What is the advantage of doing horizontal decents like shown on 5th dimension's webpage?
http://www.fifthd.com/divestore/classes/tech.html
http://www.fifthd.com/divestore/classes/tech.html
horizontal decent
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The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
10) You get the see the dive site unfold below you.
9) You are already in the proper attitude when you arrive at the bottom.
8) It slows my depth defying descents a tad (students can keep up).
7) Greater stability as I descend.
6) I have greater mobility to turn.
5) It's easier for my buddies to track me as I descend.
4) It's easier and quicker to equalize my eustachion tubes.
3) It keeps me from getting vertigo.
2) Makes it easier to spot items of interest on the bottom on descent.
1) It's fun playing "skydiver"!!!
9) You are already in the proper attitude when you arrive at the bottom.
8) It slows my depth defying descents a tad (students can keep up).
7) Greater stability as I descend.
6) I have greater mobility to turn.
5) It's easier for my buddies to track me as I descend.
4) It's easier and quicker to equalize my eustachion tubes.
3) It keeps me from getting vertigo.
2) Makes it easier to spot items of interest on the bottom on descent.
1) It's fun playing "skydiver"!!!
divrnr
Guest
Netdoc, I agree especially #1!!! Do a horizontal decent in clear water to 120fsw! Awesome
You left out "keeps me from running into the bottom with my fins and silting out the site immediately"
to see what I'm descending to even if its just my depth guage. When I get to the depth I want if I'm horizontal then I'm ready to take off in whatever direction I wish to go.
Also when I watch people do feet first descents(and this used to happen to me) it seems as though the resistance from the fins would tend to push the diver over backwards which results in all kind of arm and leg motion to remain vertical. Burns up a bunch of air for no useful reason. I eventually was able to descend feet first but then my feet would be near the bottom and stuff would get stirred up just getting into a horizontal position to start off.
Now my weights are placed so that when I leave the surface I automatically rotate to a horizontal attitude without any effort on my part what so ever. Just seems to make diving so much easier.
Also when I watch people do feet first descents(and this used to happen to me) it seems as though the resistance from the fins would tend to push the diver over backwards which results in all kind of arm and leg motion to remain vertical. Burns up a bunch of air for no useful reason. I eventually was able to descend feet first but then my feet would be near the bottom and stuff would get stirred up just getting into a horizontal position to start off.
Now my weights are placed so that when I leave the surface I automatically rotate to a horizontal attitude without any effort on my part what so ever. Just seems to make diving so much easier.
Scubaroo
Contributor
Expanding on NetDoc's point 7 (great list BTW), if you do a vertical descent, the drag on your fins can force your feet and legs to rise in front of you, and you end up descending butt first - and crashing into the seafloor is a no no - especially if there are sea urchins about!!! Not to mention it screws the visibility and looks terrible.
Plus you risk descending tank first onto another diver's head - seen it before, especially when boat diving. Horizontal descents let you see where you're going and stay off the bottom.
Plus you risk descending tank first onto another diver's head - seen it before, especially when boat diving. Horizontal descents let you see where you're going and stay off the bottom.
when I started typing my response there were no responses. I guess I type slow
OP
Is there any safety reason not to do a head first decent finning the way down? I like to drop to depth as fast as possible to not waste air.
Spectre
Contributor
I always feel like that scene in Mission Impossible where the descent is aborted inches before touching the floor! [I think it was mission impossible... ]
To add one... much easier to stay on your mark when descending in current.
Scubaroo
Contributor
It's not a race! Plus if you descend too quickly, what happens if you have trouble equalising? Horizontal descents allow you to "flare out" your arms and legs to arrest your descent rate, so you can stop and prevent ear damage if equalisation is difficult. The air saved during a "power descent" versus a horizontal descent would be insignificant compared to air you can save elsewhere on the dive through other things like streamlining, trim, bouyancy control, etc.
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