Kevin K:
Call me crazy, but wouldn't you be pushing it to stay down at that depth much longer?
Rookie Question about extending bottom time...
- Thread starter Kevin K
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Call me crazy, but wouldn't you be pushing it to stay down at that depth much longer?
Ice9: Nitrox times are longer:14:
CBulla and BerRabit: Thanks for sharing the details
Viktor: No harm done...
CBulla and BerRabit: Thanks for sharing the details
Viktor: No harm done...
DNK
Guest
Ice,
36% EAN
36% EAN
CBulla:Clarification is always key, but to be super clear here, I dive in tropical warm water and don't wear a wetsuit. If you want to see it in action, come dive with me and I'll show you
I have cold even with 3mm longies in Thailand! Brrrr
Maybe someday I will, planning next trip to Caribe maybe after 18months. Flying via Miami is an option
Sin clave hay no son:14:
Diveral
Contributor
You have been getting lots of interesting advice here. You have 2 main issues. !) is bottom time and 2 your diving conditions.
As for bottom time. There are several good ways to extend it. You are a fairly inexperienced diver. I would hold off on the doubles for a while. Lets address what usually causes divers higher air consumption:
1) Big guys tend to use more air than smaller folks so get larger tanks' 119's or 130's are nice.
2) New divers and young divers tend to swim far and fast. Slow down and smell the coffee. Take it nice slow and relaxed and your air consumption will improve.
3) Most new divers swim with very inefficient strokes. Work on your finning techniques and methods. Practice several different strokes and work on them until they are smooth and efficient. You will use less air that way.
4) Most newer divers are over weighted and badly trimmed. Work on diving with less weight and observe your posture in the water. Many divers dive with a heads up incline. This is inefficient and uses energy. Work on your trim and dive horizontally and glide through the water.
5) If you are like me and many others you are out of shape. Do aerobic type exercises several times a week and your respiration rate and efficiency will improve.
As far as your diving conditions. I hope you are leaving someone in that boat while you are diving. If you are diving from and unattended boat that far out you are asking for trouble.
AL
As for bottom time. There are several good ways to extend it. You are a fairly inexperienced diver. I would hold off on the doubles for a while. Lets address what usually causes divers higher air consumption:
1) Big guys tend to use more air than smaller folks so get larger tanks' 119's or 130's are nice.
2) New divers and young divers tend to swim far and fast. Slow down and smell the coffee. Take it nice slow and relaxed and your air consumption will improve.
3) Most new divers swim with very inefficient strokes. Work on your finning techniques and methods. Practice several different strokes and work on them until they are smooth and efficient. You will use less air that way.
4) Most newer divers are over weighted and badly trimmed. Work on diving with less weight and observe your posture in the water. Many divers dive with a heads up incline. This is inefficient and uses energy. Work on your trim and dive horizontally and glide through the water.
5) If you are like me and many others you are out of shape. Do aerobic type exercises several times a week and your respiration rate and efficiency will improve.
As far as your diving conditions. I hope you are leaving someone in that boat while you are diving. If you are diving from and unattended boat that far out you are asking for trouble.
AL
mislav::lol: Is that with or without that giant cross around your neck?
ps. j/k - I know it's not really you in the avatar.
:rofl: Ahhh yeah.... without! :rofl:
The first thing to practice is opening your wallet, taking all the money out and giving it away. When you can easily manage this skill you are ready to start training for doubles.Kevin K:
I agree with Diveral and have a few comments to add. First off, I hope you are not looking at your and your wifes air consumption as a competition. With very few exceptions woman usually have better air rates then men (I know, I hate this but I always look at my wife as a separate redundant air source when we dive together!). You mentioned that she is more experienced than you thats a BIG factor also.
Before you consider doubles you really should get a few more dives under your belt, and correct me if Im wrong, but by your posts, it appears that you are leaning this way. This will allow you time to improve your air consumption. As others have said, take it easy and take it slow. Also, do you know how to calculate your SAC rate, rock bottom, turn around time? If you dont, there are explanations of these terms on this board. Do a search and see what these terms mean. If you start calculating your SAC rate, youll start seeing an improvement with almost every dive. Youll have a solid number to compare your air consumption over time and not just psi and a hunch that your air consumption might be improving.
So, in summary, start working on improving your air consumption first then start thinking about how you want to dive AL80 may be enough, steel 120s or (I think even better) steel 130s, or some other configuration. But, at this stage of your diving, you dont have enough information to make this decision. To dive doubles at this time would be like putting a band aid the problem. Fix the problem (improved air consumption) then decide.
Before you consider doubles you really should get a few more dives under your belt, and correct me if Im wrong, but by your posts, it appears that you are leaning this way. This will allow you time to improve your air consumption. As others have said, take it easy and take it slow. Also, do you know how to calculate your SAC rate, rock bottom, turn around time? If you dont, there are explanations of these terms on this board. Do a search and see what these terms mean. If you start calculating your SAC rate, youll start seeing an improvement with almost every dive. Youll have a solid number to compare your air consumption over time and not just psi and a hunch that your air consumption might be improving.
So, in summary, start working on improving your air consumption first then start thinking about how you want to dive AL80 may be enough, steel 120s or (I think even better) steel 130s, or some other configuration. But, at this stage of your diving, you dont have enough information to make this decision. To dive doubles at this time would be like putting a band aid the problem. Fix the problem (improved air consumption) then decide.
m3830431
Contributor
If you wife is your buddy you should purchase whatever configuration that allows you to stay down the same amount of time as her.
I don't recall if you use twice as much air as her but if you need doubles get them and instructions. The other option is to buy her an al 72 and youself a steel 100 until you SAC rate improves.
I don't recall if you use twice as much air as her but if you need doubles get them and instructions. The other option is to buy her an al 72 and youself a steel 100 until you SAC rate improves.
ianr33
Contributor
Kevin K:
You could always just bring 2 tanks and do 2 dives.............
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