prairieman
Registered
I would say all of the above.It seems to me that all of them must b taken into account.i am new but all but cold would b enough 4 me to limit my bt.
What limits your bottom time?
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Although I answered cold (which is for most of my diving), the real answer is -- It Depends (pun intended).
In all reality, the true limiting factor on the greatest percentage of my dives is -- "I've seen enough." For example, my mental limit on a cave dive is right around 90 minutes -- that's enough kicking and looking at wet rocks for the time being. I need to get on the surface and unlax a bit. At many of the local shore dives, 60 minutes is long enough and is generally my target -- a combination of cold, bladder buildup (and yes, I have 2 pee-valves just waiting to get installed in my drysuits but I have yet to pull the trigger (or punch the holes) even though TSandM is appropriately plumbed) and how many metridiums, nudis, etc. do I want to see at one time? But neither NDLs or gas is a factor in most of those dives.
In all reality, the true limiting factor on the greatest percentage of my dives is -- "I've seen enough." For example, my mental limit on a cave dive is right around 90 minutes -- that's enough kicking and looking at wet rocks for the time being. I need to get on the surface and unlax a bit. At many of the local shore dives, 60 minutes is long enough and is generally my target -- a combination of cold, bladder buildup (and yes, I have 2 pee-valves just waiting to get installed in my drysuits but I have yet to pull the trigger (or punch the holes) even though TSandM is appropriately plumbed) and how many metridiums, nudis, etc. do I want to see at one time? But neither NDLs or gas is a factor in most of those dives.
Blackwood
Contributor
Primary: Gas supply and temperature
Secondary: Boredom
Secondary: Boredom
H2Andy
Contributor
almost always, gas supply
All of the above. I've done dives when I had nearly an hour of deco to do. When it's cold and there are no jellies floating by it gets really boring.
When I make a shore dive on a single tank it's usually gas supply. I've made several two hour plus dives on single tanks while taking pictures. I move slowly and conserve air. I don't mind getting into deco on a beach dive because I know I'll be spending a long time getting back upslope anyway.
When I'm diving with my buddy we rarely stay down more than ninty minutes due to cold/pee issues with her.
I've only had one boat, the Pacific Star out of Redondo Beach, CA impose time limits. I haven't dived from her since.
When I make a shore dive on a single tank it's usually gas supply. I've made several two hour plus dives on single tanks while taking pictures. I move slowly and conserve air. I don't mind getting into deco on a beach dive because I know I'll be spending a long time getting back upslope anyway.
When I'm diving with my buddy we rarely stay down more than ninty minutes due to cold/pee issues with her.
I've only had one boat, the Pacific Star out of Redondo Beach, CA impose time limits. I haven't dived from her since.
Like many others - most of my dives are pretty shallow.... so usually Gas is the limiting factor... Deeper dives, it is often NDL...
AndrewST
Registered
I am almost positive I am going to get a bashing, or at least my instructor is. But I had to answer NDL to this one....
I only have 4 OW Dives, all coldish water, and the first two dives it was a Gas issue. I sucked a tank down to about 500psi in about half an hour. However in the two weeks between my first two and my last two dives I practiced breathing techniques.
On my last two OW Dives it wasn't a gas issue at all. My consumption went WAY down and we actually ended up pushing the NDL. If we wanted to take a 3rd dive that particular day we would have needed a pretty decent Surface Interval, even for a shallow dive.
I only have 4 OW Dives, all coldish water, and the first two dives it was a Gas issue. I sucked a tank down to about 500psi in about half an hour. However in the two weeks between my first two and my last two dives I practiced breathing techniques.
On my last two OW Dives it wasn't a gas issue at all. My consumption went WAY down and we actually ended up pushing the NDL. If we wanted to take a 3rd dive that particular day we would have needed a pretty decent Surface Interval, even for a shallow dive.
ToPpS
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For me I can only comment on the dives I completed as part of my courses and the limited diving I've done since.
During qualification it was always down to the dive plan laid out by our instructors. When diving with them I was very relaxed and my air consumption was never a problem. As they say, "plan your dive, dive your plan."
Since then the Instructors and DM have not been up to the same level and the conditions have been totally different. All I can say is that I'm so glad I bought a dive computer!!! Their idea of a dive is to go down for as long as possible so I feel really sorry for divers without their own computers. I'm not happy about the style of diving but I just set my computer to be more conservative than normal and so far so good.
On my last dive I completed I maxed out the NDL and Air settings on the DC at the same time. Never seen a DC beep and flash so much!
During qualification it was always down to the dive plan laid out by our instructors. When diving with them I was very relaxed and my air consumption was never a problem. As they say, "plan your dive, dive your plan."
Since then the Instructors and DM have not been up to the same level and the conditions have been totally different. All I can say is that I'm so glad I bought a dive computer!!! Their idea of a dive is to go down for as long as possible so I feel really sorry for divers without their own computers. I'm not happy about the style of diving but I just set my computer to be more conservative than normal and so far so good.
On my last dive I completed I maxed out the NDL and Air settings on the DC at the same time. Never seen a DC beep and flash so much!
CalgaryDF
Contributor
It depends on the dive really, usually I'm limited by gas, but sometimes I get bored especially if its the same dive site and all the critters are hiding.
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