Solo Dive Planning Slates

[Zieg]

Given the state of a number of AOW divers I have seen with 100 dives it's not ridiculous at all. That includes those with AOW, Rescue, numerous specialties, and even a few with DM certs.

You know, I'm out a line here. Solo is a very personal thing. I'm the last person to be telling anyone how to dive or to do anything. Everyone should dive solo, when they feel they are ready for it, because it is a beautiful thing. The freedom.

 

[tbone1004]

Jim, then we need to fix the root cause, not just push the solution farther and farther down the line. You know that. If at 100 dives, AOW/Rescue/DM they can't do that, then we need to look at why they can't, and go fix it. Not go "oh well these guys can't do it so we'll fix it when they come to us". Root cause analysis is what isn't being done and is the only way to a true solution

 

[SeaHorse81]

Jim, then we need to fix the root cause, not just push the solution farther and farther down the line. You know that. If at 100 dives, AOW/Rescue/DM they can't do that, then we need to look at why they can't, and go fix it. Not go "oh well these guys can't do it so we'll fix it when they come to us". Root cause analysis is what isn't being done and is the only way to a true solution

Two things:

First, how do you fix a problem that results from numerous variables in numerous locales, involving multiple agencies? If you personally took this on as a mission, how would you realistically do it?

Second, what's wrong with having a checklist? Everyone, diving or otherwise, has occasionally overlooked something they knew perfectly well to do; it's just much more likely to harm you if you do it with diving than with most other things. If a checklist reduces that risk, then why not? If one dives solo, one has to provide all of one's own redundancy, so I think of a checklist--even the most basic one--as the substitute for a buddy check. The checklist gives you that objective once-over that you can't always give yourself.

 

[GJC]

You guys need to lighten up on the new guy with a simple question and also rethink checklist use.

Brilliant doctors that do surgery every day operate on the wrong body parts. To prevent this from happening, most operating rooms do a timeout and complete a checklist.

Experienced pilots always do takeoff and landing checklists.

Have you never seen a diver jump in the water with his tank valve unintentionally off? Wouldn't regular use of a checklist prevent this from happening most of the time?

 

[Max Speed]

Watched an instructor do a pre-dive buddy check with a student and then jump off the boat without her fins. Nothing wrong with a careful check. And it should include "remove sunglasses".

 

[Kevrumbo]

Jim, then we need to fix the root cause, not just push the solution farther and farther down the line. You know that. If at 100 dives, AOW/Rescue/DM they can't do that, then we need to look at why they can't, and go fix it. Not go "oh well these guys can't do it so we'll fix it when they come to us". Root cause analysis is what isn't being done and is the only way to a true solution

You want effective pedagogic analysis as well ease of practice for gas planning? Use the metric system:

18m Beginner/Novice OW Limit

A Quick Contingency "Rock Bottom" Calculation and Gas Plan Estimate for Open Water. . .

Given a single 11 litre tank (AL80), with a standard spec of 11 litres/bar metric tank rating, and a diver's gas volume Surface Consumption Rate (SCR) of 22 litres/min -same as a pressure SCR of 2 bar/min*ATA (divide 22 litres/min by 11 litres/bar equals 2 bar/min*ATA)- using an example NDL air dive to 30m (4 ATA) depth in Open Water.

Emergency Reserve/Rock Bottom pressure calculation, from 30 meters with one minute stops every 3 meters to the surface,
-->Just "tally the ATA's":
4.0
3.7
3.4
3.1
2.8
2.5
2.2
1.9
1.6
1.3

Sum Total: 26.5

Multiplied by 2 bar/min*ATA equals 53 bar Rock Bottom absolute reading remaining on your SPG. --this also happens to be the pressure in bar needed for one person (Solo Diver) in an emergency contingency to reach the surface with the above minimum decompression ascent profile.

So ideally for a two person buddy team, multiply 53 by 2 which is 106 bar for both to reach the surface (sharing in a buddy Out-ot-Gas contingency).

But realistically, for two experienced divers stressed: 106 bar plus 30% of 106 bar equals 138 bar Rock Bottom SPG reading. (For an experienced Solo Diver, the SPG reading of the primary AL80/11L Tank would be half of 138 or 69 bar. A full auxiliary/redundant pony bottle equivalent to this amount to have along as a contingency, independent or emergency back-up would be an AL30/4.2L tank)

For two novice divers stressed: 106 bar plus 100% of 106 bar equals 212 bar (!!!) A full 11L (AL80) cylinder is 200 bar. . .
--->obviously then, two novice divers on single 11L tanks should not be diving to 30m for any significant length of time, hence the basic open water limit depth of 18m. . .​

(For a novice certified Solo Diver going this deep to 30m, the SPG reading would just be 106 bar; a full auxiliary/ redundant/independent pony bottle nearly equivalent to this amount to attach along the main AL80/11L tank -or slung like a stage tank- would be an AL40/5.5L cylinder).

 

[tursiops]

tbone and others: lighten up, guys!
Jeez, nothing wrong with check lists.
They are mandatory for rebreathers, for example.
Sure, there are some things that you get into your mental firmware, and it is good to have it there, like "keep breathing."
It is MUCH better to have it on a checklist than to be overconfident and complacent and forget something important.
However, the really simple stuff does not necessarily end up in your mental firmware.....take a look at a CCR checklist.
Rule of thumb: if your life depends on it, it ought to be on the checklist.
Conclusion: we divers could do with more checklists and less sneering at them.

 

[Pyramid65]

Let me google that for you

Don't ya think I woulda done that already so I wouldn't have to post it here and read through all the horse-sh*t training wheels posts???

---------- Post added June 2nd, 2015 at 09:21 AM ----------

I appreciate everyone's help in finding a location to get the slates, really I do, turns out if ya e-mail SDI (which I did yesterday) they'll send them to ya

 

[RJP]

Watched an instructor do a pre-dive buddy check with a student and then jump off the boat without her fins.

Been there. Forgot that...

[video=youtube;OqXusbLUfKA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqXusbLUfKA[/video]

 

[AfterDark]

Every LDS that I use has slates hanging on the wall. Some compasses are sold mounted on a slate. Is it a "special" slate you want OP?

The slate on the back of the 3 hole console I bought in the 1970's is the one I still use. I like my critical data on the slate for deep dives where narcosis creeps up on me and I can't do simple math problems or remember much and/or doubt my memory. Solo deep dives using my IDs I put the switch pressures on the slate along with the other routine data; compass bearings for example. I often copy the sketch(s) that the DM draws on the white board during the pre-dive briefing if there is room. I really can't see diving without a slate. I suspect many other divers feel the same way. I like it mounted on the console because it is one less thing to forget and to pack.