Air consumption. .

[Karel26]

What are you air consumption like? ?

I am thank goodness low on air, very blessed i believe. .
My best was 9.03 liter per min at 27meters or 81feet. .
What fasinates me is that the deeper i go the more
low on air i become. . It doesn't make sense to me
so if one of the wise people can maybe explain it to me i
will be glad. . The one thing i noticed if i dive deeper then
18meters i become more relaxed and i know i am not narked. .

I out dive most of the people on the dive boat, except my
instrucor or dm (obvious LoL). . The worst part is most of the other
divers are more experienced then me, logged more dives and they
use either a 12 liter or 15 liter cylinder and i a 10 liter. .
How is this possible? ?

Live to dive and Dive to live. . . . :burnout:

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

What are you air consumption like? ?

I am thank goodness low on air, very blessed i believe. .
My best was 9.03 liter per min at 27meters or 81feet. .
What fasinates me is that the deeper i go the more
low on air i become. . It doesn't make sense to me
so if one of the wise people can maybe explain it to me i
will be glad. . The one thing i noticed if i dive deeper then
18meters i become more relaxed and i know i am not narked. .

I out dive most of the people on the dive boat, except my
instrucor or dm (obvious LoL). . The worst part is most of the other
divers are more experienced then me, logged more dives and they
use either a 12 liter or 15 liter cylinder and i a 10 liter. .
How is this possible? ?

Live to dive and Dive to live. . . . :burnout:

Everyone's air consumption is different. As we gain experience and develop more efficient techniques we will generally use less air ... but we each need what we need to satisfy the demands of our physiology.

There are several well-written treatises on air consumption that you may find helpful. Here is one that I wrote a few years ago. Rather than go into the explanation on ScubaBoard once again, I'll simply recommend that you read it and then feel free to ask more specific questions on anything that doesn't still make sense to you.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[TSandM]

I can think of a number of reasons why one's normalized gas consumption might be lower on deeper dives. One is that you use less gas in buoyancy adjustments when you're deep. Another is that you are less exposed to surface effects -- surge, chop, etc. -- so you may not have to work as hard.

Gas consumption is related to a lot of things, but diver size, fitness, and experience are probably the biggest factors.

 

[Gerbs]

Can't add much, as the sensible intelligent contributions have already been made, other than that the best consumption reduction seems to come from being relaxed.

If you are relaxed, neutrally buoyant and enjoying yourself without exertion or freezing, the only thing running is your brain. Now, just enjoy the feeling of Zen-like calmness to clear your mind and then have your dive buddies tie you down after the dive to look for gills on your mutant freak self.

Gerbs - ~11L/min, fat, unfit and until a few months a go a smoker.

 

[Karel26]

Now, just enjoy the feeling of Zen-like calmness to clear your mind and then have your dive buddies tie you down after the dive to look for gills on your mutant freak self.

I like the idea of enjoing the feeling of Zen-like calmness. . What
if have gills Gerbs? ? :shocked2:

Live to dive and Dive to live. . . . :burnout:

 

[dave4868]

The worst part is most of the other
divers are more experienced then me, logged more dives and they use either a 12 liter or 15 liter cylinder and i a 10 liter. .
How is this possible? ?

"Worst part"? You mean "best part", I think.

As was said, diver size, fitness and experience are probably the biggest factors.

What's your height and weight? I'll bet that's half the answer.

Do you regularly exercise? Dive regularly?

How do the other divers compare in those regards?

Those will be big factors, along with technique, wouldn't you agree?

Dave C

 

[Karel26]

"Worst part"? You mean "best part", I think.

What's your height and weight? I'll bet that's half the answer.

Do you regularly exercise? Dive regularly?

How do the other divers compare in those regards?


Dave C

I meant worst for them Dane. .


I compared my self with people over 50 dives,
(take in fact that I only have almost 30 dives)
better dive qaulifications, same hight as me or
slightly taller then me. . I am not that fit what i
use to be, think they can even be fitter then me. .

Live to dive and Dive to live. . . . :burnout:

 

[Gerbs]

I like the idea of enjoing the feeling of Zen-like calmness. . What
if have gills Gerbs? ? :shocked2:

If you have gills, you will be imprisoned in a cage for being a mutant while jetski-riding outlaws attack the island.

Someone proposed the thesis that their are two kinds of divers - flyers and lookers. The lookers look for the coloured fish, the flyers just want to float weightless and the pretty fish are a bonus. Flyers tend to become Zen-masters of calm and will enjoy dives immensely while being at a loss to tell others everything that they saw.

Otherwise, you can use your air consumption to make guides and instructors lose their faith in god. Our diving club president - almost 2000 dives over the last 5 years - once, on the last day of a liveaboard caused some consternation. This was supposed to be the last dive, before the boat returned to the harbour the following morning. The conversation was reported to be as follows:

(background: Usual conversations the previous week "why did you not show 100 bar?" "I ended the dive with 120. You want me to lie so you feel good?")
DM: Ok, last dive, we stay here tonight, no time limit, have fun!
CP: Really? No time limit?
DM: Yes, no limit.
CP: (Grabs kit and gets ready to jump) Ok, see you tomorrow! *splash*
The DM believed him... he went after him with wetnotes to explain to him that there was a 2hr limit...

Gerbs

 

[Blackwood]

I am thank goodness low on air, very blessed i believe. .
My best was 9.03 liter per min

Wow.

Good for you. Even using a scooter or just sitting in one spot (deco) I've never been that low.

 

[Scuba-Jay]

Can't add much, as the sensible intelligent contributions have already been made, other than that the best consumption reduction seems to come from being relaxed.

If you are relaxed, neutrally buoyant and enjoying yourself without exertion or freezing, the only thing running is your brain. Now, just enjoy the feeling of Zen-like calmness to clear your mind and then have your dive buddies tie you down after the dive to look for gills on your mutant freak self.

Gerbs - ~11L/min, fat, unfit and until a few months a go a smoker.

Agree 100% - At greater depths I tend to slow down and take my time with every movement. This can often account for less air consumption.