Is one dive computer enough for 4 divers?

[BHB ScubaTroll]

in the dark ages we actually sat down and talked out the dive based on each divers abilities and weakness and worked the the stone tablet dive tables about 3 times before the dive

I remember those days... Back then we blamed ptomaine poisoning on witches

 

[gndpdr]

back in the days of "checking" the quality of the gas by using a white t-shirt over the valve and cracking it ..no stain ..it's ok ...or sniffing it ..if it didn't smell like the guy next to you it was ok....and you had the same pair of chuck taylor hightop sneekers for dive booties with wool navy dive socks ...

 

[drbill]

Welcome to ScubaBoard Abaco24 and have fun diving with your family.

The answer to your question is a definite NO as others have indicated.

Personally I dive with two computers since I had a battery go out totally unexpectedly while on a deco dive a few years ago. I just had another battery die (expectedly) on a dive and the backup was very handy. I like the redundancy of a second computer.

Of course I doubt you will need to worry about deco if diving conservatively with your family. Depending on the number of dives you do over a period of time, the dive tables may be all you need. I didn't get a computer until after I had been diving for 40 years! However, they can be very useful and I wouldn't dive without one now.

 

[Randy43068]

Now Doctor, like the OP, were you not paying attention to your deco instructor? Always use TWO timers or computers ( if you're diving 'em ) on a deco dive!

Welcome to ScubaBoard Abaco24 and have fun diving with your family.

The answer to your question is a definite NO as others have indicated.

Personally I dive with two computers since I had a battery go out totally unexpectedly while on a deco dive a few years ago. I just had another battery die (expectedly) on a dive and the backup was very handy. I like the redundancy of a second computer.

Of course I doubt you will need to worry about deco if diving conservatively with your family. Depending on the number of dives you do over a period of time, the dive tables may be all you need. I didn't get a computer until after I had been diving for 40 years! However, they can be very useful and I wouldn't dive without one now.

 

[TSandM]

To the OP: Yes, the "rule" is one computer per diver. But what are the reasons behind the rule, so you can understand why it's important?

1. It's already been mentioned that profiles can be different. My husband and I did a dive last year where we were on a steep slope, and I was posing for photographs above where he was by a few feet. By the end of the dive, we had different decompression obligations. I was surprised at how just a few feet of depth difference added up over time.

2. Using one gauge assumes that under NO circumstances will the group be separated. This means no buoyancy issues, no current, perfect visibility and absolute attentiveness on the part of all divers. I dive with a highly trained group of people who prioritize team skills, and separations are still possible, though rare. If you're diving with kids, are they going to make the effort to stay within six feet or less of you at all times?

3. Again, if separated, what does the diver without a gauge now do? At the absolute minimum, each diver needs a depth gauge and timer, to be able to execute a safe ascent alone if such a thing becomes necessary.

It seems like a reasonable idea, until you throw in all the difficult-to-control variables that are involved in diving.

For minimizing costs, you might consider looking for used gauges. An awful lot of dive equipment gets resold as people discover they just don't use it, and the price reductions are frequently substantial.

 

[Randy43068]

Wait.... does the PADI manual REALLY say this? Not sure if I am just missing some sarcasm.

Actually yes. I can't tell you where it is at the moment, but yes it does. My girlfriend just got certified and she asked me about it as she encountered the chapter.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Welcome to ScubaBoard Abaco24 and have fun diving with your family.

The answer to your question is a definite NO as others have indicated.

Personally I dive with two computers since I had a battery go out totally unexpectedly while on a deco dive a few years ago. I just had another battery die (expectedly) on a dive and the backup was very handy. I like the redundancy of a second computer.

Of course I doubt you will need to worry about deco if diving conservatively with your family. Depending on the number of dives you do over a period of time, the dive tables may be all you need. I didn't get a computer until after I had been diving for 40 years! However, they can be very useful and I wouldn't dive without one now.

I like the redundancy of a second computer as well...

Bill, you didn't own a computer for the first 40 years because they hadn't invented them yet :cool2:

 

[CCR Josh]

Actually yes. I can't tell you where it is at the moment, but yes it does. My girlfriend just got certified and she asked me about it as she encountered the chapter.

Wow- I have never taught through PADI for other reasons I will left unsaid, but that really surprises me.

Guess I need to go read their OW manual

 

[*dave*]

Actually yes. I can't tell you where it is at the moment, but yes it does. My girlfriend just got certified and she asked me about it as she encountered the chapter.

I'd have to see that for myself to believe it.

 

[DevonDiver]

Is a DC needed for every diver? or can one diver use one for a family of 4? Assuming all stay in a group and at the same depths +/- 10 feet? We will be only doing recreational dives.

The PADI Open Water course covers this. Other agencies may not.

It is specifically stated in Chapter 5 of the PADI OW manual and the student's understanding of this question is reinforced by a dedicated question in the OW Exam.

Just a brief refresher of that section of the course, here are the PADI notes from section 5 of the OW manual...

How do you use a dive computer?

1. Follow the guidelines you learned with the Recreational Dive Planner (deep dives first, limit repetitive dives to 30 metres/100 feet or shallower, etc.)
2. You and your buddy need your own computers. Don’t attempt to share. A computer tracks your nitrogen throughout the dive day, so you can’t swap or share computers between dives, either.
3. Don’t turn your computer off between dives or remove the battery. Doing so will make it lose its memory of your residual nitrogen. Your computer will shut itself off.
4. Different computers have slightly different decompression models and different time limits. Buddy teams should follow the computer with the more conservative times.
5. If your computer malfunctions while diving, ascend immediately according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
a. If there is no recommendation, then ascend at a rate not exceeding 18 metres/60 feet per minute or the computer’s ascent rate, whichever is slower, to a depth of 5 metres/15 feet and make a long safety stop, perhaps lasting as long as your air supply permits. Do not dive again for 24 hours, or as recommended by the manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Back up your computer with the Recreational Dive Planner. Since no dive computer is infallible, it is still important for you to have and use your RDP. If your computer fails you may have to quit diving until the next day to clear residual nitrogen, but then you can resume using your RDP. You may be able to rent a
dive computer in many places, but don’t count on it—take your RDP so you don’t miss out on the diving