Multi Level Diver course ??????

[Remy B.]

I'm not familiar with PADI, but what will you get out of this course, that your DC will not tell you, and that you already know from the dive tables.

Am I breacking any rules, when I change levels when I dive, I always changing from levels 3 or 2 on my way down and 3 or 2 on my way up plus of course the slow ascent and the safety stops that my DC tell me to do.

 

[Pinecube]

As long as you're staying within the maximum depth that you're certified for, I wouldn't say you're breaking any rules by 'multi-level' diving. If you're calculating your dives the way the OW course teaches, max depth for entire dive duration, you should be fine on the NDL times regardless of what your dive profile actually looks like.

I haven't taken the multi-level diver course so please don't take my word for it... but as far as I'm aware, it just expands on the decompression theory and teaches you how to properly use the multi-level dive tables. By using these tables to plan your dive (and by diving your plan!) you should be able to get more bottom time before hitting your NDL limits than with the OW's square max depth entire dive method.

 

[TMHeimer]

Kind of like Boat Diver I would guess. By multi level dive tables would that be the Wheel? I've thought in the past this course is one that not need be taken. Could be wrong as I must admit I don't know what is covered.

 

[victorzamora]

The only thing MultiLevel Diver does is teach you how to plan and prepare for multi-level diving. With a computer, that's pretty useless. Even without one, your OW class should've covered tables well enough for you to do so anyway.

One thing I suggest doing is skipping it completely and, instead, spending your time reading up on MinGas/RockBottom. It's the only thing I've seen "added" to MultiLevel Diver. With a computer and a set of MinGas tables, you'll be diving as safely and securely as you possibly can along multilevel profiles (or in general, really).

 

[RJP]

I always changing from levels 3 or 2 on my way down and 3 or 2 on my way up plus of course the slow ascent and the safety stops that my DC tell me to do.

Do you plan your dives... or just ride your computer until it starts to beep?

---------- Post added September 26th, 2014 at 03:22 PM ----------

I've thought in the past this course is one that not need be taken.

Unless you don't know how to plan a multilevel dive. (And no, simply doing a "trust me" dive with a computer isn't the same as planning your dive.)

your OW class should've covered tables well enough for you to do so anyway.

How does one use a table to plan a multilevel dive?

The only thing MultiLevel Diver does is teach you how to plan and prepare for multi-level diving.

You were hoping for cooking lessons, maybe?

 

[The Chairman]

Kind of funny. In the land of yesteryear when the PADI wheel was the way to conduct a multilevel dive, the course was THE way to learn how to do this. Mastering the wheel was more art than science and it made for a lot of fun watching people trying to master this primitive slide rule. Not so much needed anymore with the dive community embracing the PDC. Will you learn something valuable from it? Like any Scuba class it mostly depends on your instructor as well as you.

Would I ever teach this course? Well, since I'm not a PADI instructor, then no. But, even if I were a PADI instructor, I would convince you to take something that would include this kind of diving instead. Something like my Advanced Trim, Buoyancy and Propulsion class where you learn how to maintain depths as well as how to change them with just your breathing.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

How does one use a table to plan a multilevel dive?

One of the better posts I have seen in a while - John C Ratliff commented in the Thread - setting to nitrox to reduce over conservatism on dive computers.
I am paraphrasing some of his words - Break each "dive/multi-level" into a single dive, and use a ten-minute SIT between dives to make the calculations (which does not change the repetitive group designator). This 10 min SIT would be done the same as planning multi dives on tables (without the extended SIT that you would normally accumulate).
Using this method will approximate your multi-level dive - not as well as your PDC perhaps but certainly close enough that you can plan a multi-level dive using dive tables.

The thread is an interesting read - regardless of the interest in planning multi-level dives with a table...

 

[TMHeimer]

So you're given a dive briefing on let's say a wreck. You know the different "levels" on the wreck. But you really don't know how much time you want to spend at each level (my shell collecting comes to mind). Or you may just go to the bottom, spend a few minutes there and gradually ascend (like a wall dive). How do you plan that?-- other than following your computer and maybe using the RDP to plan a square profile and go from there. As I have mentioned in the past, the eRDPml would seem quite useless as would the Wheel.

 

[victorzamora]

Do you plan your dives... or just ride your computer until it starts to beep?

I'm a tech diver and a cave diver. I don't plan dives that are no-deco dives. I generally kinda know what my max BT is, MOD is, and profile of the dive site. Then I just dive until I get near NDLs or the end of my tank's MinGas pressure.

How does one use a table to plan a multilevel dive?

Very simply, actually. Multiple, repetitive dives with no SI. Easy! It really shouldn't be so complicated. As experienced as you are, I figured you'd know how to. Do you seriously not?

You were hoping for cooking lessons, maybe?

No, I just meant it was relatively useless. He's already doing them. Everyone already does them. Diving a PDC means no real planning is required. Why take it? If it added additional, related, skills then it might be worth it.

 

[RJP]

I'm a tech diver and a cave diver. I don't plan dives that are no-deco dives. I generally kinda know what my max BT is, MOD is, and profile of the dive site. Then I just dive until I get near NDLs or the end of my tank's MinGas pressure.

So, because a tech/cave diver wouldn't get anything out of learning how to plan multi-level dives... someone like the OP, with 0-24 dives, wouldn't benefit from learning how to do so?

Very simply, actually. Multiple, repetitive dives with no SI. Easy! It really shouldn't be so complicated. As experienced as you are, I figured you'd know how to. Do you seriously not?

I seriously don't NEED to. I plan dives using V-planner.

PS - you do know that planning a repetitive dive series with no SI gives different results than planning a multilevel dive. As experienced as you are... I assume you do.

:d

All that said, I don't believe the multi-level course is worth much in and of itself, but the skill itself is useful. I've always taught it as part of AOW.