I am not a bone head I swear!

[SCUBAKristey]

I too had a bit of trouble with multiple dives. If you're a shopper like myself, this may help!

Think of it like a credit card...everytime you dive you reduce the limit on your "card." So don't forget to add in what you've already used, therefore reducing your "card limit." (Hmmm, makes MUCH more sense when he said it!) Hope this helps you out! It did me!


Kristey

 

[art.chick]

Girl, I am going to steal that analogy (but I will give u credit!)

'Dog, lotsa students take a while on the tables. Don't be hard on yourself. I am a little sceptical about men teaching their wives this stuff; that was what my husband was supposed to do with me. Instead, he got frustrated quickly when I didn;t get it & continued to grab the tables out of my hand to figure "our" SIT time. It wasn't till I took an AI aside & admitted that I never learned the stuff that I got some serious hands-on help. But your guy may be different.

 

[greyface]

The RDP sure can be tricky. Remember, that after a dive, with a s. i. of less than 6 hrs., you'll have some leftover nitrogen.(RNT) You must account for that. It is expressed in minutes. RNT + ABT = TBT
If you add up any of the numbers in the white and blue boxes on table 3, they will equal the NCL number in the black box in table 1.
Once you've written down the numbers in table 3, you're done with that table, flip it over and look for the new depth and your TBT to find your mew presure group. Hope this helps! Good luck!

 

[chiara]

Scuba dog,

I'm sorry to learn you didn't make it on your first attempt, keep in mind all that's been said, there is some very good advice here.

In some way I'm really satisfied there is some direct experience that indeed it is not impossible to get a PADI OW final exam wrong.

People who think PADI should not be staying in the business, please reconsider.

 

[SubMariner]

SG, the Recreational Dive Planner (RDP) can be confusing.

Since your husband is a DM, I assume he has a copy of the PADI Diving Workbook? Take a look in there for some sample problems to work on. The best part is that you will also have access to the ANSWERS after you have worked out the problems. No fair peeking!

You've already gotten some great advice (SK, love the credit card analogy!). But here are a couple other hints:

1) Look on the Tables. There is always valuable information printed on them. For example, in the "General Rules" is the reminder that when diving in cold water, or strenuous conditions, you should plan the dive assuming the depth is 10' DEEPER than actual. Also, "Special Rules for Multiple Dives".

2) When calculating multiple dives, remember to "drown the RAT": RAT = Residual (Nitrogen Time) + Actual (Actual Bottom Time) = Total (Total Time). This is also right on your tables.

Email me if you have any specific questions.

TTFN,

~SubMariner~

P.S.: I may be an Instructor who teaches the RDP now, but once upon a time I was a student diver who had problems with them too! You are NOT alone!

 

[Scuba~dog]

Well I passed my written exam with a 78% So I just snuck by , but i did ok the second time around. I now have to go and do my pool and ocean dives. This store I am going through is not very well organized. I am still waiting for them to arrange pool times. I am really mad ! But hopefully i can finish soon.

 

[chiara]

Hey!

That's great news!

Time for a nice party over there?

 

[SubMariner]

Congrats on your o/w exams. Keep practising on the Tables... even if you have a dive PC, you will use the RDP every time you dive, to plan your dive!

Have fun in the water.... and keep us up to date on your progress.

~SubMariner~

 

[greyface]

Congrats, SD! Best of luck to you!