Scared I Missed Safety Stop

[Freewillow]

TsandM "A safety stop may safely be omitted on almost all dives (except the ones with a "mandatory" safety stop, and how that's different from a decompression stop is something which has NEVER been clear to me)"


As you said, TSANDM, safety stops are just there for what you said: add some security to the whole thing. A deco stop is, of course, when you have gone past the NDL ( no deco limit ).

As I am sure you know, there are "safety" margins taken by all tables and computors. My computor is set on a "safety" margin of 20% on both saturation and desaturation from the Bühlmann (GH 16 ) model. So a Decostop mandated by my computor, may be considered as an additional safety measure for a more agressive diver.

Since we are working with a very large variety of divers, all tables are significant only on a statistical level. So the barrier between "safety" stop and "mandatory" stop is more a question of semantics than reality.

The only thing that one has to know is that most computors will accept omission of a safety stop, while they will "block" themselves for 48 hours if you miss a decostop

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Real dive computers won't lock you out.

 

[Pullnglide]

Real dive computers won't lock you out.

...+1

 

[TSandM]

I think the difference is probabilistic. A recreational dive with a safety stop has been calculated to have an acceptably low probability of DCS, even without the stop. A dive with a mandatory decompression stop has been calculated to have an unacceptable probability of DCS if the stop is omitted. Different models accept different probabilities of DCS; that number is never zero, unless you do not dive.

 

[Freewillow]

Real dive computers won't lock you out.

I do not know what computor brand you are using but most will block you for 24 to 48 hours if you finish your dive without complying with deco stops. Just to name one, that has been THE reference for many many years, the Uwatec Aladin Pro is one of them. I own another computor a Cressi leonardo and the same system applies

FYI, it is perfectly normal for a computor to not let you dive if it juges that you are at risk of DCS. And if you did not respect a deco obligation, you are in this category.

I am, of course, not talking about safety stops, but REAL deco stops

FIY also, I copy the instruction for use for the lates versions of Aladin. in this case the duration has been reduced to 24 hours:
Good reading:


SOS-mode:
Activation: automatically
If the diver remains above a depth of 1.2 metres for more than three minutes
without observing the prescribed decompression, the computer switches into SOSmode
after the dive and displays <SOS> instead of the depth. The computer is
locked for use for the next 24 hours. Desaturation is still calculated including
microbubbles in the tissues. Diving is again possible after 24 hours, but the SOSmode
can influence the calculations of Aladin® Pro for another three days after
the incident (microbubbles).

 

[decompression]

My preference is to have my divers not rely on a computer to tell them not to dive again for 24 hrs during a very expensive live aboard trip because you can't comprehend what it means to your body if you ascend without a stop at 15'........or went into deco.....or your battery dies......
A combination of a non-lockout computer and foundational knowledge of deco theory can be a wonderful tool.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wedivebc]

I do not know what computor brand you are using but most will block you for 24 to 48 hours if you finish your dive without complying with deco stops. Just to name one, that has been THE reference for many many years, the Uwatec Aladin Pro is one of them. I own another computor a Cressi leonardo and the same system applies

FYI, it is perfectly normal for a computor to not let you dive if it juges that you are at risk of DCS. And if you did not respect a deco obligation, you are in this category.

I am, of course, not talking about safety stops, but REAL deco stops

FIY also, I copy the instruction for use for the lates versions of Aladin. in this case the duration has been reduced to 24 hours:
Good reading:


SOS-mode:
Activation: automatically
If the diver remains above a depth of 1.2 metres for more than three minutes
without observing the prescribed decompression, the computer switches into SOSmode
after the dive and displays <SOS> instead of the depth. The computer is
locked for use for the next 24 hours. Desaturation is still calculated including
microbubbles in the tissues. Diving is again possible after 24 hours, but the SOSmode
can influence the calculations of Aladin® Pro for another three days after
the incident (microbubbles).

I think what Jim is referring to are there are some computers designed for NDL diving and there are computers designed for all types of diving including intentional deco. These computers will not lock you out and will allow you to assume whatever risk you feel inclined to assume. They are like "big boy computers"
Shearwater computers are designed in that way for instance.

 

[Freewillow]

I understands what he means. I regularly do deco dives and I have an OSTC that does not go blocked.

But my assumption is that most "recreational" computors would go into "blocked" or "gauge" mode if you violate any deco obligation. If I would be a lawyer of a company selling these computors, this is what I would strongly recommend, certainly in the US.

Please note that the subject was opened by a guy that was afraid to have "missed" a security stop that could have provoked a DCS and went for a successive dive during the same day

 

[Agility]

the OP seems to have left
I too do not understand why I was taught that the safety stop was mandatory on dives deeper than 30m.
Meanwhile I have understood that all these "rules" are only recommendations, and my divecomputer only shows depth and time and a statistical aproximation how long I can stay at my current depth without creating a virtual overhead environment

 

[Nemrod]

Today I went down 80 ft, and as we were going up I attempted to safety stop. Due to a combination of not enough weight and a BCD that was hard to release air, I somehow got to the surface without realizing it.

I went on a second dive an hour later to 60ft, and did a safety stop fine.

What is the likelihood I have dcs? I did not and do not feel any symptoms, other than a quiet ringing in my ear I had to today which is not abnormal for me. My joints feel perfect, no headache or anything.

You will be okay.

You realize that a safety stop is not required?

N