FAQ ScubaBoard's Dictionary for Divers

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ScubaBoard's Dictionary for Divers​


An ongoing project of ScubaBoard
Brief explanations of terms and jargon used by divers and mariners.
Please use "Report" to correct broken links, typos, or suggestions more definitions. ScubaBoard Staff will add new definitions and credit the member.

scu·ba·board wi·ki
/ˈsko͞obəbôrd wikē/
noun
  1. a work in progress to use the collective knowledge of ScubaBoard's members to help members.
  2. a website that allows collaborative editing of its content and structure by its users.
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Links to Posts​

Numerals, A, B, C, D, & E This post

F & G​

H & I​

J, K, L, & M​

N, O, & P​

Q & R​

S & T​

U, V, W, X, Y, & Z​



0-9​

Reserved for new definitions

A​


AEDU
Admiralty Experimental Diving Unit in the UK​
@Akimbo

Alfa or Alpha flag
:alphaflag: ICS standard flag meaning "I have a diver down; keep well clear at slow speed". Technically it is "Alfa", adopted by NATO phonetic alphabet
@Akimbo

ADCI
Association of Diving Contractors International, merged with IMCA (International Marine Contractors Association)​
@Akimbo

ADS or Newtsuit
Atmospheric Diving Suit, a one-atmosphere deep submersible with mechanically articulated arms​
@Akimbo

AGE
@Akimbo

Ambient Pressure (diving)
The pressure at the diver's current or anticipated depth​
@Akimbo

Anoxia (diving)
A condition of the body where no oxygen is present. Anoxia can occur if an individual stops breathing or breathes a gas mixture with no oxygen in it.​

AODC
Association of Offshore Diving Contractors​
@Akimbo

ATA
ATmospheres Absolute, a pressure measurement relative to a perfect vacuum​

ATIS (Nautical)
Automatic Transmitter Identification System is a marine VHF radio system that sends and receives vessel identity, speed & heading, position, and other relevant data. Received data is displayed with GPS location and digital charts that include yours and surrounding vessels. Satellite-AIS (S-AIS) is used on oceangoing ships.​
@Akimbo

ATM
  • 101.325 MPa
  • 1.01325 Bar
  • 14.6959 PSI
  • 760 mmHg
  • 10.06275861MSW
  • 33.0142999 FSW
@Akimbo

AUV
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle. AUVs are most often used for acoustic and magnetic surveying of the ocean floor. They differ from ROVs because they do not have umbilicals to the support vessel or human operators.​
@Akimbo

B​


Bailout Bottle
A HP cylinder used for backup breathing gas. The term is most commonly referring to umbilical supplied divers but can refer to Scuba divers.​
@Akimbo

Bar
The most common unit of Metric pressure used in diving. One Bar equals:​
  • 14.5038 PSI
  • 100 K Pascals
  • 0.986923 Standard Atmospheres
@Akimbo

Barotrauma
An injury that results when a change in ambient pressure affects an enclosed, gas-filled space, either in the body (example: the middle ear) or adjacent to it (example: the air space in a face mask or in a drysuit).​

BC
Buoyancy Compensator​
@Akimbo

BCD
Buoyancy Compensator Device​
@Akimbo

Beam (Nautical)
Widest dimension of a vessel​
@Akimbo

Bends or Bent
A colloquial term that is in popular use for Decompression Sickness. The name originated with a popular dance when the Brooklyn Bridge was under construction, the Grecian Bend.​
@Akimbo

Berth (Maritime)
Bunk or bed, but can also be where a large ship docks​
@Akimbo

BIBS
Built-in Breathing System in decompression chambers and diving bells for emergency and treatment gasses.​
@Akimbo

Bilge (Nautical)
The lowest inside part of a vessel's hull where water collects​
@Akimbo

Binnacle (Nautical)
Waist-high stand or housing for a compass on a vessel​
@Akimbo

Blowdown or Blowing Down
Pressurizing a diving chamber or bell, slang in commercial diving​
@Akimbo

Boat hook (Nautical)
A pole with a small hook on the end to help snag things in the water (gaff hooks are sharp and for snagging fish)​
@Akimbo

Bow (Nautical)
Forward end of a vessel​
@Akimbo

Bow, stern, and spring lines (Nautical)
Ropes that tie the vessel to the dock​
@Akimbo

BPR
Back Pressure Regulators maintain a set pressure in the sensed line and a lower pressure on the outlet​
@Akimbo

BP/W
BackPlate & Wing style BCD​
@Akimbo

BSAC
British Sub-Aqua Club, a dive club that is heavily involved with diver training and certification.​
@Akimbo

BUD/S
Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL, school for US Navy SEALs​
@Akimbo

Bulkhead (Nautical)
Partition wall on a vessel, may or may not be watertight​
@Akimbo

Bunk (Nautical)
Single bed, often stacked on a vessel. Navy sailors often call them racks​
@Akimbo

C​


CAGE
Cerebral Arterial Gas Embolism​

Caisson Gauge
Pressure gauge that measures ambient pressure relative to to one ATA (sea level), the exact opposite of normal pressure gauges. The pressure sensing mechanism is sealed at one ATA, typically the Bourdon tube or helicoid. Commonly used inside decompression chambers and calibrated in Feet or Meters of Sea Water.​
@Akimbo

Cal Gas
Gas of known percentages used to calibrate gas analyzers. Recreational divers will typically calibrate analyzers against air and sometimes pure Oxygen. Deep diving operations use laboratory certified gas mixtures with Oxygen and Helium in a range appropriate for their operating depth.​
@Akimbo

Cam Band
A webbing band used to attach the BCD and harness to a diving cylinder and tightened by a cam mechanism​
@Akimbo

Catenary (Nautical)
The curve or sag in a line under tension, such as an anchor line.​
@Akimbo

CGA
Compressed Gas Association, a US trade association for industrial and medical gas supply industries​
@Akimbo

Chine (Nautical)
The line along the sides of a vessel formed by the intersection of the sides and bottom. Divers often swim along the chine to and from the anchor line​
@Akimbo

Christo-lube
Brand name of a widely used lubricant for for oxygen service, often Christo-lube MCG111​
@Akimbo

CMAS
Confederation of Underwater Activities, a Scuba confederation of training agency​
@Akimbo

CNS
Central Nervous System, generally refers to negative effects of DCS or Oxygen Toxicity in diving. More correctly, CNS is part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and the spinal cord.​

CO
Chemical symbol for the Carbon Monoxide molecule, not to be confused with Carbon Dioxide.​

CO2
Chemical symbol for the Carbon Dioxide molecule​

Color temperature
The measurement of color expressed in degrees Kelvin. Bright sunlight is in the 6,000° K range.​
@Akimbo

Combat Swimmer
Military combatant using diving techniques​
@Akimbo

Compression Arthralgia or Compression Pains
Joint pain caused by compression of cartilage in very deep diving​
@Akimbo

CPR
@Akimbo

D​


DAN
Diver's Alert Network is the largest diving safety organization and offers dive accident insurance through insurance companies​
@Akimbo

Davit (Nautical)
Rotating fixed boom with a lifting system​
@Akimbo

DC
Decompression Computer​
@Akimbo

DCI
Decompression Illness is a broad term used to capture diving disorders caused by the effects of gas bubbles in the body. DCI includes decompression sickness (DCS), arterial gas embolism (AGE), and DCS symptoms brought about by venous gas emboli (bubbles) that cross into the arterial system through a shunt in the body, e.g. a patent foramen ovale or intrapulmonary shunt.​

Deco
Slang for Decompression​

Delta-P or ΔP
Differential or change in pressure. The Greek character Δ, or "Delta", denotes “change” in science.​
@Akimbo


DCS
1. Decompression Sickness​
2. Other common names include:​
  • DCI (Decompression Illness) which includes AGE (Arterial Gas Embolism)
  • Bends or Bent, slang from the name of a popular dance when the Brooklyn Bridge was under construction, the Grecian Bend.
  • Caissons Disease, because Caisson workers or Sandhogs are also subject to DCS
  • Chokes (archaic)
  • Divers' Disease
  • Divers' Condition
  • Diver's Palsy
  • Decompression Disease
  • Compressed Air Illness
  • Dysbaric Illness
  • Tunnel Disease
@Akimbo

Deck (Nautical)
Floor on a vessel​
@Akimbo

Deep Mix
Typically, HeO2 mixture used by saturation divers at their working depth.​
@Akimbo

DDC
Deck Decompression Chambers are primarily used for treating DCS in recreational divers and living chambers for Saturation Divers
@Akimbo

Dil
Diluent - A volume makeup gas used in rebreather diving to keep the loop filled with breathable volume along with added oxygen. Up to 40m, dil can be air. Below that depth, Helium is added to decrease nitrogen content and gas density.
@rsingler

DIN
Deutsches Institut für Normung, defines standard DIN 477 that is widely used for Scuba valves and regulators​
@Akimbo

DIR
Doing It Right, system of Scuba diving​
@Akimbo

DM
@Akimbo

Diving Bell (closed)
A submersible pressure chamber with a bottom hatch primarily used in saturation diving
@Akimbo

Diving Bell (open)
An open-bottom bell with a breathable gas bubble that is a least large enough for one or more divers to get their heads out of the water. Typically used for in-water decompression and/or an emergency sanctuary.​
@Akimbo

Diving Locker
Storage area for diving equipment, originating on Navy ships referring to small compartments (shipboard rooms)​
@Akimbo

Dive Super
Diving Supervisor or Superintendent, typically in military of commercial diving operations​
@Akimbo

DP (Nautical)
Dynamic Positioning
@Akimbo

DPV
Diver Propulsion Vehicle, typically a tubular housing containing batteries, controllers, and a motor driving a single propeller​
@Akimbo

Draft (Nautical)
Waterline to the bottom of the keel distance on a the vessel​
@Akimbo

DSLR (photography)
Digital Singe Lens Reflex camera​
@Akimbo

DSO
Diving Safety Officer, typically required by government and scientific diving operations​
@Akimbo

DSV
Diving Support Vessel, most commonly designating vessels used in commercial diving. DSV can refer to the class of vessel or precede the vessel name.​
@Akimbo

Dump Valve (Diving)
A large LP valve that rapidly opens to release gas, usually by pulling a lanyard. Most often found on BCs, DSMBs, and lift bags.​
@Akimbo

E​


EAD
Equivalent Air Depth used in Nitrox calculations​
@Akimbo

EADD
Equivalent Air Density Depth​
@Miyaru

EAN
Enriched Air Nitrox​
@Akimbo

ECU
Environmental Control Unit used in decompression chambers to manage CO2, humidity, and temperature.​
@Akimbo

Embolism (Diving)
Popular verbal shorthand for Arterial Gas Embolism or AGE​
@Akimbo

EPIRB
Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon, GPS emergency beacon required on most licensed vessels​
@Akimbo

ETD
Eustachian Tube Dysfunction, a disorder in which the Eustachian tube (the small tube that connects the middle ear to the area behind the nasal passages) does not work properly.​


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Continued in the next post

 

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F​


FFM
Full Face Mask that covers a diver's eyes, nose, and mouth. They are generally used to protect divers from very cold water, contaminated water, and/or for voice communications. Recreational divers may use them to allow oral-nasal breathing. FFMs can be used for Scuba, surface-supplied, and saturation diving.​
@Akimbo

FFW
Feet of Fresh Water​
@Akimbo

Floodable Volume
The volume measured by a liquid in a container, most often used for the internal volume of a high pressure cylinder​
@Akimbo

Frenzel Maneuver
A hands-free alternative for equalizing to the Valsalva maneuver
@Akimbo

FSW
Feet of Salt Water, generally referring to a depth equivalent that ultimately translates back to pressure for calculating decompression obligations​
@Akimbo

G​


Galley (Nautical)
Kitchen and food prep area on a vessel​
@Akimbo

Galvanic Oxygen sensor
Electro-galvanic micro fuel cell that generates electrical current in direct proportion to the partial pressure of oxygen. Most commonly used in the medical and diving instrumentation and control systems.​
@Akimbo

Gas King or Gas Man
Technician who manages gas systems on saturation diving systems
@Akimbo

Gauge Pressure
The difference in pressure indicated by a pressure gauge between ambient and the sensed pressure​
@Akimbo

GPS
Global Positioning System is a ubiquitous geolocation technology based on a series of satellites operated by the US Space Force. Integrated marine navigation systems combine GPS with digital marine charts and sometimes Radar, marine and satellite weather data, sonar, and/or marine topographic charts. Unfortunately, GPS satellite radio waves only penetrate water to a very shallow depth.​
@Akimbo

GPS Coordinates
GPS coordinates are expressed in degrees of Latitude and Longitude, which is the convention for marine navigation.​
@Akimbo

Gradient Factors
Most often referring to decompression conservatism variable settings in decompression computers.​
@Akimbo

GUE
@Akimbo

Gunnel or gunwale (Nautical)
Top rail around the outboard edge of the deck​
@Akimbo

GWS
Great White Shark​
@tridacna


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H​


Head (Nautical)
Bathroom or a toilet on a vessel​
@Akimbo

Haldane
John Scott Haldane’s name is widely associated with a number of decompression-related phrases because of his early work developing decompression theory and tables​
@Akimbo

Hard Ceiling
Shallow limit a diver can ascend due to physical barriers, typically in cave and wreck diving​
@Akimbo

HCVR
Hypercapnic ventilatory response, the body's increase in respiratory minute volume (RMV) in response to increased blood CO2 levels. Individual HCVR varies, which predisposes some individuals to hypercapnia during diving.​

HBOT
HyperBaric Oxygen Treatment, most often referring to non-diving medical treatment but may also be to treat DCS and barotrauma.​
@Akimbo

Heavy Gear
Augustus Siebe's original closed diving dress also known as:​
  • Deep Sea (Diving) Gear
  • Hard Hat Gear
  • Submarine Armor
  • Spun Copper
  • Standard Diving Dress
@Akimbo

He
Chemical symbol for a Helium molecule​
@Akimbo

HeO2
Helium and Oxygen gas mixture derived from the symbols for the molecules. Note that HeO2 is a mixture and not a compound.​
@Akimbo

Hook (Nautical)
Slang for anchor​
@Akimbo

Hot Water Suit
Loose-fitting one-piece wetsuit with perforated tubes that distributes hot water pumped from the surface throughout the suit. Invented by George C Wiswell Jr in 1966 to support saturation diving.​
@Akimbo

HP
High Pressure, in recreational diving, most often referring to the pressure inside a Scuba cylinder and in dive shop compressor systems​
@Akimbo

HPNS
High Pressure Nervous Syndrome is a medical condition that effects very deep divers who are rapidly compressed​
@Akimbo

HSA
Handicapped Scuba Association, a Scuba training agency for physically and mentally challenged and their support divers​
@Akimbo

Hyperbaric
Pressure greater than at sea level, often referring to diving or medical treatment in a chamber.​
@Akimbo

Hypercapnia
A condition in which excess carbon dioxide (CO2) exists in the body; when measured, a generally accepted numerical value for hypercapnia is a partial pressure of dissolved CO2 in venous blood greater than 45 millimeters of mercury (mmHg).​

Hypothermia
A drop in the body's core temperature to less than 35°C (95° F) (Peiris AN, Jaroudi S, Gavin M. Hypothermia. JAMA. 2018;319(12):1290. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.0749)​

Hypoxia (medical/diving)
Inadequate oxygen reaching the tissues, typically from breathing gasses with a PPO2 that is too low.​
@Akimbo


I​


IBCD
@rsingler

IEBT
Inner Ear BaroTrauma​

IPE
Immersion Pulmonary Edema, also known as swimming-induced pulmonary edema (SIPE) is a condition in which pulmonary edema (swelling in the lungs) develops rapidly during a dive or vigorous swim. (Moon RE. Immersion pulmonary edema: drowning from the inside. Undersea Hyperb Med. 2019;46(5):577-579.)​

IWR
In Water Recompression, treating DCS in the water instead of in a chamber.​
@Akimbo

IP
Intermediate Pressure, most often referring to the pressure between the first and second stage of a Scuba regulator​
@Akimbo

ISO
International Standards Organization​
@Akimbo



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J​


J-valve
Scuba cylinder valve with a lever-activated reserve, largely obsolete​
@Akimbo

Jonline or Jon line
A short line or webbing with hooks, named after Jon Hulburt, used to decouple the jerking motion of an anchor line in rough seas from divers "hanging off" for decompressing.​
@Akimbo

JYC
Jacques-Yves Cousteau, the co-inventor of the Aqua Lung and world recognized undersea explorer, conservationist, and filmmaker.​
@Akimbo

K​


K Bottle
Most common HP steel industrial gas cylinder in the US, 9.25" in diameter × 60" tall, approximately 50 Liter floodable volume.​
@Akimbo

K-valve
Standard Scuba cylinder valve for a single tank.​
@Akimbo

Keel (Nautical)
Fore-aft centerline structural member, round and flat bottom boats don't have true keels.​
@Akimbo

Kirby-Morgan
Dominant manufacturer of commercial diving helmets and FFMs. See Bev Morgan biography
@Akimbo

Knot (Navigation & Maritime)
A unit of speed, equaling one nautical mile (6,080.20 feet or 1,853.245 Meters) per hour​
@Akimbo

L​


Ladder (Nautical)
An actual ladder or stairs on a vessel​
@Akimbo

Lanyard (Diving)
A common nautical term that is most often used in recreational diving to describe a piece of small line that functions as a handle to open an dump valve or open a quick release device.​
@Akimbo

Lift Bag
A teardrop-shape open-bottom flexible bag used to float submerged objects by attaching and filling with air.​
@Akimbo

Line (Nautical)
Cordage of any size from twine to hawsers​
@Akimbo

Liveaboard
Dive charter boat with berthing and galley capacity of multi-day trips​
@Akimbo

Lockout
A diver exiting a diving bell or submarine.​
@Akimbo

LDS
Local Dive Shop​
@Akimbo

LP
Low Pressure, a relative term that varies widely by industry.​
@Akimbo

lm or Lumen
A standard unit of light measurement, typically used in diving to describe a flashlight/torch's output.​
@Akimbo

M​


Main Deck (Nautical)
Typically the highest deck reaching bow to stern​
@Akimbo

Mains (Nautical)
Slang for main engines of a vessel​
@Akimbo

Marlinespike seamanship or Ropework (Nautical)
A traditional nautical term for skills relating to the all aspects of the use of rope or line.​
@Akimbo

MEBT
Middle Ear BaroTrauma​

MFW
Meters of Fresh Water​
@Akimbo

MOD
Maximum Operating Depth, which is calculated based on the Oxygen content of the breathing mixture.​
@Akimbo

Moonpool
A large opening or well in a vessel for diving bells and work systems, typically located close to the center of gyration for maximum stability.​
@Akimbo

MSW
Meters of Salt Water​
@Akimbo



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N​


N2
Chemical symbol for a Nitrogen molecule​
@Akimbo

NAUI
National Association of Underwater Instructors, a Scuba training agency​
@Akimbo

Nautical Mile (Nautical /Navigation)
Originally defined as the meridian arc length corresponding to one minute or 1/60th of a degree of latitude. It is currently defined exactly as 1,852M or approximately 6,076' and 1.151 statute miles.​
@Akimbo

NDL
No Decompression Limit​
@Akimbo

Neck Dam
A resilient cone-shape seal used on drysuits and lightweight diving helmets​
@Akimbo

NEDU
@Akimbo

NOAA (Nautical & Diving)
@Akimbo

O​


O2
Chemical symbol for Oxygen molecules, which consists of two Oxygen atoms​
@Akimbo

OC
Open Circuit, meaning that exhaled gas is expelled into the water as opposed to recycled.​
@Akimbo

OOA
Out of Air, commonly used to describe any event where a diver runs out of breathing gas on open circuit Scuba.​
@Akimbo

O-ring
A resilient toroidal seal that is widely used in hydraulic and pneumatic systems​
@Akimbo

OC
Open Circuit Scuba, as opposed to Closed Circuit Rebreather Scuba​
@Akimbo

Oxtox or Oxygen Toxicity
A medical condition where excessive oxygen becomes toxic to humans under hyperbaric conditions.​
@Akimbo

Overhead (Nautical)
Ceiling on a vessel​
@Akimbo

P​


PADI
Professional Association of Diving Instructors, a Scuba training agency​
@Akimbo

Pascal
Pascal, or Pa, is the standard metric unit of pressure, though not necessarily the most widely used. It is a derived unit defined in International System of Units or Système International (SI).​
  • 1 PSI = 6.89476 KPa
  • 1 Bar = 100.0000393 KPa
  • 1 standard atmosphere (atm) = 101.325 KPa
@Akimbo

Passageway (Nautical)
Corridor or hallway on a vessel​
@Akimbo

Pilot house (Nautical)
Where primary steering, navigation, and engine controls are located​
@Akimbo

PDC
Personal Decompression Computer​
@Akimbo

PFO
Patent Foramen Ovale. The foramen ovale is an opening between the left and right atria, or upper chambers, of the fetal heart. In utero, it allows a portion of the fetal blood supply to bypass the lungs. It typically closes at birth, but remains open, or patent, in roughly 25-30% of the adult population.​

Pitch (Nautical)
Rotational around an axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of a vessel in swells. Pitch can also be a measurement of propeller blades.​
@Akimbo

PLB
Personal Locator Beacon, electronic position indicating device, similar to an EPIRB, that is small enough for divers to carry in a housing.​
@Akimbo

Pneumofathometer
A system to monitor a surface-supplied diver's depth by blowing the water out of a small hose bundled in their umbilical that is connected to a large precision pressure gauge on the surface.​
@Akimbo

Port (Nautical)
Left side of vessel when facing the bow​
@Akimbo

Prop (Nautical)
Slang for propeller​
@Akimbo

PSD
@Akimbo

PSI
Pounds per Square Inch, the standard unit of pressure in the Imperial system.​
  • 1 Bar = 14.5038 PSI
  • 1 ATM = 14.7 PSI
@Akimbo

PTC
Personal Transfer Capsule is a term that originated in the US Navy for diving bells used for saturation diving
@Akimbo



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Q​


QD or Quick Disconnect
Pneumatic or hydraulic quick coupler fittings, most commonly used on IP hoses to BC power inflators and drysuits in recreational diving.​
@Akimbo

R​


Recompression
Re-compressing a diver, usually in a chamber, for DCS treatment or Sur-D-O2

Regulator (Diving)
A preset pressure-reducing valve (first stage) and demand regulating valve (second stage) that delivers breathing gas to Scuba divers. The most popular models connect the two separate stages with a medium pressure hose.​
@Akimbo

Regulator (Industrial)
A pressure-reducing valve for hydraulic and pneumatic systems that can be preset, pressure adjusted (dome-loaded), or manually adjusted (hand-loaded).​
@Akimbo

Reped or Repet
Verbal shorthand for REPEtitive Dive, or more than one dive in a 24 hour period.​

RIB (Nautical)
Rigid Inflatable Boat​
@Akimbo

RMV
Respiratory Minute Volume, volume of gas inhaled or exhaled from a person's lungs per minute, usually expressed in ambient Liters.​
@Akimbo

Roll (Nautical)
Side to side motion of a vessel in swells​
@Akimbo

RNT
Residual Nitrogen Time used to calculate decompression obligations for repetitive dives​
@Akimbo

ROV
Remotely Operated Vehicle used primarily in the offshore oil industry and marine science​
@Akimbo

Rudder (Nautical)
Flat plates for steering or maneuvering, usually aft of propellers​
@Akimbo



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S​


SAC rate
Surface Air Consumption rate​
@Akimbo

Sample Bomb
A small HP gas cylinder use to collect gas for laboratory analysis, typically stainless steel with valves at both ends to allow thorough flushing.​
@Akimbo

Salon (Nautical)
Meeting room or lounge on a vessel, often includes dinning​
@Akimbo

SAR
Search And Rescue or Sea Air Rescue​
@Akimbo

Sat or Saturation Diving
A diving technique based on total tissue saturation, beyond which decompression obligations do not increase. Used primarily in military and commercial diving operations due to very high cost and support requirements.​
@Akimbo

Screw (Nautical)
Slang for propeller... but it may also be used for a fastener​
@Akimbo

Scope (Nautical)
Horizontal to vertical ratio of anchor line, but can also be slang for the radar display​
@Akimbo

Scupper (Nautical)
Drain holes for water to exit from weather decks​
@Akimbo

SDI
Scuba Diving International, a Scuba training agency​
@Akimbo

SCFM
Standard Cubic Feet per Minute, commonly used to describe compressor capacity​
@Akimbo

Seachest (Nautical)
A hull-mounted recess for seawater valves, usually protected by a grating​
@Akimbo

Seacock (Nautical)
A hull valve on a vessel​
@Akimbo

SEAL
An acronym for SEa Air Land, a covert special forces group in the US Navy.​
@Akimbo

Scrubber
A device that removes Carbon Dioxide from chamber or bell atmospheres, most often electrically driven fans and chemical absorbent canisters.​
@Akimbo

SCUBA or Scuba
Acronym for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Commonly used as a noun and a verb.​
@Akimbo

SDC
Submersible Decompression Chamber is an old term for a diving bell​
@Akimbo

SLPM
Standard Liters Per Minute, commonly used to describe compressor capacity​
@Akimbo

Soft Ceiling
The shallow limit a diver can ascend due to decompression constraints​
@Akimbo

SPG
Submersible Pressure Gauge is a pressure gauge in a housing that maintains one ATA so it will not be changed with ambient pressure at depth​
@Akimbo

SPUMS
South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society​
@Akimbo

Squeeze
A colloquial term for barotrauma​

SSI
Scuba Schools International, a Scuba training agency​
@Akimbo

Starboard (Nautical)
Right side of vessel when facing the bow​
@Akimbo

Stateroom (Nautical)
Bedroom on a vessel, sometimes called a cabin.​
@Akimbo

Stern (Nautical)
Aft end of a vessel​
@Akimbo

SUBA
Self Contained Breathing Apparatus, most often referring to firefighting and mine safety equipment.​
@Akimbo

Submersible or Deep Submersible
A manned submarine with most of the propulsion and control systems outside of the pressure hull​
@Akimbo

Sur-D-O2
Surface Decompression using Oxygen is a common technique used by military ad commercial divers to minimize in-water decompression and complete it in a deck chamber.​
@Akimbo

Swim step (Nautical)
Platform aft on the transom near the waterline​
@Akimbo

T​


TDI
Technical Diving International, a Scuba training agency​
@Akimbo

Transom (Nautical)
Relatively flat part of the hull at the stern of the vessel​
@Akimbo

Trimix
A breathing mixture of Nitrogen, Helium, and Oxygen commonly used for deep diving to reduce the effects of Nitrogen Narcosis and HPNS​
@Akimbo




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Continued in the next post

 

Continued from previous post



U​


UDT
Underwater Demolition Teams, the predecessors to the US Navy SEALs.​
@Akimbo

Umbilical
A collection of hoses and cables bundled or twisted together used by tethered divers; surface-supplied and operating from diving bells. It can also refer to bundles to underwater habitats and work support systems including hydraulic tools and cutting/welding rigs.​
@Akimbo

USN
United States Navy​
@Akimbo


V​


Valsalva Maneuver
The most common method used by Scuba divers for equalizing ears​
@Akimbo

VENTID
Mnemonic for Vision Ears Nausea Twitching Irritation Dizziness, the most common but less severe symptoms of Oxygen Toxicity​
@Akimbo

Vessel (Nautical)
For the purposes of this thread, a general term that includes:​
  • Boats of any size and purpose
  • Inflatables
  • Dinghys
  • Yachts
  • Barges
  • Ships
  • Submarines
  • Manned deep submersibles
  • Semi-submersibles and Swath vessels
@Akimbo

VHF (Nautical)
Technically, Very High Frequency but it is common slang for VHF Marine Radio​
@Akimbo

W​


Weather Deck (Maritime)
Uppermost deck exposed to the weather​
@Akimbo

Wheel (Nautical)
Slang for steering wheel​
@Akimbo

Windlass (Nautical)
anchor winch (can apply to similar lifting aids)​
@Akimbo

WKPP
@Akimbo

WOB
Work Of Breathing, energy expended to inhale and exhale a breathing gas, usually expressed as work per unit volume per minute​
@Akimbo

X​



reserved for expansion


Y​



reserved for expansion


Z​


ZHL-16
Bühlmann decompression algorithm​
@Akimbo



Use Report to correct broken links, typos, or make suggestions.



End of Multipart post

 

Continued from previous post



U​


UDT
Underwater Demolition Teams, the predecessors to the US Navy SEALs.​
@Akimbo

Umbilical
A collection of hoses and cables bundled or twisted together used by tethered divers; surface-supplied and operating from diving bells. It can also refer to bundles to underwater habitats and work support systems including hydraulic tools and cutting/welding rigs.​
@Akimbo

USN
United States Navy​
@Akimbo


V​


Valsalva Maneuver
The most common method used by Scuba divers for equalizing ears​
@Akimbo

VENTID
Mnemonic for Vision Ears Nausea Twitching Irritation Dizziness, the most common but less severe symptoms of Oxygen Toxicity​
@Akimbo

Vessel (Nautical)
For the purposes of this thread, a general term that includes:​
  • Boats of any size and purpose
  • Inflatables
  • Dinghys
  • Yachts
  • Barges
  • Ships
  • Submarines
  • Manned deep submersibles
  • Semi-submersibles and Swath vessels
@Akimbo

VHF (Nautical)
Technically, Very High Frequency but it is common slang for VHF Marine Radio​
@Akimbo

W​


Weather Deck Maritime
Uppermost deck exposed to the weather​
@Akimbo

Wheel (Nautical)
Slang for steering wheel​
@Akimbo

Windlass (Nautical)
anchor winch (can apply to similar lifting aids)​
@Akimbo

WKPP
@Akimbo

WOB
Work Of Breathing, energy expended to inhale and exhale a breathing gas, usually expressed as work per unit volume per minute​
@Akimbo

X​

reserved or expansion


Y​

reserved or expansion


Z​


ZHL-16
Bühlmann decompression algorithm​
@Akimbo



Use Report to correct broken links, typos, or make suggestions.



End of Multipart post

 
reserved for expansion, ScubaBoard's Dictionary for Divers




Use Report to correct broken links, typos, or make suggestions.

 
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