First Piece of Equipment - Recommendations??

[CuriousMe]

Well, I made a decision to go completely opposite to what everyone's saying....but then again, that's not the first time for me

I had maks/fins/snorkel already...and the first thing I bought was a computer (a suunto Mosquito).

My first dive after OW cert (it hadn't even been a week) I went diving in Curacao. My buddy was a friend who had about 25 dives under her belt. The DM set the dive plan, and I stuck with my buddy....when we came up for the SI (it was a two tank dive) I tried to figure out my pressure group and all that good stuff (I was weird and enjoyed all the table problems we needed to solve during class) and realized that because we did a multi-level dive....I couldn't figure anything out (I didn't and still don't...on my list of things to learn.....know how to use a wheel)...when I asked the DM how to notate it...he said we averaged 30 feet.....now, we had been at 60 for a good chunk of time....it made me very uneasy. I'm sure it was fine (he had a computer that he was following)...but I didn't know for sure....and I'm just enough of a control freak to need to know for sure, and know how you know for sure.

I decided shortly after that to get a computer first....I dive in small places where I generally don't know the DM's I'm diving with. So far (I've only had 15 dives) I haven't ever felt unsafe with equiptment I've rented...I've had BC's that weren't the best...they rubbed my arm or something small like that, and I've had regs that I didn't like as much...but, I've felt safe with it. The closest I've come to feeling unsafe was on that dive boat.

Shortly after that I bought a 2mm shorty. I've decided to hold off on the rest till I'm back in the states...resort prices are a killer.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by CuriousMe
I tried to figure out my pressure group and all that good stuff (I was weird and enjoyed all the table problems we needed to solve during class) and realized that because we did a multi-level dive....I couldn't figure anything out (I didn't and still don't...on my list of things to learn.....know how to use a wheel)...when I asked the DM how to notate it...he said we averaged 30 feet.....now, we had been at 60 for a good chunk of time....it made me very uneasy.

Do you think you will ever learn how to do multi-level dive planning?

How would you like to be able to figure your NDL *on the fly* while doing the dive... in your head?

Wouldn't it be nice to know where you were in relation to NDL even if your computer died or the DM was wrong?

 

[Zept]

Originally posted by Uncle Pug

How would you like to be able to figure your NDL *on the fly* while doing the dive... in your head?

Wouldn't it be nice to know where you were in relation to NDL even if your computer died or the DM was wrong?

Go on, elaborate.

Z

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by Zept


Go on, elaborate.

Z

Zept... I am tired and have a big day tomorrow so I will have to elaborate later... I will start a thread called profiling... I probably should have done that already as I have been doing a tutorial for someone else with PMs tonight... have a good night and a blessed Easter!

 

[Zept]

Originally posted by Uncle Pug

Zept... I am tired and have a big day tomorrow so I will have to elaborate later... I will start a thread called profiling...

I'll look out for it. Have a good day tomorrow!

Z

 

[Newhampster]

Wouldn't it be nice to know where you were in relation to NDL even if your computer died or the DM was wrong?

1. If computer fails, abort dive.
2. Check your computer and follow either the DM or your computer, whichever is more conservative. [Don't LEAVE DM if it's a guided dive without making sure the DM knows what you're doing and why you're doing it. And, of course, don't leave your buddy...]

It's a great idea to be able to use the wheel and compute NDL's on the fly.

It's also a great idea to use a computer. If you're really worried about computer failures, get a backup and run both at the same time.