Non-technical dive-planning software?

[Gombessa]

I am not the "typical" recreational diver. I am very careful. I read about how meticulous technical divers are, and about the accidents that kill them. I try to be as careful as a tech diver, while always diving a profile that allows me to make a direct ascent at any time. This is my understanding of recreational diving.

Daniel, first of all, good for you for taking a safe approach to your dives!

Second, if this is true, it does leave me a bit confused by the statement to which I replied:

It's not cost that prevents me from tech diving. It's that I'm not a daredevil or an extreme sports man.

I'm not trying to be nitpicky, I just don't get how you're reconciling the two ideas.

Most new divers tend to be *very* careful because we haven't achieved an appreciable level of familiarity with the equipment, procedures and environment yet. Generally, between the 50-150 dive mark is when we acquire a level of comfort that lets some of us "slack off" a bit, and often that's when an incident pops up and bites us. After that, we start to see how little we actually know, and go back to being as careful as we were in our first 100 dives!

 

[jeckyll]

Gombessa: I don't think you should generalize that much. I don't think I did things between 50 and 150 dives that are more dangerous than what I did as a new diver and in thinking of other folks that I know and dive /dove with, no instances of what you describe would fit what I know about them and their diving.

Just my $0.02

 

[Gombessa]

I don't think I did things between 50 and 150 dives that are more dangerous than what I did as a new diver and in thinking of other folks that I know and dive /dove with, no instances of what you describe would fit what I know about them and their diving.

Hey Jeckyll,

I believe you. I'm in that range of dives myself and take a conscious effort not to become complacent or cut corners that I've been tempted to cut (only time will tell whether I can claim what you have).

I've just heard this story enough times from so many experienced divers I know and respect, to where I feel it would be beneficial to point out to beginning divers, especially to those who make a point of being atypically careful/meticulous themselves.

 

[jeckyll]

Hey Jeckyll,

I believe you. I'm in that range of dives myself and take a conscious effort not to become complacent or cut corners that I've been tempted to cut (only time will tell whether I can claim what you have).

I've just heard this story enough times from so many experienced divers I know and respect, to where I feel it would be beneficial to point out to beginning divers, especially to those who make a point of being atypically careful/meticulous themselves.

... and I didn't say it does not happen (perhaps even often), but from the post I'd quoted it sounded like _everyone_ got careless and I just haven't found that to be the case

 

[LavaSurfer]

Would folks suggest just learning to use vplanner, or is there an easier program for non-technical dive planning?

Daniel

Aside from tables, have you looked at the eRDPml ?
I have yet to use one but for what you need, it is probably more than enough. I think you can find them around $29 at various online shops. I looked at scubatoys.com and they did not have them listed.

The eRDPml is the electronic version of the wheel and allows for multilevel dive planning. unfortunately you cannot enter your sac rate so air requirements you have to calc yourself.

And, as an added bonus, you get the same numbers every time you run a calculation (that was me being sarcastic )

If someone already suggested it, forgive me, I only read about half the posts

 

[rstofer]

Most new divers tend to be *very* careful because we haven't achieved an appreciable level of familiarity with the equipment, procedures and environment yet. Generally, between the 50-150 dive mark is when we acquire a level of comfort that lets some of us "slack off" a bit, and often that's when an incident pops up and bites us. After that, we start to see how little we actually know, and go back to being as careful as we were in our first 100 dives!'

Sounds right to me! I blew a valve o-ring at 60' on a night dive in high current. It was my 100th dive!

I don't know if I did or didn't do something that caused the o-ring to fail. Perhaps it was random perversity. Maybe I didn't set up the reg correctly. Whatever, it was certainly a wake-up call!

I have a photo of me sitting on deck giving the world a one finger salute to commemorate the event. I dig it out every now and then just to remind myself that it is too easy to get complacent. Right around 100 dives...

Richard

 

[daniel1948]

A lot to reply to above:

rstofer: Thanks for the link to the eRDPML. I'm going to look into that. I'd have bought The Wheel when I first got certified, but the dive resort wanted something like $60 for one. I like gadgets, and the wheel would have been a fun gadget.

rjack321: I don't own a tank, because I have no interest in cold-water diving. Until now I've used AL80s, but I think the boat I'll be on next month uses steel 95s.

I don't know my surface consumption. But I'm a (slow) jogger, and in good condition for my age, so it's probably relatively good. On my last dive trip I'd say more than half the other divers surfaced before I had to.

I just got nitrox certified, but I've never yet dived nitrox. On the boat I'll be on next month, the most they'll do it EANx29, and they'll only guarantee to provide 26%, so it hardly seems worth it. I've been on a couple of dives (but only a couple, in Cozumel, second dive of the day) when I ran low on NDL time before I was too low on air. But next month, on the boat, I'll be doing more dives per day, though with longer SIs, so NDL time might be an issue. We'll see. I'm pretty relaxed, slow deep breathing.

jeckyll: Thanks for the suggestions.

Gombessa: I'm not sure what I said that seems hard to reconcile: As a safety-conscious diver, I'm not interested in technical diving, which is inherently more risky than no-stop diving. But I'll spend whatever I must to be as safe as I can.

Your comment about risk as a function of experience is good to keep in mind, and applies to any risky activity, from diving, to driving a car. Not everyone follows the pattern, but it is easy to become complacent after a certain amount of experience.

Daniel

Again, thanks for all the replies.

 

[rstofer]

I'd have bought The Wheel when I first got certified, but the dive resort wanted something like $60 for one. I like gadgets, and the wheel would have been a fun gadget.

The Wheel costs $40 here: Dive Planner - PADI Wheel PADI is replacing it with the eRDP-ML You may need to wait for it to come back in stock - if it ever does.

You can still find them at other online suppliers.

Richard

 

[RJP]

P.S. I just visited their registration page and I see that vplanner wants an $85 registration fee. I won't be going that route, when all I want is to play around a bit.

Is there a good free or inexpensive dive-planning program?

You only need to register if you are going to use mixes richer than 60%, otherwise it's fully functional. (Other than nagging you to register.)

 

[DwayneJ]

Your software choices are going to be limited unless you consider Mac, Windows, or DOS software. If Linux is your choice, run some virtualization software so that you can run your dive software in a virtual environment.

I'm a Mac fan and run VMware Fusion with several windows guests for corporate and personal use. I also running Sun OS and Ubuntu under VMware Fusion - Just for fun.