Dive Tables

[TMHeimer]

Check if your dives are mostly square profile or not.
Some charters (in the U.S.) require a computer, some not. If not, you still need a watch & depth gauge.

People forget how to use tables because they don't review them. I would too (I do a problem daily, takes 30 secs.). Learning tables is a must if you want to learn the Nitrox ones (those problems take about a minute). Of course most computers do nitrox, but still.


Good point about spending all that $ on a trip but not $300 on a computer. Then again, some people (at least in Canada) can afford a car but not the 15% GST/HST tax on $30,000.

 

[Montana Diver]

Scubatoys had a dive table program several years ago, download and get the code from them for free. Good practice tool.

 

[CT-Rich]

For doing two dives a day on vacation, I would pick up an inexpensive computer. Learning the tables is important, but you might find yourself missing out on dives because of looking at your dives as straight square profiles. A nice feature of the computer is that if you decide to change your plans or squeeze in a night dive, it will make that much more convenient to do safely. Even if you are not planning to on going close to the NDL, it will record all the basics of for your log book automatically. I always hated when I forgot to set my watch on the start of the dive and had to make a guess about it later.

 

[KeithG]

Hi Jamie. Glad you are worried about this before the dive trip and not after. If you search SB on "trust me" dives you will get a bit of an education. You will want to ensure you are capable of planning your own dives and avoiding trust me dives.

Logging a dive is reactive. All you need is a timer and a depth gauge.

The main objective is to be able to plan them ahead of time.

You should be able to find lots of online resource info (I found this with a quick google https://www.naui.org/tables.aspx ). If the online resources do not help (including here) I echo the suggestion of seeking out a local live person to talk it over with.

 

[oly5050user]

9 dives n 5 days is less than 2 dives a day. Which in general is not really that much. Even on the table profile you should be fine. However you would need to know how to plan. Logging part is simple, you log max depth, and time of the dive. Log what equipment you used, what did you see, starting pressure, ending pressure, weight used.

The critical thing you should actually worry is not the logging part but the planning part. Plan the dives, dive the plans.

I seriously suggest to go to a local dive shop and get a refresher, it will be well worth the money you pay for it and make your diving more enjoyable and less stressful.

---------- Post added April 27th, 2014 at 04:58 PM ----------



There is. Scuba Diver Open Water Diving Adventure Courses - PADI Scuba Diving Training Organization

Izok, why take this as a opportunity to bash PADI? Why protest so much?
There are crappy instr's in every agency. PADI actually has a good system, no agency is perfect, not the agency's fault for "trust me type divers"..No where does PADI expect a open water diver to do trust me dives with a DM.
If they cannot plan and execute a dive with their buddy they should not be certified as open water divers.
Crappy divers fault of crappy instr's.
I say this through experience. Been a active instructor since 1971 with different agencys (NASDS,SSI, PADI) certified over 1,000 people.

 

[iztok]

Izok, why take this as a opportunity to bash PADI? Why protest so much?
There are crappy instr's in every agency. PADI actually has a good system, no agency is perfect, not the agency's fault for "trust me type divers"..No where does PADI expect a open water diver to do trust me dives with a DM.
If they cannot plan and execute a dive with their buddy they should not be certified as open water divers.
Crappy divers fault of crappy instr's.
I say this through experience. Been a active instructor since 1971 with different agencys (NASDS,SSI, PADI) certified over 1,000 people.

I didn't bash PADI at all! If you would follow the link it would be clear. PADI has Scuba Diver Course which is slightly less than OWS course and it is geared precisely to people above. I didn't link to Open Water Diver link, just to Scuba Diver one. Please READ before you accuse me of something I didn't do.

[h=3]PADI Scuba Diver Course[/h] Short on time and long on the urge to become a certified diver? The PADI Scuba Diver certification might just be for you. This course requires less time than the PADI Open Water Diver course, covering only the first three of five sections of knowledge development, the first three of five pool sessions, and the first two of four open water training dives, resulting in a limited certification. Particularly if you expect to go scuba diving primarily in the company of a dive guide or if you have limited time to devote to scuba certification, consider becoming a PADI Scuba Diver.

 

[SynCitizen]

PADI's eRDPml is another tool that is very easy to use, inexpensive and calculator like. You follow prompts inputting the numbers from your depth gauge and bottom timer and you are good to go. It has the advantage of allowing for square or multi level dives and better than tables in that you get credit for to 5' instead of 10' depth increments. The instructions for use are included and easily followed.

eRDPml on amazon for $22.00

• Multi-level dive planning
• Sound can be turned off
• Robust design
• Plan up to 5 consecutive dives
• Plan up to 3 consecutive multi-level dives
• Easy integration into the PADI Education System
• Reliable back-up for the dive computer

Throw it into a ziplock bag and its now water resistant for the beach or carrying on a dive boat.

 

[TMHeimer]

SynCitizen, Obviously this is a good planning tool, perhaps better than the RDP unless you do square profiles. You still must re-calculate in between dives, following either your computer or analog stuff. Planning 3 dives becomes less exact. eRDPml is not very useful for multi level dives unless you know fairly precisely the different depth levels you'll be at and for how long. Many dives are "let's explore the wreck" by hitting bottom first the gradually ascending--or same idea, so I've heard, with wall dives. Unless you've been there before you just don't know anything very exact about the multi-levels. So you re-calculate between dives using RDP, eRDPml, or more likely just looking at your computer. Most of my depths are real shallow, so I rarely do any of this, but others point out these eRDPml shortcommings as well.

 

[JamieMc5280]

maybe there should be a different certification for those that cannot or do not wish to plan their own dives and accept responsibility for themselves..

I thought that by coming to SB and asking questions, studying up, making sure I know what I'm doing and how to do it properly- I was accepting responsibility for myself. As far as whether or not I can afford to purchase a dive computer- it's not just 1 computer I need, my husband would need one as well. Your response to my question was insinuating, condescending and quite frankly, rude. Not that this would matter to you, because you've only made assumptions at this point (that I don't want to make the most of my dive and that I'm the kind of diver that expects my dive master to lead me around to keep me saw) but, I did a resort course to introduce myself to diving last summer, spent the week diving and becoming certified because I fell in love with it. I live in Colorado and do not have the luxury of diving frequently. What my husband and I have saved to take this dive trip has been substantial and sadly there isn't much more wiggle room financially. I am trying to use the tools PADI gave me for my certification. This, in my opinion IS ABSOLUTELY being responsible for myself and my dive. Yes, I am going with a dive shop and using a dive master for my trip- with this I hope to learn a ton. I also thought this was a supportive community...sadly, I've not had that experience from you. To those that gave helpful suggestions, I thank you sincerely. Yes I am new, yes I have purchased some of the minimum equipment (fins, mask, snorkel, wetsuit, booties) yes, I hope to afford a computer, bcd & regulator one day- today is not that day.

 

[lemke]

Jamie-

This is a good video series...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRzxm0DBTAA