Is conservative bad?

[ScubaWim]

I read here on the board that people rate computers as being too conservative. Can someone explain why this would be a disadvantage?

I may be a conservative diver since my (conservative) computer has never disabled me to continue my dives...

 

[glbirch]

The quest is for more bottom time. On the plus side, a conservative computer will be more limiting on your bottom time, which should reduce the likelyhood of dive-related issues. On the negative side, a conservative computer will be more limiting on your bottom time.

I've heard the complaint often that "my computer is too conservative. I'm going to buy brand X because it's much less conservative." Can't help thinking "heck, just throw it away and go until you run out of air."

 

[UWSojourner]

Not bad to be conservative, but some divers believe it limits them unnecessarily. I've not found it to limit me because I'm not on the edge of rec diving. I'm not even on the edge of the edge. :cheeky:

When I get a lot more experience maybe it will be an issue, but right now its not and I like to know I'm using something that may be a bit conservative.

 

[mozzy105]

I would rather have a conservative computer because I'm a rec diver and don't really push the limits. If I go on a trip and my computer says I can't dive for another couple hours and the rest of the group goes out for a dive leaving me, that may not be very much fun but it beats getting deco or microbubble problems. If it keeps me out of two or three dives a year, then I say I would rather not risk going on those three dives and sit them out. Better to err on the safe side.

 

[SDAnderson]

The more conservative a computer, the less likely you are to have bubble problems. This will also mean that you have less bottom time, longer surface intervals or longer decompression time. If you don't need to be as conservative as your computer says, you're being needlessly penalized.

New divers should be as conservative as they can - its where we all start. As you get to know more, including how your body responds, you can start shaving corners - little bit by little bit. Or not, if you prefer.

A long surface interval won't kill a diver, just make him cranky.

 

[Snowbear]

I read here on the board that people rate computers as being too conservative. Can someone explain why this would be a disadvantage?

I may be a conservative diver since my (conservative) computer has never disabled me to continue my dives...

So are you saying you rely on your computer to tell you when you can or cannot dive?

The quest is for more bottom time.
...a conservative computer will be more limiting on your bottom time.

Depends on how you use it. If you rely on the computer to tell you how long you can stay down on a square profile dive, this may apply. If you count "dive time" rather than "bottom time at a given depth," your dive will be limited by your plan (including gas management), as the shallower parts of your dive can be enjoyed as well and actually end up working in your favor as added off-gassing time. Hey - just today I discovered something new - a snail population explosion between ~ 5-15' in a "corner" of the cove! There were billions of the little suckers, and a few tiny hermit crabs had already stolen a few for themselves This time spent shallow should also tend to penalize you less for subsequent dives on some computers.

On the other hand, I'm finally getting pretty comfortable with using my Vyper in guage mode for recreational, multi-level dives. For the last couple of months I've been carrying a second computer in my DS pocket just to verify what my brain was thinking (yeah, my brain has been known to let me down once or twice:frown2. I left it in the car the last couple of trips. I did a dive today that I will download, then I think I'll enter the profile into the simulator to see what it says. Maybe I'll even post them here if I don't get jumped too badly for this post

 

[ScubaWim]

So are you saying you rely on your computer to tell you when you can or cannot dive?

Yes I am relying on my computer, the only other way I have learned so far is the RDP. Furthermore I am trying to listen to my body. If my body tells me not to go, I won't. Since my diving is very conservative I think that I am OK with relying on my computer.

 

[Cave Diver]

I read here on the board that people rate computers as being too conservative. Can someone explain why this would be a disadvantage?

I may be a conservative diver since my (conservative) computer has never disabled me to continue my dives...

One instance that I can think of where it may be bad is the case of unintended deco.

If a computer is too conservative and a diver isnt paying attention (which is the real problem) they might glance down at their computer and find out they have some obligatory deco time.

New divers are taught to never ever ever go into deco. When an inexperienced diver finds themselves in this situation, one of the first responses is to "rush" to their safety stop, or to the ceiling imposed by the computer and wait for it to clear.

Behavior like this is more likely to cause bubble formation than a slow ascent with multiple short stops along the way.

 

[Warren_L]

Yes I am relying on my computer, the only other way I have learned so far is the RDP. Furthermore I am trying to listen to my body. If my body tells me not to go, I won't. Since my diving is very conservative I think that I am OK with relying on my computer.

You can always get a computer that allows you to adjust the conservatism. I think some of the Suuntos will allow this. I know my Vytec does.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

One instance that I can think of where it may be bad is the case of unintended deco.

If a computer is too conservative and a diver isnt paying attention (which is the real problem) they might glance down at their computer and find out they have some obligatory deco time.

New divers are taught to never ever ever go into deco. When an inexperienced diver finds themselves in this situation, one of the first responses is to "rush" to their safety stop, or to the ceiling imposed by the computer and wait for it to clear.

Behavior like this is more likely to cause bubble formation than a slow ascent with multiple short stops along the way.

I agree with you there. Decophobia is pretty commonly taught in most OW classes and new divers tend to lose there perspectives on things. The idea is however well intentiopned as you do not want people doing deco without the proper training and equipment, and you certainly don't want new divers who may not have the basic skills mastered doing it.

I think where the decophobia it really strikes is when the deco obligation starts racking up very quickly at depth. Most new divers do not realize that with a slow and normal ascent rate of 30 ft per minute, a computer indicating a 1-3 minute deco obligation will most likely be back out of deco mode long before you even reach 10 ft and the slow ascent is much much safer than ICBM'ing to the 10 ft ceiling.

In practice, the difference between a conservative and a liberal computer is just not all that significant on recreational profiles. The difference normally comes down to a 3-5 min mandatory deco stop on the coservative computer as opposed to a 3-5 minute "recommended" saftey stop on the liberal computer.

What new divers need to remember is that a conservative computer pushed to the NDL where you then decide to blow of the safety stop is not any safer than a conservative computer would have been on the same dive as your nitrogen loading will be the same.

The biggest risk to a new diver is a potential inability to stop the ascent for a "saftey" stop or a "deco" stop. But if a new diver has good bouyancy control, can manage a slow 30 ft ascent rate and stop and hover at 15 ft. they really should not sweat an unintentional deco stop. They would benefit from using the stop time to contemplate where they went wrong in terms of the lack of situational awareness that got them into the the deco situation in the first place.