dive pc or dive table

[jonnythan]

If you buy a computer, please don't run it into deco like you described in your post.

 

[mech]

I'm a recreational diver.
Mostly shore dives.
I'm not an expert but here is what works for me.
I have a cheap Cressi nitrox compatible computer with a big simple display I use as a bottom timer/reference checker.
I would have gone cheaper if I'd known better at the time.
The diving I do at my local area (Monterey) I try to keep as simple as possible.
I normally dive either 40,60 or 110ft on EAN32.
I have in my memory what I can do for a simple day of diving.
If I deviate from my plan I modify my surface interval accordingly.
I also keep a set of tables in my gear bag at all times.
I don't rely on my computer.
Keeping things simple works for me.

 

[SHARKBAIT94]

Well, it seems I may have confused some by my post. We will be planning our dives by the table my question was really once we have a dive plan is set up, would it be ok to dive the table and if gas and time remain keep the dive going. NOW mind every one that the deepest part we can dive is 22ft any deeper then we would have to dig. Yes Yes Yes I know after a while we will want to go deeper that maybe true but we both have agreed not to go on deeper dives then the back bay until we have done the aow then we can go deeper. We are doing this for fun and something to do together. Every one has an agenda ours is really just go out in the back bay and play around with the crabs and fish. As it stands right now I have no erg to go off a boat at all.

 

[Don Burke]

Well, it seems I may have confused some by my post. We will be planning our dives by the table my question was really once we have a dive plan is set up, would it be ok to dive the table and if gas and time remain keep the dive going. NOW mind every one that the deepest part we can dive is 22ft any deeper then we would have to dig. Yes Yes Yes I know after a while we will want to go deeper that maybe true but we both have agreed not to go on deeper dives then the back bay until we have done the aow then we can go deeper. We are doing this for fun and something to do together. Every one has an agenda ours is really just go out in the back bay and play around with the crabs and fish. As it stands right now I have no erg to go off a boat at all.

I am still confused.

I know of no table you will run into staged deco on at 22 feet breathing air.

The Navy tables give 310 minutes at 35 feet. That is over five hours.

If that were my dive, I would not even bother with a depth gauge, let alone a computer.

Now for deeper dives, planning with the tables and diving with the computer is not a problem. You know about what the computer should be telling you and why, so you can make informed decisions about your nitrogen loading.

 

[Trisha]

Hey, 22 feet sounds fun! Lots of air time, better colors (if you can see them), lots of perchicuda and crawdads to play with. The only downs are 1) drifting to the surface if you're not careful, and 2) boat traffic.
If we had just stayed at the Oklahoma lakes, a $10 Wal-Mart watch and rented gauges would have been just fine. But someday we want to see what ocean diving is like. So we bought with that in mind.

Tables are fine. They are conservative, they keep you out of trouble. But I remember how surprised my husband was the first time he used his computer against my gauges. He didn't know what all that beeping was as he came up -- oops!

 

[tfunk]

I like computers because you don't have to do any math in your head. Just make sure you at least get a bottom timer so that you know how long you're allowed to be down for your planned depth. The wheel would give you better bottom times, but for $44 you almost might as well get a computer