Your number one tip to increase your time underwater.

Ulfhedinn

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• Aug 29, 2011

• #1

Im a heavy breather but Im also a newbie. I have been told that in time i will use less air in my tank. Im averaging 25mins under going from 3100 down to 900/1000. Im looking for tips that will not only me but others new to diving.

Edited info
15-30 feet
80 alum

 

Last edited: Aug 29, 2011

R

Rainer

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• Aug 29, 2011

• #2

Ulfhedinn:

Im a heavy breather but Im also a newbie. I have been told that in time i will use less air in my tank. Im averaging 25mins under going from 3100 down to 900/1000. Im looking for tips that will not only me but others new to diving.

Click to expand...

Your numbers are only meaningful if you give us the average depth and capacity/working pressure of the cylinder you're using.

In any case, here are my recommendations for reducing gas consumption:

(1) Dive a lot
(2) Slow down
(3) Streamline your gear
(4) See (2)
(5) Get horizontal; maintain neutral buoyancy
(6) See (4)
(7) Cardio; hit the gym
(8) See (6)
(9) Minimize excessive movements (don't use your hands, learn to frog kick, etc)
(10) See (8)
(11) Get a scooter.

It really does get better with experience. After that, see (2)-(11).

 

melanie.

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• Aug 29, 2011

• #3

#1 - Stop thinking about it

Once you relax, and just enjoy being in water your air consumption will go down. The reason you are told in time you will use less air is because it is true Every single one of us has been there.

Just keep diving, become more comfortable with your skills and gear and everything else will fall into place

 

Bubbletrubble

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• Aug 29, 2011

• #4

1. Relax.
2. Get more experience.
3. Do shallower dives.
4. Get a larger capacity tank.
5. Slow down.

Take your pick of one of the above. And, just so you know, there are a lot more tips out there.

Don't sweat your short bottom times. They're quite typical for a novice.
Have fun. Continue to learn. Practice your OW skills. Work on being a better buddy.
Your gas consumption rate will improve before you know it.

 

diveprof

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• Aug 29, 2011

• #5

1. Tip - Proper weighting. I suggest reassessing your weighting if you have not done so since your open water class. Many folks continue to dive what they wore in Open Water and they may have been overweighted even then. To accurately reassess, at the end of your next dive after your safety stop with about 500 psi in your tank, begin removing weight (actually works best if your dive bud helps you remove weight). The goal is to be neutrally bouyant with minimal air in your BCD or wing at 15' with about 500 psi in your tank. Proper weighting means you are not wasting as much air by adding and dumping air from your BCD with minor depth changes. Also, if you are properly weighted you will be able to hold a more horizontal position underwater and experience less resistance when moving through the water. Folks who are overweighted move through the water in a more upright position (weight pulls torso down and air added to the BCD to compensate for being overweighted seeks out the highest point in the BCD).

 

O

ocdiver1

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• Aug 29, 2011

• #6

In addition to what everyone else has mentioned, I'd suggest focusing on your exhale. Counting 1,2,3,4 while exhaling slowly will both slow down and help regulate your breathing. Of course, you wouldn't want to do this if you somehow feel you were running short of breath...but it shouldn't. Over time with practice it will just come naturally and you will reduce air consumption. Someone told this to me way back when I was at probably 20 dives and by focusing on this air consumption was never an issue again and I held my own in that respect with far more experienced divers.

 

j yaeger

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Rest in Peace

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• Aug 29, 2011

• #7

love the suggestion to relax!!!!!
ocdivers counting up will definately help you on this!!
arms and hands being used suck up the air-and show you're not comfortable yet
dive,have a good time,and just dive some more...
they pump air everyday-you can't use it all!!!!!!
have fun
yaeg

 

nielsent

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• Aug 29, 2011

• #8

If you are doing all the suggestions above and still getting short dives. Bring more air.

 

GrumpyOldGuy

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• Aug 29, 2011

• #9

1) Clasp your hand together interlacing your fingers (so you can't scull)
2) Frog kick only (it slows you down to a reasonable pace and uses smaller muscles)
3) Keep shallow (most of the good stuff is shallow anyway)
4) Look for the small stuff in the reef/rocks (many divers zip by the little stuff covering too much territory)
5) Chill (a good SAC is only 100 dives down a very fun road)

 

M

Max Speed

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• Aug 29, 2011

• #10

Fill your BCD by mouth on descent and only use the buttons to fine tune it. Or...

Convince your buddy you need to frequently practice using their octo.

Same as above but stealthily under low viz conditions. Act like you're hanging on to their octo to avoid losing them.