New Diver, Questions about new gear and what to get

[DTB1981]

Having a compass is good. If your depth gauge is sticking I'd definitely do something about that.

I dont know if it is sticking or what. I won't show any thing tell I hit 20 to 30 ft it has an ajustment on the side but if I move it, the gauge is off at the 50ft. but If I leave it alone it is ok after 30 ft. I checked it with my buddy. But I want to get a smaller set too and one that has a spot to clip it. What type of set up would you recomend?

 

[spectrum]

The Brut breaths vary well. The octo was just rebuilt. I was looking at the console because my gauges are a little big and the depth gauge sticks tell I get to 20 ft. After reading all the responses I may just get a new set of gauges with a compass. The weight belt seems to be better the last time I went out. I think it was stretching the first couple of times. I was having trouble with it moving around. But I think it will be ok now. So what do you suggest I get? Or just leave it alone?

Derrick

That gauge needs to go. I have the Genesis console with Depth (200'?), 5000 PSI SPG, Compass and Temp. I think you can find them for less than $150. online maybe a little more at a LDS. Again you could read all day about where to position these instruments. I chose to keep them consolidated and like it so far.

Pete

 

[DTB1981]

At my LDS it seem like there prices are lower than online. They have Tusa and scuba pro.

 

[WellBelowH2O]

If you're doing simple dives or you know the depth and times of a single prior dive you can still plan a second on tables.

I agree that if you're doing multiple 3,4 even 5 or more dives a day like on a vacation and the computer crashes you're a lost cause for 24 hours.

My main point was referring to the repetitive dives where you've built up nitrogen and don't know how to correspond that w/ tables--diving you might do on a trip, not necessarily a day with 2 tanks. If I'm diving on the weekend and I get blown out for a second dive, it's not the end of the world. If I've paid a few grand to be diving for a week and lose a day, that's a different story.

Still, even with simple dives you can have trouble going to tables. Using NAUI tables, if I did a 55 minute dive using a computer with a max depth of 90' (even if it was only for a minute or two), what letter group do I use to calculate my sit so I can see where I am for a repetitive dive? I've already blown out the NDL on the dive by 30 minutes. I think it's more challenging than you might be thinking.

 

[spectrum]

My main point was referring to the repetitive dives where you've built up nitrogen and don't know how to correspond that w/ tables--diving you might do on a trip, not necessarily a day with 2 tanks. If I'm diving on the weekend and I get blown out for a second dive, it's not the end of the world. If I've paid a few grand to be diving for a week and lose a day, that's a different story.

Still, even with simple dives you can have trouble going to tables. Using NAUI tables, if I did a 55 minute dive using a computer with a max depth of 90' (even if it was only for a minute or two), what letter group do I use to calculate my sit so I can see where I am for a repetitive dive? I've already blown out the NDL on the dive by 30 minutes. I think it's more challenging than you might be thinking.

I think we're on the same page and I agree fully with your point that when switching to tables you end up going with time and max dept leading to a plan that may be much more conservative or even prohibitive compared to your computer.

I already spoke to the vacation failure crisis and we also agree there.

Pete

 

[DTB1981]

Most of my diving shore diving and on the weekend it can be up to 4 a day two tanks at two locations about 4 or 5 hours separating the locations due to drive time, getting something to eat, maybe a air fill (if we don’t rent extra tanks). We dive to about 50ft but sometimes break into the 60 category on the dive chart but with a alum 80 it is almost imposable to break the NDL. So the computer could only decrease the surface interval and not increase bottom time. So is the computer worth it for me or is it “distracting gadget”? It may allow a couple of extra dives during the weekend. But we never do more than one dive a day during the week.

Derrick

 

[Xanthro]

...with a alum 80 it is almost imposable to break the NDL. So the computer could only decrease the surface interval and not increase bottom time. So is the computer worth it for me or is it “distracting gadget”? It may allow a couple of extra dives during the weekend. But we never do more than one dive a day during the week.

I'd hold off on a computer for that very reason. Newer divers simply don't have the breathing rate to hit NDL limits. You'll be there soon enough, but the first couple of months your breathing will really improve.

Just concentrate on having fun, enjoying diving, and after your dives think of what would make the dive more enjoyable. Do you have a dive light? Things like that. Little improvements in gear, such as clipping it all close to your body, really improve your dive.

Some people on the board are not computer fans, I like them, but you need to learn the tables. Getting your tables down makes it easier to PLAN your dives in the future.

Good luck and welcome to the dive community.