Age and technical diving.

[Kim]

And perhaps this is a hijack and if so I apologize, why are number of dives counted and not bottom time with a depth ratio?

Well, I don't want to move this thread off focus but the quick answer to this question is probably because it's actually the first 10m/33ft which are potentially the most dangerous because it's the largest pressure difference that you'll get in a dive. I would have thought with flying planes it would be similar (although I'm not a pilot) - they log their total hours, but I bet the number of take offs and landings are rather important. In diving - those take offs and landings occur in that first 10 meters.

Like I said though....I'd like this to stay on track about technical diving at an older age!

 

[wedivebc]

I have seen plenty of middle-aged tech divers. Some men buy a Porsche during mid life crisis, I bought a rebreather.
I am 48 and do plenty of dives below 200ft. If anything the physical activity has kept me healthy. Many of my peers are couch potatoes.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Tom Mount is as old as dirt (sorry Tom) but he stays in shape and routinely does VERY DEEP dives. He'll do things like repetative 300 +++ footers.

 

[Tom Yerian]

Maybe that's true...I really don't know. I suppose that my thinking was more along the lines that someone who has done it a long time and is completely at home with everything is going to be a lot more relaxed - so therefore less at risk. If an older person starts trying to hump 100 kilos worth of gear around and they've never done it before, plus they have to learn all the new skills etc...I would expect more stress. However, maybe I'm completely wrong - that's what I'm trying to find out.

Perhaps I should be a little more honest as to why I'm asking this question!
I'm 54 this year and am considering doing the DSAT Tech Deep next spring. I'm wondering if I should be considering my age at all in deciding whether to do it or not. On top of that, supposing I do the course and pass, I'm wondering what length of time I might be able to continue doing dives like that afterwards.
Now the DSAT course goes to 50m/165ft, but of course if I go that far I'd probably want to continue to Trimix!
I'm trying to work out if I'm being sensible with such aspirations.......or whether I should just stick to liveaboards and cruising reefs for fun!

NUMBER 1 Hows your health? What you are planning can be very strenuous.I advise you to get a cardiac series, and a pulmonary stress test,a blood series with low numbers, then take your results to a Hyperbaric physician, not a regular dr. If you pass with flying colors, go for it. Then Stay healthy! Excercise frequently, (cardio especially) and free wts., You will be humping a lot of weight! Other than that,GO FOR IT!!and stay that way......yid:........Capt Tom

 

[vlada]

IMO, deco is not a precise science to start with, more of an art and age is just one of many may factors that affect individual's ability to decompress - i would not worry about it too much.

However, since age is one of the factors, you may want to ran your deco program of choice at the more conservative settings than you otherwise would.

If you ever played with V-Planner - it has 5 conservatism settings. Some people ran it at 0 conservatism. I for some reasons do not decompress as well as others, so myself and a buddy use it at +2 setting all the time while diving Great Lakes. For some very challenging dives, i'd use +3 or +4 and so on

Good luck with your classes

 

[Brian Gilpin]

Now the DSAT course goes to 50m/165ft, but of course if I go that far I'd probably want to continue to Trimix!

I'm trying to work out if I'm being sensible with such aspirations.......or whether I should just stick to liveaboards and cruising reefs for fun!

The course goes to 165ft without trimix? I think that is where i would add the conservatism by switching at a shallower depth. Of course I get narced in the shower.