SAC Rates

[Rhone Man]

I think some people in the surveys might be stretching the truth a little. 0.5 cf/min is a good SAC rate, not an average SAC rate. I suspect the real average based on how much gas my buddies have used on the same dives to be in the 0.6+ range. For new divers, the average could be 1.0 cf/min. Getting weighting and buoyancy under control will drop SAC significantly. I recall mine went from 1.0 to 0.8 instantly after I did a proper weight check and concentrated on staying neutral the entire dive. The improvement down to the 0.5 range was gradual as I became more comfortable in the water and learned to swim horizontally, streamline my gear, not use my hands to turn, etc. I frequently get below 0.5 now, but I would never plan on it.

I think it depends where you are and what you do. If you are in a drysuit, wearing a big steel tank and carrying 30 lbs of lead to boot, that takes effort no matter how good you are. If you are in the Caribbean diving in a T-shirt and shorts and wearing 6 lbs of lead and sitting watching the reef around you, getting under 0.5 isn't that hard for an experienced diver.

I am a fairly big guy, but in these conditions I have gotten my SAC as low as 0.38 (disclaimer: according to my Suunto). But as you say, I certainly don't plan on that...

 

[ReeferBen]

Likes been said it depends on conditions as well. I was just looking at my sons, who is 11 now. When we were in warm Caribbean waters this winter bottom temps were 78 F, he was averaging .40. The last few dives we did at home a few weeks ago had a bottom temp of 46 F and his SAC was averaging .58

For me I use a bigger tank and don't worry about it. I am sure mine is closer to .65 -.70 and I have been diving much longer then my 11 year old lol. I am overweight (6' 210 lbs), diving cold in a dry suit etc...but I am there to have fun and not worry about how much or how little air I use. This topic seems to come up a lot, and usually because someone is stressed that their dive buddy's are limited by them being an air hog, I say buy/rent a bigger tank. I know my LDS rents LP95's they fill to 3K. I own and use LP95's that they fill to 3K for me, while my son dives with an AL80, since he uses less gas then me, but I have much more, he still is the limiting factor on dive time.

 

[scubadiveilat]

For a beginner diver an SAC of 0.6 - 1.0 approx. is a reasonable consumption.

This depends on your

• Dive profile
• Buoyancy
• Depth
• Calm level

On your next dives do some experiments and try different profiles and dives. This is how you can compare your SAC and determine if it improved or not. As you become an experienced diver you'll improve your SAC. Its a fact.

Dive frequently and have fun......