA diver, you'll need to hold them close and keep eye contact (the best option today as well). A long hose is not necessary.

BP/W - BP/wing will become more common as more of them as screwed up with padding and cummerbuns, but they won't be standard.

Carbon fibre tanks - Possibly, but not likely. I do believe we will see higher pressure, smaller, lighter bottles become standard. Maybe even in the next 20 years.

HUD dive computers - Possibly - if it becomes an attachment to any mask. The current concept of a computer in the mask will not be standard until the price is very low.

Wireless SPGs - What's the advantage? I don't see it becoming standard.

DIN valves - If we see higher pressures, yes, but it might not be in the next 20 years.

Helitrox - Nope.

Underwater talking devices - They've been around for a long time. There's no reason to think they'll become more popular in the next 20 years.

Underwater GPS - If they are cheap and easy to use, possibly, but I doubt they'll become standard.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

People will have stopped diving by 2030. There will be nothing left to see because the Lion Fish will have eaten everything!

I dunno about the Lion Fish, but between runoff, industrial pollution and overharvesting, you might be right that there will be nothing left to look at ... or at least little enough to make the investment worthwhile.

I think you'll see some evolution in methods, configurations and materials ... but nothing groundbreaking or radically different. I think rebreathers will be far more common, but perhaps not the standard ... not unless they find a way to make them "foolproof" ... otherwise the consequences of gear neglect will take a toll.

Otherwise things will remain the same ...

- everyone will have strong opinions about gear configurations they've never tried
- divers will continue to know everything at 50 dives and very little at 500
- the Internet will still be the best place to get misinformation about scuba diving
- equipment manufacturers will continue producing expensive solutions to non-existant problems
- your local dive shop will still be resisting ... and complaining about ... internet sales

Meanwhile, those who just want to dive will still be going about their business, having fun in the way they best see fit.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[RJP]

People will have stopped diving by 2030. There will be nothing left to see because the Lion Fish will have eaten everything!

Think of all the new dive sites created by the rise in sea level due to global warming and melting of the polar ice caps...how cool will it be to dive downtown Manhattan!