Exceeding the NDL during recreation diving

[tursiops]

Textbook example of gaining knowledge and experience and applying it to enhance the experience.

Partial knowledge and inadequate experience.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Well it seems pretty straightforward "stay out of DECO or you're done diving for the day". Lots of laws and rules are unenforceable.

I don't know if it's true that "lots of laws are unenforcable," but what I do know (or believe I recall) is that there are some principles or rules of interpretation that courts use to help them interpret ambiguous wording, and if I recall, one such rule would be to disfavor an interpretation that would be unenforceable if there is an alternative interpretation that is enforceable.

 

[tarponchik]

1) Some dive operators say No Deco Diving and will penalize you if you do, even, if it clears without you having to make an overt stop.

But very few will check, if any. Nobody had ever checked me, in fact.

 

[johndiver999]

This type of trivial discussion about complying with company policy that caters to tourists is part of the problem.

If you are going to care about the policy; then the diver should obviously dial in the most aggressive algorithm they can manage - and maybe even enter in a higher percentage of oxygen than actually used - all to ensure compliance. A Stupid game to play.

Far better to be conservative and have the appropriate equipment available to make a safe ascent and set the computer in a sensible manner (whatever that is).

 

[chrisjur]

I have always interpreted that warning during the briefing as meaning "if you go into deco and don't clear it." In other words, if you surface with an omitted deco obligation. Which makes sense.

The recreational boats I dive are very clear about this: Don’t go into deco. If you do on your first dive, you will not be allowed to continue to your second (or third) dive.

The purpose of this is fairly straightforward: To stop people who are not properly trained in decompression procedures from getting hurt. Many rec divers wouldn’t even know what their computer is trying to tell them if it goes into deco, and others might not even have computers that support deco stops.

Never mind basic things like whether you’d have enough back gas to meet your deco obligation or whether you have proper redundancy if something went wrong during a required deco stop.

 

[Pbdiver84]

The recreational boats I dive are very clear about this: Don’t go into deco. If you do on your first dive, you will not be allowed to continue to your second (or third) dive.

The purpose of this is fairly straightforward: To stop people who are not properly trained in decompression procedures from getting hurt. Many rec divers wouldn’t even know what their computer is trying to tell them if it goes into deco, and others might not even have computers that support deco stops.

Never mind basic things like whether you’d have enough back gas to meet your deco obligation or whether you have proper redundancy if something went wrong during a required deco stop.

Then you get things like BSAC divers, who are trained and certified for limited deco on single cylinder back gas.

 

[crofrog]

Whether you allow yourself to go into DECO or avoid it, and thus shorten virtually every single dive you ever do is completely up to you and your level of risk tolerance

What were your identified risk factors and mitigations?

 

[lowwall]

I set my computer for the least conservative setting, and then simply stay away from the limit by getting shallower well before NDL hits 1, stretching time shallow, and making a very slow ascent from safety stop to surface.

I do this because I want to know the real limit in case something happens that would make me consider pushing it. For example to help another diver in trouble.

I think that's a lot safer than being in the same situation with a more conservative setting where I know that I'm reasonably safe going somewhat beyond the limit displayed, but being forced to guess where the real limit is.

 

[chrisjur]

Then you get things like BSAC divers, who are trained and certified for limited deco on single cylinder back gas.

Yeah that is kind of weird. But I don’t have any issues with that if people are trained and it’s planned.

Actually, a PADI Tec 40 cert allows for up to 15 mins of deco on single cylinder back gas, but does require a bailout. So yet another variation.

 

[LI-er]

Partial knowledge and inadequate experience.

Do I know you? Do you know me and my level of knowledge and experience?

Didn't think so