Is a bottom timer or gauge-mode compatible computer mandatory for GUE Rec courses?

[elgoog]

Hi all -

My wife and I would like to take the GUE Primer and then Fundamentals (targeting Rec only) in the next year or so. All the equipment we own so far (BP/W, fins, mask, compass, etc) is compatible based on the GUE equipment configuration guidelines and we're planning on buying regulators with a long hose setup in the near future. In addition, I recently got a brand new Suunto Zoop at a heavily discounted price.
Currently, we rent regulators and my wife uses the computer that comes on the console - I'm going to get her a wrist mount computer and will get something that can go into gauge mode so she'll be fine for all GUE courses.
Since my Zoop does not have a gauge mode, will I also need to get a new one? All the information that is presented in gauge mode (in, say, a Vyper) is also on the main dive screen of the Zoop - can I just ignore the no-deco time remaining and use the relevant depth and time values and consider that to be gauge mode as well? I'm trying to figure out if anything significantly different is shown in gauge mode; so far, from the manuals, I'm not seeing anything extra.
I know you can intentionally let a Zoop "bend" while diving your planned profile and then use it as a gauge for the remainder of the dives/trip but I'm not sure if doing that is frowned upon by GUE or not.

Thanks in advance,
elgoog

 

[jadairiii]

This is one of those "ask your instructor" questions. But......I really doubt it. You WILL need to hold up your Boy Scout salute and promise not to look at the deco information on the computer.

 

[Lorenzoid]

My wife used a Zoop for Fundies, and it was fine with our instructor. The only requirements in this regard are to be able to determine bottom time and depth, and any computer will do that much even if it has no gauge mode. Since the training dives are generally shallow, the Zoop never approached no-deco limits.

 

[Imla]

No.. You do not need to get a new one. Your computer shows both depth and time. This is all that is required. (The fact that it also shows NDLs doesnt matter)
The only thing that you might miss with your computer is average depth.
Yes.. You can just ignore the No-deco-time remaining. (Although... keep an eye on it for the ascent... it usually wont be a problem, just so you dont get locked out)
I had a vyper in my fundies-class and while it works fine in gauge mode, I missed average depth. My tip is that if your are to get a new tool, either get a dedicated bottomtimer with average depth and use your Zoop for those "pesky" liveaboards where you do more than 2 dives a day... or get something like the Scubapro Square that has both avg depth, and the opportunity to reset both time and avg depth.

 

[johnkendall]

There is no requirement to change your computer. You will be fine on fundies with a zooplankton, just remember to ignore the "safety stop" that it will automatically add.

Hth
John

 

[Imla]

zooplankton

?? Lol Assuming Autocorrect... this one was actually quite cute!

 

[TSandM]

I did my Fundies with phytoplankton. I have to be different.

 

[johnkendall]

Doh. Damn autocorrect

 

[elgoog]

Thanks for the info. Good to know I can use the Zoop for Fundies as well.
Since I'm spending for 2 every time I make a purchase, I'm trying to make it so that I can use the same gear for pretty much every dive/training/trip in the near-ish future. Having said that, I'll probably come back to this thread in a couple of years and laugh my head of - "Same gear for everything ?!?!?! What was I thinking. Here's a shelf with my Zoop, Vyper, Petrel and xDeep and in this corner is the 30lb wing with steel plates and the 17lb wing on a Kydex plate and ...."

The only thing that you might miss with your computer is average depth.

Is this for average depth in dive mode? What would this be used for during the dive?
The Zoop shows average depth in the logbook which could be used for SAC calculation and such.

You will be fine on fundies with a zooplankton

I did my Fundies with phytoplankton. I have to be different.

LOL. I think there's enough plankton in Monterey even without any more being brought in by me.

Best,
elgoog

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .
The Zoop shows average depth in the logbook which could be used for SAC calculation and such.

Yes, that's mainly what average depth is used for in Fundies class. But really, you can just use estimates. And since you're probably spending nearly the entire training dive at a single depth, the estimate is pretty easy. The goal is simply to teach people how to calculate SAC (or Surface Consumption Rate (SCR) as I believe GUE refers to it) for their dives. If you already know how, you're ahead of the game.