Necessity of a back up computer/watch for NDL diving

[TMHeimer]

CT says it all. I had my SPG freeze once at 1000 PSI but no problem as my avg. depth was about 15'. Deep dives being almost always square profiles it's DC & Analog for me. Multi-level dives mostly? I would buy a 2nd DC. Whatever works for you. 30' or less, you probably need nothing--you'll get cold or bored soon enough. But I take the watch--gotta log every dive with my OCD.
15' dives--oh boy. Can't wait for my usual July CT shore dives, CT.

 

[broncobowsher]

I haven’t read the full thread, but here are my thoughts;
Losing the AI will make subsequent dives much harder, because knowing how much gas you have is pretty much mission critical.

Not knowing depth and time are things that would bother me because I like to know things like that. However, they are not essential for every dive. If you are going to have a hard bottom at 40 fsw, none of that really matters. As long as you know approximately what what your first was and whether you have any chance going into deco on the second dive, you can decide what is reasonable.

Err on the side of caution,

Should you have a back up DC? Are you okay sitting out the next dive because your computer failure beached you? If the answer is “no” then buy a backup, keep a battery in it and stick it in your BCD pocket. It doesn’t need to be identical to the one that died, it just needs to be on all the dives and you know how to use it. A decent used DC can be had on eBay for $50. If you are using AI, you will want to have and SPG somewhere at hand.

Some people go on their Sunday dive expeditions without so much as a spare o-ring. How much extra crap you bring along is entirely up to you.

How much you are willing to adjust your dive plan or spend on backup gear is also upto the individual. I know people who could outfit another entire diver from the trunk of their car.

well said. I like the comment about people who show up to dive without even a spare O-ring. It is true. The line between "needed" and "desired" is easy to blur. You need to be able to end a dive safely, you desire to do more dives.

 

[MargaritaMike]

Sorry, who's going to use tables or the dive wheel for dives these days? Maybe in training, after that, why would you not use a computer?

I carry my wheel with me all the time. Don't use it except to put new divers in awe when calculating a dive. It's fun sometimes. Still wear 2 computers.

Cheers -

 

[laikabear]

I wear 2 computers. When I was in Truk Lagoon, it was 2 Hollis DG03s. One of them, which was at the time only 2 years old, had the depth sensor go out on the 2nd to last day of diving. I was just merrily swimming along at 70 feet and the computer started a safety stop, then said I was on the surface. Yikes. I took it down on some subsequent dives to see what it would do, but it always had wildly inaccurate depth info, or would stay in surface mode after that. (I sent it off to Hollis once I got home, and they repaired it).

I was really glad to have been wearing the 2nd computer for the whole trip, so I didn't have to miss any dives.

 

[markmud]

Still wear 2 computers.

But, think of the money you could save if you used your wheelie to plan all your dives? As a percentage of money you've spent on all your gear, training and trips, it is a huge factor, like .0006789 of the total. Wasteful!!!

When I was in Truk Lagoon, it was 2 Hollis DG03s.

Hollis computers are terribly expensive. It was probably 1/4 the cost of your trip! What extravagance.

Ok, sarc button is now off. I don't get people who are arguing against two computers. It is not their money. It is not their dive.

I dive two computers because I like to. It is fun. I have saved a liveaboard trip because I had two computers. It was a nice side benefit.

It is your money, it is your avocation, spend it how you like,
m

 

[laikabear]

But, think of the money you could save if you used your wheelie to plan all your dives? As a percentage of money you've spent on all your gear, training and trips, it is a huge factor, like .0006789 of the total. Wasteful!!!

Hollis computers are terribly expensive. It was probably 1/4 the cost of your trip! What extravagance.

Ok, sarc button is now off. I don't get people who are arguing against two computers. It is not their money. It is not their dive.

I dive two computers because I like to. It is fun. I have saved a liveaboard trip because I had two computers. It was a nice side benefit.

It is your money, it is your avocation, spend it how you like,
m

LOL... when my one Hollis died, my buddy (in Truk) had a spare PERDIX to loan me to wear with the remaining Hollis. Well you know what happened of course, while waiting that lonely, long month before hearing from Hollis after I sent the computer in, I had to buy my own Perdix. I never would have caved and bought that thing if I hadn't tried it.

 

[markmud]

I had to buy my own Perdix.

Yeah, I tried a couple of them myself. I then adopted one as my back-up PDC.

In general, I like how it gets the dive crews and instructors all bent-out-shape. They get really worried, like I am going do a tec dive or something just because my gear does not conform to their cliquish standards.

Screwing with people who think they are all that, can be so much fun!

cheers,
m

 

[chillyinCanada]

I dive an AI Sherwood Wisdom. I’ve never carried a backup computer on a dive. I do carry a spare hose and computer on a dive trip just in case. My spare is also a Wisdom.

I have well over 1000 dives and have never had a computer failure.

You've been fortunate. I've been glad of having two with me more than once.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I don't get people who are arguing against two computers. It is not their money. It is not their dive.

I read the entire thread and didn't find anyone arguing against two computers. The thread title is Necessity of a back up computer/watch for NDL diving

Not everyone wants to carry extra gear on a dive. In nearly 2400 dives, I haven't had a gear failure. Apparently, I'm lucky. Perhaps I just take care of my gear and it takes care of me.

I look at my computer a lot during each dive. If it did fail I would have a good idea of my depth and time and could easily average that and continue the dive, making a normal ascent. If I had to skip the next dive, so what. I could always dive alongside my buddy and use her computer, or dive shallower and not use one at all.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I read the entire thread and didn't find anyone arguing against two computers. The thread title is Necessity of a back up computer/watch for NDL diving

Not everyone wants to carry extra gear on a dive. In nearly 2400 dives, I haven't had a gear failure. Apparently, I'm lucky. Perhaps I just take care of my gear and it takes care of me.

I look at my computer a lot during each dive. If it did fail I would have a good idea of my depth and time and could easily average that and continue the dive, making a normal ascent. If I had to skip the next dive, so what. I could always dive alongside my buddy and use her computer, or dive shallower and not use one at all.

I wear the two when on a liveaboard or special dive trip. I don't want to have to skip any dives. This was explained by others above and has very little to do with how often I look at my computer, which is often enough to know what I expect to see there when I do.
And it's not my gear that has failed, it's been my computer cuz like you, I take care of my gear and it takes care of me.