Swim Speed with Scuba Grear?

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cadiver67

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Messages
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Location
Southern California
# of dives
100 - 199
Hello,

Does anyone know how fast an average person swims underwater with scuba gear?

For my dive planning I am trying to figure out how long it will take to get from Point A to Point B - then I can figure how much air I will need.

I know it won't be exact for me - but just a rough idea will help.

Thanks,
cadiver67
 
When I am trying to get from one location to another I do 100 ft in about 1:25. Note this was with absolutely nothing to see so I was just motoring right along. I suspect that is quicker than most would be going.
 
10-12 knots.

Why dont you get in some gear, get in a pool, or lake or ocean, and swim some premeasured distances and time yourself?
 
1/2 knot or less when just puttering around the reef. Right around 1 kt when in transit.

It's pretty easy to figure out by premeasuring a distance and timing yourself, both on the clock and by how many kick cycles --- 1kt is 100 ft/minute.

Another handy thing to figure out at the same time is your air consumption rate, both while puttering along and while at a steady transit speed.
 
I just had a friend time my 100ft swim a couple days ago and it took 45 seconds, which is definitely a "moving speed" not an "examining the pretty fishies" speed.
 
50 fpm is 1/2 knot and is about typical. 100 fpm is going to be about as fast as you're reasonably going to be able to swim (and you're probably going to start overbreathing your reg). 2 knots or 200 fpm is the speed of a scooter...
 
sort of off topic, BUT: recently a very experienced diver, a Marine Colonel who owns a boat told us that if your boat drags anchor or the mooring breaks and no one is onboard that the best plan once the divers realize they cannot catch the drifting boat is for one diver to remove his tank and bcd so that he can swim quickly to the boat and return for the divers. Sort of obvious I guess, but I like these tips in my head before stuff happens. Also... a snorkel would be handy.
 
Tienuts:
10-12 knots.

Why dont you get in some gear, get in a pool, or lake or ocean, and swim some premeasured distances and time yourself?


That's faster than the dive boat ;-)
 
I definately plan on timing myself on my next outing - I just needed a rough idea for now.

My wife and I are practicing our dive planning in preparation for our first wreck dive in San Diego next month.

Thanks for the help
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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