Am I the only one that dives with 2 computers?

[Superlyte27]

I should have been more specific RJP. The diver's max depth, not necessarily the ocean floor. Depending on where you are at, you could use any of the three methods I listed.

 

[tbone1004]

I have a Zoop and an Aeris Atmos. On a recent pair of dives to 80 ft or so. I and my buddy dive HP100s at 30%. On dive 2 we were NDL limited. We started up when the ZOOP hit 0. My Aeris was showing 7 minutes more. As soon as we started up the Aeris begin to give me more time. The ZOOP did so much more slowly. Going up say 10-15 ft and I was seeing a difference that got up to 15 minutes. Up further they both gave more time than I had air. The point being that on a multilevel dive they can be much more different than just a minute or two. We were back on the boat after dive 2 with 1200 psi left.

But hey I am 69.8 years old. So being conservative most of the time is fine with me. If a Manta shows up at the last moment and poses for a picture I will keep the Aeris clean and take care of the mild Zoop deco on the way up.

That was my initial point exactly Steve. Your Zoop isn't a backup because you have to monitor BOTH computers at all times instead of just monitoring one because the other will be displaying identical information. With that example above, your Zoop is actually your primary and your Aeris is your secondary because the Zoop is the limiting factor.

 

[jboneng]

I don't dive with two computers, but have analogue depth gauge and a dive watch as backup. On a standard rec dive that is enough to safely surface, and any repetitive dives afterwards is done by using tables and analogue depth gauge and watch. On dives with mandatory decompression stops I use tables and set the PDC in gauge mode anyways, so my analogue equipment is enough to safely execute the dive in case of PDC failure. Your best PDC is between your ears.

 

[drbill]

For many years I dove with two computers on my wrist... until a recent dive in the Red Sea when the boat crew made a series of stupid errors, the mooring line snapped, the tag line was swept under the rocking boat and one of my computers was literally stripped off my wrist by the boat hull crashing down on me. I will again once I decide which one to buy.

 

[beaverdivers]

Ridiculous...
Figure a square profile, pad the surface interval, and run it on tables with the appropriate group. Amazing that this stuff has been forgotten, hilarious even.

Geez, you guys realize we used to dive WITHOUT computers at all right? You're telling me you can't go backward because the computer fails in the middle of a dive instead of starting a dive without one? Wow.

Get your max depth from your buddy, known depth of the sight or from the sonar on the boat, you know how long you went down for, boat captains and mates are tracking this, as well as your dive buddy. Depth and time, that's all you need. Geesh.

Let's zoom ahead to reality:

You are diving a remote destination having the time of your life. Halfway through your trip at the best dive sites, your only dive computer fails in the middle of dive #3. Your 1st dive of the day was 114' for 63 minutes, 2nd dive 103' for 62 minutes, then on the 3rd dive of 91' your computer fails at 32 minutes at 69'.

What are you going to do?

 

[redacted]

Let's zoom ahead to reality:

You are diving a remote destination having the time of your life. Halfway through your trip at the best dive sites, your only dive computer fails in the middle of dive #3. Your 1st dive of the day was 114' for 63 minutes, 2nd dive 103' for 62 minutes, then on the 3rd dive of 91' your computer fails at 32 minutes at 69'.

What are you going to do?

Call that dive and surface with my buddy and his computer. It may not be very direct ascent depending on his current status and my last known status. Get out my Padi tables and plan the next dive based on PG Z (prior dives were off the tables for a square profile). Dig one of my two compatible spare computers out of my save-a-dive kit. (I have them but don't wear it except for very aggressive diving but I might have carried one for the dives you are describing). I will use my spare for depth/time info, but not for loading info for about 24 hours. Between my buddy's computer and padi tables, I will plan and manage my gas loading, staying a bit on the conservative side.

No reason to miss a single dive. BTW, I also lend computers and other gear to divers in need. You, being the dive leader for that trip, would lend the unfortunate diver one of your spares - right?? More petty LDS owners would see this as an opportunity to demonstrate why all divers need to buy 2 computers from them. And 2 masks and 2 regulators ....

 

[Superlyte27]

I scrolled up hoping to see you listed as an instructor so I could cost you future students. Granted PADI probably doesn't teach this, but your scenario is COMPLETELY fixable. It's already been explained how. Or, you can pay me $1000 for a private AoW class and I can teach you.

And this my friends is the sad state of diving instruction today.

 

[beaverdivers]

I scrolled up hoping to see you listed as an instructor so I could cost you future students. Granted PADI probably doesn't teach this, but your scenario is COMPLETELY fixable. It's already been explained how. Or, you can pay me $1000 for a private AoW class and I can teach you.

And this my friends is the sad state of diving instruction today.

Well, your professionalism is glowing!

 

[tbone1004]

Let's zoom ahead to reality:

You are diving a remote destination having the time of your life. Halfway through your trip at the best dive sites, your only dive computer fails in the middle of dive #3. Your 1st dive of the day was 114' for 63 minutes, 2nd dive 103' for 62 minutes, then on the 3rd dive of 91' your computer fails at 32 minutes at 69'.

What are you going to do?

as those are all clearly decompression dives, you should have been logging or at least marking those dives during your SIT, and then you pull out a phone with pastodeco on it and run the next dive plan. According to your profile you have over 5k dives and have been at it since 1973. The answer to your question is what did you do between 1973 and 2003 before we had computers with reliable deco planning?

 

[descent]

... this my friends is the sad state of diving instruction today.

This is a distressing thread. I have read every post with increasing dismay.