Backup Computer?

[RJP]

Do you mean the PADI wheel? or a multilevel dive plan that you probably prepared using a deco program ??

V-Planner

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Curious question about V-planner. I downloaded a demo version. It is an extremely powerful program and I can see being extremely useful for technical dives in the hands of a savvy user where you need to plan out the dive with detail. It was also just fun to play "what if I did this" and see what the numbers did.

But, is it really a practical tool for the typical recreational diver where the dive sites may be selected on the fly due to current (pun intended) conditions and the dive plan is much more fluid? Not to mention lack of control on the SI and multiple dives.

 

[RJP]

But, is it really a practical tool for the typical recreational diver where the dive sites may be selected on the fly due to current (pun intended) conditions and the dive plan is much more fluid? Not to mention lack of control on the SI and multiple dives.

It is... if you have it on your iPhone/iTouch.



But seriously, for most recreational divers a dive computer is a good way to go, but it does NOT absolve you of the need to PLAN your dive. Having V-Planner (or i-Deco) on a handheld is quite useful and helps in planning any dive - tech or rec. In fact, I would submit that a recreational diver who dives with a computer would benefit from using V-Planner/i-Deco to PLAN their dives, as it will give them a good sense of what the dive is going to end up being. Most recreational divers with computers simply "plan" to stay down until their computer tells them to come up. That's not dive planning.

 

[ttriton]

Personally I wouldn't worry about getting a 2nd one, now, SPG?--->Yes.......What part of Louisiana are you in??.....I'm in SW, close to Lake Charles...

I'm in Lake Charles area also. Certified thru True Blue.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

It is... if you have it on your iPhone/iTouch.



But seriously, for most recreational divers a dive computer is a good way to go, but it does NOT absolve you of the need to PLAN your dive. Having V-Planner (or i-Deco) on a handheld is quite useful and helps in planning any dive - tech or rec. In fact, I would submit that a recreational diver who dives with a computer would benefit from using V-Planner/i-Deco to PLAN their dives, as it will give them a good sense of what the dive is going to end up being. Most recreational divers with computers simply "plan" to stay down until their computer tells them to come up. That's not dive planning.

Planning is the only reason I bring tables with me anymore (I dive the computer, but plan with tables and a rock-bottom chart). I have no doubt you find v-planner an asset for rec dives as you are well versed in using it. I still think it is overkill, maybe a v-planner light would be different, need to fit the tool to the job a bit better for us pure recreational wussies.

 

[redacted]

If your goal is to avoid doing planned deco dives, then a good backup plan (a spare computer is an option) is a good idea. However, if you are willing to plan and conduct your dive as a planned deco dive, then a backup dive computer is unnecessary. Just conduct your planned deco whether it would have been necessary or not had your primary computer not failed.

 

[ScubaSteve]

If you use two computers with very different algorithms and they would have different NDL/Deco time numbers, you'll either be violating the limits for one of them if you go with the more liberal computer. It is perhaps no big deal but something to think about.

I dive a Cobra and have an In2ition as my back up. My dive plan if my Cobra ever quits, is to slowly end the dive (I rarely push limits as I am a conservartive diver anyways) and make my decision bout follow up dives. I would likely still do them on my In2ition but that is a decision I would leave for after the failed dive. I figure since I am diving the more conservative computer as my primary, if it ever quits, there is very little chance that I would be violating any limits on the Zeagle - and I watch both throughout a dive.

 

[RJP]

Planning is the only reason I bring tables with me anymore (I dive the computer, but plan with tables and a rock-bottom chart). I have no doubt you find v-planner an asset for rec dives as you are well versed in using it. I still think it is overkill, maybe a v-planner light would be different, need to fit the tool to the job a bit better for us pure recreational wussies.

If you have an iphone/itouch try one of the free-ware dive planning apps in the app store. Very easy to use.

 

[Kern]

Curious question about V-planner. I downloaded a demo version. It is an extremely powerful program and I can see being extremely useful for technical dives in the hands of a savvy user where you need to plan out the dive with detail. It was also just fun to play "what if I did this" and see what the numbers did.

But, is it really a practical tool for the typical recreational diver where the dive sites may be selected on the fly due to current (pun intended) conditions and the dive plan is much more fluid? Not to mention lack of control on the SI and multiple dives.

V-Planner is for planning dives. It doesn't matter if they're rec or tec. Its ease of use is one of it's strengths.

You have complete control of SI's, multiple dives, or multiple levels, & can recalculate any part of a planed sequence of dives as the situation changes. Or just plan each dive as they arise at the end of the SI, I few minutes before you splash..

You can get a version for almost any hand held device.

 

[Rainer]

I don't use V-Planner to plan my rec dives (too much work IMO; I much prefer the simplicity of min deco). I am curious though whether it's appropriate. Has VPM been validated over recreational "NDL" dives? The no stop times certainly aren't in correspondence with other published tables (though obviously they are somewhat close).

Simply because software will produce certain schedules doesn't mean they've been validated to any extent (e.g. V-Planner is quite happy to give you a schedule for a dive down to the Titanic; I don't think it'd be smart to attempt using it for such a dive, though ).