Dive planning with and without computer

Hey folks,

I'm a low time OW diver (10 dives), thinking about getting a computer. FYI, for the foreseeable future my diving will be mostly rec diving in warm water (cozumel next week!) and maybe in some local quarries this summer.

My question is what level of dive planning do people typically do once they own one?

Right now I use the wheel to plan multi-level dives, and record the info on the slate for reference, and then I try to keep track of things so I can back-calculate the actual profile back on the boat if it differs by much.

I like the idea of a computer for its ease, flexability and accuracy. What I'm a bit concerned with re a computer is falling into the trap (???) of just jumping in and letting the computer think for me (as I've seen more than a few people seem to do).

Now I know I can, and hope I will, keep using the wheel as a planning tool, sort of as a pre-planning "backup" to the computer, but in my limited experience I haven't seen much of this from other people. I do understand that one point of the computer is flexability to wander around a bit (as it were), so the idea of the wheel is to have identified general limits on the wandering as a back-check and planning aid.

I guess my question actually is: Am I even thinking about this the right way, and though everybody says "plan the dive...dive the plan" what does that actually mean in practice and how does the computer fit in? What do responsible folks typically do, in real life, on the boat?

Any guidance or practical tips here appreciated.

depending on the kind of dive we are doing there will be a difference in the way we plan it...

for example the recreational drift dive where we always have access to the surface the plan might not be as detailed as a dive where we have a specific objective and will be entering into deco.

That said... we check our psi and depth every 5 minutes and keep a running profile of the dive in mind on all dives. We also do stops on all dives... sometimes just one minute at 30',20',10' and sometimes more depending on what the profile actually was.

We don't use computers but instead use bottom timer/ depth gauges. (actually we use Suunto Stingers set in gauge mode.)

I think that your planning using the wheel and then using that plan to constrain to a degree your flexibility is a much better choice than buying and using a computer.

You are right... most folks who say they use their planning to *backup* their computer (or vise versa) are usually just letting the computer run their dive and do the thinking for them.

In case you haven't heard, "Computers Rot Your Brain."

...to a certain extent, but only for deco and overhead.

If you are only doing recreation diving, then computers and turn around with 100 bar back on the boat/beach with 50 bar (or whatever you were taught) is fine and they help to remove human error during multi-day diving.

However, do not let them stop you from thinking! (Then again, if you have the patience to put up eith the wheel, you probably won't).

..and use the computer for comparison after the dive. If I do a second dive, I'll plan with the tables, then double check my numbers with the computer in plan mode and with my buddy. I too am still a rookie at this and want to ensure that I am fully comfy with the tables. The computer gives me the freedom of recording all the the important info for the log so I can concentrate on diving.
Randy...

Hi

Plan the dive and dive the plan. A computer cannot plan your dive as this involves things like safety, entry and exit, signals, discipline, equipment etc.

However you can choose to delegate the decompression calculations to the computer. A good computer will use the latest decompression algorithms and can measure this at intervals ranging from as little as each second. You simply cannot do that.
One of the main criticisms that the people have with computers is that they are too conservative.

With repetitive diving on air over a number of days probably all no stop dives (except the safety stop of course on Suunto although not on Uwatec) then I say conservative is fine and knowing you are being conservative demonstrates a safe attitude.

With deco and overhead then yes, use the specialist deco planners as you will be most likely using other gasses and its a whole different dive.

By all means use the tables just to compare and track your tissue codes but don't believe the hype when people say they rot the brain. How do you think those tables where created in the first place ?

If your computer ever fails or the battery runs down (unlikely if you check it before you go) then that can cause a complication I guess but if you have kept track of your tissue codes then you can still continue diving on tables. This has never happened to me by the way and to me a computer 'enriches' the dive by handling my no stop time and leaving me to concentrate on the dive.

Hope that helps

wetlettuce once bubbled...
if you have kept track of your tissue codes then you can still continue diving on tables. This has never happened to me by the way and to me a computer 'enriches' the dive by handling my no stop time and leaving me to concentrate on the dive.

Click to expand...

Pug's Translation Service:
"if you have kept track of..."
translation:
"IF you mentally keep track of..."
(which of course you won't... see last statement.)"

"tissue codes..."
translation:
"blahblahblah..."
(meaningless gibberish.)

"then you can still continue diving on tables."
translation:
"then you can still continue diving on tables."
(assuming you could in the first place... but of course your computer manual tells you not to... in such case you must according to the computer documentation ascend immediately and wait 24 hours before diving again with fresh batteries or a new computer.)

"This has never happened to me by the way and..."
translation:
"I have no experience in this but that won't stop me from pontificating..."

"to me a computer 'enriches' the dive..."
translation:
"gushgushgush..."
(subjective blathering untranslated.)

"by handling my no stop time..."
translation:
"I don't have to think about my *tissue codes*..."
(recursive definition... probably meaningless.)

"and leaving me to concentrate on the dive."
translation:
"I don't have to pay attention to my time and depth... I can just look at the pretty fish."
(the real reason why folks love them computers... neural necrosis.)

Hi

Thankyou for the balanced translation Pug ! However, I am capable of speaking for myself so please don't trouble yourself next time.

However, for creesto's benefit, I will clarify the points you mention

I have a log book to log my dives, recording max depth, time, start and end tissue codes, as I have been taught. I fill it out after each dive.

Are tissue codes meaningless gibberish ? Isn't that what the majority of tables use for repetitive diving ?

I was just pointing out that one could continue diving if the unlikely event should happen, because if I was on holiday I wouldn't want to miss any diving. The same could be said of your Vyper on guage mode by the way.

Nope, never had a computer fail on me, in guage mode or dive mode, must show how reliable they are. I don't think I was being dogmatic though, perhaps you need a dictionary pug.

admittedly, it does sound a pit puffy really, I just like them.

Already done that one.

Erm Yep, would rather watch the fish. Keep an eye on depth though cos you will have determined that in the plan, and my contents gauge of course. Keep within no stop time as well.

Hope that helps with any loose ends, but thanks to Pug for pointing them out so I could repeat my message that computers don't rot the brain if used properly and can make your diving more enjoyable.

Kindest Regards

wetlettuce once bubbled...
Thankyou for the balanced translation Pug ! However, I am capable of speaking for myself so please don't trouble yourself next time.

Click to expand...

No problem... it is a service I provide for those who accuse me of hype!

Yes you are right ! Sorry for the generalisation. My fingers just slip every now and again.

Kindest Regards

wetlettuce once bubbled...
My fingers just slip every now and again.

Click to expand...

Mine too.... being a moderator has cramped my style.... trigger finger gets itchy now and then