another airhog gets his fins

[MnLakeDiver]

Well we went up to crosby MN this weekend and I finnished my OW Cert dives !!! We finnished the cert on Sat. and Did 3 dives on sundy just to log some bottom time. The water was cold but Viz was great. We explored an under water forest and played with the bass.

Now if I could just stop sucking up somuch air when we came up I was usualy 800psi lower then the rest. So our dive plans usualy included when somone got cold or I got to 800 psi.

 

[syruss32]

Congrats! Welcome to our extended family! As for air consumption you will find that with time and experience you will improve.

Most important is to just relax, as TexasMike and I have both mentioned in other posts usually you use more air when you first get in the water. Try and relax as soon as you get in, then concentrate on steady breathing, try not to gulp air, then let it out slowly instead of super fast, cause then you just want to gulp more.

Also if you are going to surface swim to your ascent point, get to that point then just float for a while to relax. A couple of minutes and your breathing should return to normal from your swim and you should be more relaxed.

And the final tip is practice, practice, practice.

When I started I was using 2500psi in 25-30 minutes in a pool at 12 feet. Now after 15 dives if I am in the 25-30 range the same amount of air lasts an hour and 15 minutes or so. This weekend we were at 52 feet for 36 minutes and I still had 800 psi. That was the deepest I have been for the longest time (not to mention the coldest) but it was good practice. I did notice when I first got into the cold water of the second thermocline I had to concentrate on my breathing to relax, as the tendancy is to gulp. But I thought that it was pretty good for only my 15th dive.

 

[Ontario Diver]

Too Cool.....

Congrats MnLD. Now that you are "official", you are as warped as the rest of us.

EVERYBODY sucks air when they start. SOME of us still do <G>. Everybody told me not to worry...I still did. Once I stopped worrying my air use got better. What worked most for me was to get my own BC, that led to better bouyancy control > less frustration > more relaxed > less air > more bottom time

So now what, At 80 to 100' I still run out of BT before I run out of air. So me and buddy do 20 min at the wreck. We surface, Buddy has 1000 psi on the boat and I have 500. So what; not like buddy can do another dive with 1000, and the air fill place doesn't give a refund on unused air.

Us full figured males just naturally use more air...

(Of course, there is always doubles and they look way cool!)

 

[TexasMike]

Additionally, the warmer you are the less air you consume. So since you are up in the norther lattitudes, be sure you have enough exposure protection to keep you nice a toasty.

I used to suck through an AL80 tank like water to a thirsty man in a desert. Now I can easitly get long bottom times at deeper depths as I gain experience....

Relax, practice diving, and have fun. Like many sports, it gets easier the more you do it.

 

[Fishkiller]

congrats on the C card


being the first low on air truly inhales to great extent

but relax enjoy move slow


then if that won't work buy a 121cuft tank

 

[daylight]

Congratulations on getting certified. Diving is an activity that is to be fun and enjoyment. Your BOW is to be looked upon similsr to a driving learners permit. A bunch of skills will take time to develop. Air consumption is one, bouyancy control is another. Keep at it and experience will help.

Again, just relax and enjoy this great sport.

Good Luck & DSAO

 

[miked]

MN Lake diver,
on getting your C-card! Now the fun really begins.
As the others have said, with experience comes decreased air consumption. Staying warm, staying relaxed, and using the least weight necessary can help too.
Congratulations,
Miked

 

[Tavi]

Congrats on your certification.
My air consumption has improved,
But I still plan on buying HP100 Tanks. :

Tavi

 

[Fishkiller]

Hey Tavi I trust that your decision to buy was based on bottomtime? I bought my 121's for that and to make my non buddies jealous a slight cse of revenge, ps I can carry 121's with no problems infact I don't have to bend down as far to put on my BC


MNlakediver land of 10,000 lakes are you planning a dive in all of them? playing with bass what about Walleye?

 

[Tavi]

Bottom time and the fact that they are smaller and lighter than Al 80's, also allows me to take some weight off my belt.I thought about the 120's but my buddys (wife and son) would run low on air long before I did.

Tavi