Do you use your SAC for anything? POLL

[LakeCountyDiver]

Since I did not want to hijack a thread I will start this one and it was brought on by the "Check my math" thread.

What do you guys actually use your SAC rate for? I know it is used in formulas to find a few different things. Its just how accurate do you really think it is since there is so much that can affect your SAC. Does anyone actually use their SAC in planning dives???

I know how to find mine thats not what I am asking. I am just taking a poll if you will to see who actually uses there SAC for anything. I just see so many divers (new mainly) that get so triped up on their SAC rate and it is just something that is a part of teaching and diving that is irrelevant to me.

Everything effects it temp/viz/current/surge/day/night. WTF!!!!

 

[TSandM]

Well, for recreational dives, I use my SAC rate to decide which tank to take on a given dive. I use what I know about the profile and proposed dive time, along with my SAC, to make the decision.

For technical diving, I use my SAC rate to make sure I have enough backgas for the proposed dive and the rock bottom to the first gas switch.

 

[Blackwood]

My actual SAC rate? No, I don't. I use 0.75CFM, which is about 15% above my average working consumption rate. Makes planning easy, and is conservative.

 

[Sas]

I use it for gas planning and also I like to see what it is based on various conditions I have been under on a dive. I have recorded my SAC for nearly 500 dives in all sorts of conditions and am very accurate now at knowing what it will be depending on what type of dive I am doing.

 

[LakeCountyDiver]

Yes SAS you brought up a good point I forgot to put is ya it need be recorded over many dives in many environments for it to be any somewhat useful. Your SAC changes and those changes are whats inportant. Unless you only do the same diving all the time then it may be good to go with what you got because your activity never changes.

I know why tech divers use it and thank you for that TSandM

 

[divermike1011]

I haven't used my newly calculated SAC for anything yet. The reason I decided to determine it is that I have just started my DMC internships and I have noticed on dives with students or clients that I suck down air a lot faster then when I used to just dive with a buddy or two. I wanted a baseline SAC for the beginning of my "professional" dive journey to see how I improve over time. I'm also to see what happens to it when I move north this summer! At the moment I only own AL80s, so other then playing around with some different sizes at my LDS, so I can't use it choosing tanks (what a smart idea though!) but since I want to get into tech diving eventually I wanted to learn how to calculate it and use it to find my rock bottom gas for my warm, tropical dives. I'm hoping this will make me more aware of my gas consumption, and then lead to lower gas consumption at time.

Michael.

 

[The Kraken]

Planning.

the K

 

[RTee]

Yes I do...as well as those of my diving partners when planning dives, be it to find what will be my limiting factor...NDL, gas carried, etc

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

Well I use it for planning how long we will be at depth, turn pressures and times and rock bottom. Some things like rock bottom morph into just a few numbers to remember. So yes sac does seem useful and relevant.

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

Yes, I use it for gas planning.