Do you carry tables with you underwater...why?

[Jeff Toorish]

I do carry tables on technical dives, for example when I'm using a rebreather at greater than recreational depths. That gives me a back up if both my computers die and I have to bail out.

On other techincal dive I might carry tables, just depends.

 

[drbill]

No... if I did, I might have to take chairs down too.

Seriously, no I don't. Other than for cert courses I haven't used tables in about 40 years. My diving is pretty routine and I know my profiles pretty well by now (except the ones I've forgotten thanks to early Old Timers). I do dive with dual computers (well, in addition to the one in my head). If I were doing technical diving I would undoubtedly carry hanbdwritten ones, but I've become a pretty shallow guy lately.

 

[gcbryan]

Gray -- No, I don't think you are misreading the posts but I do sometimes wonder how true they are. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I believe the time spent on "learning the tables" is time pretty much wasted -- NOT because learning about decompression is not worth the time (it is) but because spending the time on the tables doesn't really teach that much about decompression. (Not to mention that decompression is NOT that much of a problem for the new OW diver -- but I digress.)

I think the tables are stupid. (He writes after spending several hours this afternoon working with two students on table problems!)

I agree with this. If all the time spent teaching and doing table problems for the cert only to be never used again was spent on learning basic deco principles instead it would be far to the better. Learning basic deco can be used just as easily to stay out of deco as to deal with the obligation.

I see that an argument for learning tables is that we shouldn't blindly follow a computer (true) but blindly following a table isn't much better (especially if used incorrectly). Better to use either a computer or a table to confirm what you already know (more or less). Much the same concept as looking at your spg to confirm what you already know (or to confirm a leak or some other exceptional situation).

 

[Teamcasa]

Frankly I don't dive in situations where having a set of tables with me on the dive would help. Besides, the 120 rule is just not that hard to remember.

Unless of course I'm narced out of my mind but in that case I would not want to be bothered anyway!

 

[ItsBruce]

I can work my tables just fine. With the I can impress the heck out of non-divers and students. I used to carry tables with me, but finally concluded that they would not benefit me and were just unnecessary gear.

I do not do deco dives, period. If I do a deco dive, its because something has gone terribly wrong and I'm not coming back. Thus, if my computer fails, the dive is over and I will simply call the dive. Of course, since I don't do deco dives, all I've done is shorten the dive. Beyond all of this, I dive AL80s and for most depths, I run out of gas before I run out of NDL time. Therefore, carrying tables in the water is like carrying unnecessary baggage.

 

[Garrobo]

THE 120 RULE? Does that mean that from now on my dives to 120 feet will only let me stay down for one minute? What then at 130?

 

[Cave Bum]

I read posts every now and then when it's mentioned that someone carries recreational dive tables with them underwater. Why?

In some cases the reason mentioned is in case the computer fails. If this happens so does the time and depth function and having the table will not resolve that.

Maybe they carry a separate time and depth gauge but then you don't know what letter group you are in or were in before the dive if you've been using a computer.

Maybe I'm misreading the posts...entirely possible!

Yes, I carry backup tables but, as stated above by others, I wouldn't call them recreational. I have IANTD tables for 32%, which is what I usually dive, and those tables include deco. I also use a backup timer/depth gage, a Casio DEP-610. In technical diving, which is what I mostly do, you usually have a backup for everything and this is the backup to my computer.

On one 200 foot dive I had the computer I was using go belly up at my maximum penetration of 25 minutes and 1500 feet back in a cave and ended up exiting on my backup tables (custom cut using Deco Planner in that case) and backup timer. It worked just fine, however I also had another diver with me who was on a Dive Rite HE and I stayed below him on each on our deco stops.

 

[Garrobo]

I dive with a Mares computer in the console and an Oceanic wrist computer as a backup though most dives I could keep track of with a depth gauge and a watch. I just like the dorky feeling of having two computers, a compass, sausage safety pack, extra mask and a snorkle hanging off my gear. Some day, when I get up the nerve, I will start dragging along a pony tank too like the real Dorks.

 

[Cave Bum]

No... if I did, I might have to take chairs down too.

Seriously, no I don't. Other than for cert courses I haven't used tables in about 40 years. My diving is pretty routine and I know my profiles pretty well by now (except the ones I've forgotten thanks to early Old Timers). I do dive with dual computers (well, in addition to the one in my head). If I were doing technical diving I would undoubtedly carry hanbdwritten ones, but I've become a pretty shallow guy lately.

Thanks, drbill! I about fell off my chair I was laughing so hard. Loved the humor and the double entendre.

 

[BabyDuck]

yes. because my cave instructor want me to in class, and i haven't taken them out of my pocket.