How deep can you theoretically go on single tank?

[Diver Dennis]

We used AL80's and my starting pressure was just over 3000PSI.

 

[Hank49]

I know it's not wise, but in my wilder years.....I've done over 60 dives to more than 60 meters on a single tank 80. You get narced pretty heavy. A friend of mine went to 100 meters. It's dumb though and I'd be hesitant to do it again.

 

[lamont]

here's what v-planner spits out for 5 mins @ 200 fsw and bottom SAC of 0.75 and deco SAC of 0.60:

V-Planner 3.61 by R. Hemingway, VPM code by Erik C. Baker.

Decompression model: VPM - B

DIVE PLAN
Surface interval = 5 day 0 hr 0 min.
Elevation = 0ft
Conservatism = + 2

Dec to 200ft (3) Air 60ft/min descent.
Level 200ft 4:40 (8) Air 1.48 ppO2, 200ft ead
Asc to 50ft (13) Air -30ft/min ascent.
Stop at 50ft 2:00 (15) Air 0.53 ppO2, 50ft ead
Stop at 40ft 2:00 (17) Air 0.46 ppO2, 40ft ead
Stop at 30ft 2:00 (19) Air 0.40 ppO2, 30ft ead
Stop at 20ft 4:00 (23) Air 0.34 ppO2, 20ft ead
Stop at 10ft 6:00 (29) Air 0.27 ppO2, 10ft ead
Surface (29) Air -30ft/min ascent.

Off gassing starts at 96.4ft

OTU's this dive: 16
CNS Total: 7.0%

70.3 cu ft Air
70.3 cu ft TOTAL

Personally, I think that 100fsw+ on AL80s is stupid. Anything goes wrong that deep and the clock is ticking faster than what your gas reserves are...

for example, stay at 200 fsw for another 10 minutes and this happens:

V-Planner 3.61 by R. Hemingway, VPM code by Erik C. Baker.

Decompression model: VPM - B

DIVE PLAN
Surface interval = 5 day 0 hr 0 min.
Elevation = 0ft
Conservatism = + 2

Dec to 200ft (3) Air 60ft/min descent.
Level 200ft 14:40 (18) Air 1.48 ppO2, 200ft ead
Asc to 110ft (21) Air -30ft/min ascent.
Stop at 100ft 2:00 (23) Air 0.85 ppO2, 100ft ead
Stop at 90ft 1:00 (24) Air 0.78 ppO2, 90ft ead
Stop at 80ft 2:00 (26) Air 0.72 ppO2, 80ft ead
Stop at 70ft 3:00 (29) Air 0.65 ppO2, 70ft ead
Stop at 60ft 3:00 (32) Air 0.59 ppO2, 60ft ead
Stop at 50ft 4:00 (36) Air 0.53 ppO2, 50ft ead
Stop at 40ft 6:00 (42) Air 0.46 ppO2, 40ft ead
Stop at 30ft 9:00 (51) Air 0.40 ppO2, 30ft ead
Stop at 20ft 13:00 (64) Air 0.34 ppO2, 20ft ead
Stop at 10ft 23:00 (87) Air 0.27 ppO2, 10ft ead
Surface (87) Air -30ft/min ascent.

Off gassing starts at 134.9ft

OTU's this dive: 38
CNS Total: 16.6%

177.5 cu ft Air
177.5 cu ft TOTAL

bent or drowned, take your pick.

 

[ClevelandDiver]

FYI - posting this strictly to answer the original question, not as a suggestion of what is realistically or safely attainable for the average diver.

Bret Gilliam did a bounce dive on air to 452 feet using a single 100cf tank in 1989. He trained very intensively for over a year to prepare himself, including at least 100 dives over 300 feet deep. Obviously VERY dangerous and not recommended for anyone without massive amounts of training and a full support team. I believe this one of the deepest single tank dives anyone has actually done.

 

[Diver0001]

FYI - posting this strictly to answer the original question, not as a suggestion of what is realistically or safely attainable for the average diver.

Bret Gilliam did a bounce dive on air to 452 feet using a single 100cf tank in 1989. He trained very intensively for over a year to prepare himself, including at least 100 dives over 300 feet deep. Obviously VERY dangerous and not recommended for anyone without massive amounts of training and a full support team. I believe this one of the deepest single tank dives anyone has actually done.

Mark Andrews did one to 513ft. Damned psycho. He'll be the next one going for the deep trimix record.

R..

 

[MikeC]

ClevelandDiver, I remember an article back around '94-'96 that involved Mr. Gilliam again where he and a group of other divers, maybe five divers, did a deep air dive to around that depth. The writer of the article, one of the divers, told of trying to slow his descent by grabbing the descent line, actually a cable, and getting fish hooks in his hands. I wish I remember which publication it was.

 

[Soggy]

On June 12th I did a bounce dive to 207' with a commercial diver friend.

Why?

 

[ClevelandDiver]

ClevelandDiver, I remember an article back around '94-'96 that involved Mr. Gilliam again where he and a group of other divers, maybe five divers, did a deep air dive to around that depth. The writer of the article, one of the divers, told of trying to slow his descent by grabbing the descent line, actually a cable, and getting fish hooks in his hands. I wish I remember which publication it was.

Ouch! I had one break off in my thumb as a kid when my fishing buddy tripped over the line I was baiting. No fun at all.

 

[ClevelandDiver]

Mark Andrews did one to 513ft. Damned psycho. He'll be the next one going for the deep trimix record.

R..

With a single tank?

 

[randy54]

Any real determined diver can always make it to the bottom, no matter how far down that is. I thinks I've met a couple of them, that one day just may try. Thank god their not my dive buddies.