Maximum depth for Open Water diver

[Azza]

You might want to rephrase that. As I mentioned earlier, JOW divers would likely be limited (at a maximum) to the PADI OW depth limits which would be 60 ft.

You might want to check out post #65 where I posted the the training standards for teaching JOW divers.


And no where can I find a standard in the manual that states the OW maximum depth is 18 metres (60ft) outside of training.

There is a big difference between "Recommended Depth" and "Absolute Maximum Depth". None of my PADI cards have a "Maximum Depth" written on them.

Mt TDI Extended Range card OTOH states "Extended Range Diving and Decompression Techniques to 180fsw-ffw/55 msw-mfw using compressed air and nitrox/oxygen mixtures"

 

[Brewone0to]

My table puts 70/40 as the NDL - 70/41 is deco. But for 150, 10 minutes is the NDL. So if the edge is based only on NDL, I'd put 70/40 on the edge but have a 5 minute cushion with 150/5. Of course, there are probably other edges that should also be considered. Like experience, comfort, and ability to deal with narcosis.

To each his own I guess.

My guess is one of how large is the tank and what be your SAC rate?

 

[BarryNL]

Oceanic DataPlus NDLs: (depth/time) - 120/13, 130/10, 140/9, 150/8, 160/7, 170/no info.

US Navy NDLs: 120/15, 130/10, 140/10, 150/5, 160/5, 170/5, 180/5, 190/5, 200/no info.

Of course, your chances of getting down to 150' and back up to the surface in less than 5 mins and so making it a no-deco dive on tables are pretty slim.

 

[steeldiver]

More important than yor feeing comfortable at depths exceeding your dive qualification limit is your accident,life insurance cover.Many companies will not honour your accident cover if you dive beyond your qualification.Ask the british diver with a 40000,00 pound deco chamber bill. Some Insurance companies have max depths of 30m/100foot,most settle for 39m as the max sport diver limit.However if your ow qualification limits you to 18 m,I'd stick to that depth.

 

[garyfotodiver]

Yep. So JOW divers aged between 12 and 15 dont have a maximum depth. Just 10 and 11 year olds.
It's interesting what we take for fact and then when we delve deeper in we find the truth is not what we thought.

Thank you all for some interesting discussion.

Now for my perspective:

1. Deeper is not necessarily better. I have spent the last 10 years exploring reefs and wrecks in the 30 - 75 fsw range and I am still not done.

2. I have taken adult divers with me who turn out to be unqualified to be left in a bathtub, let alone in the ocean at depth. I have watched a number of teen-aged divers, and taken a few, who are comfortable in the water.

3. If depth is such a critical measure that a difference of 1 or 2 ft. is extremely important, then I must have my depth gage calibrated and certified. It doesn't matter whether it is digital and analog. The conservetivism built into my dive tables or into a computer is not sufficient.

4. Although I have no peer-reviewed scientific evidence, it appears that an adolescent diver who makes an occasional dive to >60 fsw is unlikely to cause serious permanent bone malformation. It might be different for the teen who spends every possible waking moment at depth. Nevertheless, there is, to my knowledge, no credible scientific evidence.

5. There is no special "depth limit" for JOW >12 years-old, beyond which you risk confiscation of your c-card. There is a recommended limit for 10-11 year-olds. Does it supercede parental or guardianship responsibility? I think not.

Now I am donning my steel pot and flak jacket... "Incoming!!"

 

[RonFrank]

* * * MOD POST * * *
I have moved the new posts into a new thread. This thread as initially for max depth with an instructor, so I am unclear why the OP did not just start a new thread vs. using a thread that is 5 years old, and off topic to his discussion.

* * * MOD POST * * *​

 

[Walter]

I have moved the new posts into a new thread.

Why?

I am unclear why the OP did not just start a new thread vs. using a thread that is 5 years old.

Maybe he didn't want to start a new thread. Why does it matter?

 

[paul madox]

All i would like to say is train and train some more, learn more than you need too know because when it goes wrong at depth you ain't got much time. Stay close to your buddy at depth and it's not how deep it's how much fun you have. Stay safe know your limits;don't push it .

 

[Diver Tim]

* * * MOD POST * * *
I have moved the new posts into a new thread. ​

I'm not at all sure why...

This thread as initially for max depth with an instructor, ​

The OP of this thread seemed to misunderstand the nature of recommended depth limits for an OW diver; my question was similar to his, but not identical.

I am unclear why the OP did not just start a new thread vs. using a thread that is 5 years old​

You could have asked...

and off topic to his discussion.

* * * MOD POST * * *​

I specifically didn't start a new thread because in my experience with other forums throughout the interwebs, starting a new thread with a question that is very similar to one in an existing thread results in a lot of "Did you even TRY the search feature?" replies. I had hoped to make it apparent that I had found this thread, read it in it's entirety (all eight pages), and still had questions. It seemed to me that my question, similar but not identical to this thread's OP, was a natural progression of the discussion.