Nekton Pilot - Nitrox Question

Hi Everyone:

I have been reading a number of different threads in the Advanced Scuba section of the board about Nitrox. I am taking my Nitrox course at the end of April. I realize Nitrox has it's pros and cons.

I am just about to book my Nekton trip to Medio Reef at the end of May and when I looked over the Nitrox section on Nekton's website, I ended up scratching my head about whether or not Nitrox was worth it.

Nekton states that their usual Nitrox fill is 29% with a guarantee that you will get a Nitrox tank with not less then 26%. Considering a normal air tank contains 21% oxygen is it worth paying $195us (that I have to convert into Canadian $) for just 5% more oxygen?

My understanding of the Nitrox course done by PADI is EAN at 32% or 36%. The course gives you tables for these 2 gas mixtures. Are there tabels for 26% or 29% EAN?

I can see paying extra money for 32% or 36% EAN but for 29% or 26%....is it worth it?

I plan on asking the same question at my Nitrox course but before paying Nekton more money just wanted to get an idea of what other divers who have been on liveaboard trips think about this.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

the nitrox pumped on the Nekton boats is usually between 30-32%. We never got a tank lower than that. When you take your course you will get a table that helps you convert percentage rates other than the 32% or 36%. It isn't hard to do.

Yes, it is worth it if you do more than 2 dives per day as long as you are not an air hog. Then you will be able to stay down longer, until you are low on air instead of hitting Deco time. On our last Nekton trip the nitrox compressor wasn't working, so we had to dive air and that sucked! We had to cut dives short a couple of times due to deco time and I hate that. I want to be underwater as long as I have air!!! BTW, we were on the Medio Reef itinerary.

robin

You'd be surprised at how much of a difference that 5% or more Oxygen will make you feel. Besides they may be putting that % in because you may be doing some 100ft + dives. EAN 32 & 36 has it's limitations and cover pretty much most recreational diving. I dive in NJ and was told to carry 28% on boat dives so i'll be covered for any type of dive to 132ft SAFELY. Hope that helps

robint and treywilly - thanks for you feedback on the Nitrox! I'm sure once I get the course done things will make more sense but I had to get an idea if it was worth spending more money on Nitrox - so Nitrox it is!!!!!! robint - I do know you went on the Medio Reef itinerary. You replied to a PM I sent about a month ago regarding this itinerary - many thanks for your feedback to my PM. BTW, your videos of Medio Reef were out of this world!!!! WOW!!!

On my trips on Nekton the nitrox has been between 30% and 33%. Nitrox keeps both me and my dive computer happy when doing 4-5 dives per day on a boat. On Medio Reef you should never get too deep for nitrox to be a problem.

We spent two weeks on the Pilot 2 summers ago and when the nitrox compressor was working (the first week and 3 days) our fills were 32% very consistently.

I suspect that Nekton says what it does to cover themselves if the fills are low % for some reason. So if they are running 26% for some reason, you technically can't complain.

$195 USD seems a little steep to me. I was on the Belize Aggressor in Feb and they charged $100 USD for the week. There were also two British guys who had been diving a lot in the Red Sea and thought $100 was too much. Apparently a lot of the Red Sea charters don't charge for Nitrox.

I would say Nitrox is a must if you are going to do 4 - 5 dives a day and so I'd probably pay the $195. It's good to add up all of the Extra charges for these boats before you go.

I write a "mini table" on my wrist slate with a permanent marker for both nitrox and non-nitrox as a back-up for my feeble mind!

I did Nitrox on my last trip with Nekton ....figured if I'm doing 4 dives a day it's a good idea. Fills were consistently 32%. (and that end of the boat isn't as crowded :>}