Max depth for new divers

[zinnia7]

Yeah I know about those wrecks - my husband is dying to see them. (hopefully "dying" wasn't a bad word choice) Anyway...I especially worry about him going so deep because of his air consumption problems. I am trying to talk him out of being so gung-ho about seeing those wrecks. But he's a man...and you know how they are.

 

[minnesota01r6]

You love to play word games don't you. That's great, should keep you warm at night.

Legal as in within standards of the RSTC which most professionals are familiar with.

Let's not forget that your insurance (dive or regular medical) will have a much easier time denying your claim for recompression chamber time and other medical expenses if you are bent or injured or killed diving deeper than your cert. level. OW + 65 feet + the bends = you get to pay all your own medical expenses.

This may or may not happen in practice, but if I was a claims adjuster looking at a $200,000 bill for recompression, I would be tempted to deny the claim because you did something outside the scope of what my company was insuring you for.

 

[zinnia7]

Never thought of that Minnesota. I will have to read the fine print of my DAN insurance. All it says on the main page under "Max depth covered" is "No limit"

 

[Diver Dennis]

Depending on the plan, there is no depth limit according to the DAN chart. I have the Preferred Plan and I am under the impression all depths are covered.

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/insurance/compare.asp

 

[CathyS]

So I will definitely check out the first dive of the morning and see where it is going and how deep. That one should be the deepest of the day and I can always skip it and do the late morning and afternoon ones instead.

Zinnia, like ScubaKimmie said, even if the divemaster is going deeper than 60 feet, you don't have to go that deep.

My boyfriend and I went to Roatan earlier this month. The divemaster went to 80 feet or so on every dive. We just followed along above him at around 60 feet or shallower and there was plenty for us to see. Then when he and the rest of the group came back up near the top of the reef, we rejoined the group to head back to the boat.

You are in control of your depth. Just because the divemaster is going deep doesn't mean you have to go with him.

 

[zinnia7]

Cathy,

You're right of course. And I will do that if I don't feel comfortable going deeper. But as I said before....I have been to 80 feet and it doesn't bother me. I was mainly thinking of the wreck dives in Roatan that are so popular and I know they Start at around 100ft. I will just avoid those.

Last year in Cozumel there were alot of swim-thrus on the Santa Rosa Wall. Sometimes I really didn't want to go through (they freaked me out a bit, being new and all) but I was afraid if I didn't, I would lose my group. Like they would disappear on the other side or something.

 

[ScubaKimmie]

Let's not forget that your insurance (dive or regular medical) will have a much easier time denying your claim for recompression chamber time and other medical expenses if you are bent or injured or killed diving deeper than your cert. level. OW + 65 feet + the bends = you get to pay all your own medical expenses.

This may or may not happen in practice, but if I was a claims adjuster looking at a $200,000 bill for recompression, I would be tempted to deny the claim because you did something outside the scope of what my company was insuring you for.

Dan isn't going to deny you because of depth. You are way off here.

 

[Nemrod]

"Do a search for the CESA threads...I think that is where the limits came from...

From what depth can you reach the surface via a CESA???

That is the real limiting factor..."

No, I will pass on that because it is just more opinion. Also, the thing on DAN is wrong.

When diving below a persons free ascent limit then it makes sense to have either a close buddy OR fully redundant equipment. There have been over many years various texts and individulas exposing the "no more than twice your free diving depth and variations" and there have been other similar guide lines such as the threads you suggested. All of them make good points. Most divers I meet these days could not make a controlled ascent from 10 feet so maybe that should be the depth limit.

New divers are depth fixated, they either don't want to go deep or want to go deep so they can join the club. N

 

[PaulChristenson]

Depending on the plan, there is no depth limit according to the DAN chart. I have the Preferred Plan and I am under the impression all depths are covered.

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/insurance/compare.asp

That's a roger...

 

[Diver Dennis]

Thanks Paul. ScubaKimmie, the DAN chart says the standard plan only covers PLANNED depth to 130'. I'm not sure what that actually means.