Maximum depth for recreational divers

[BDSC]

I really don't know what I would say the max depth should be.

My deepest on air was 230 ft. in Bonaire and I've done several dives in the 150 to 180ft. range and all I was using was normal gear. We did the deco stops like our computers said to and we never had any problems. I understand why they put depth limits in place because dive operators can't have people going all over the place to all kinds of depths and there are safety issues involved.

All in all I suppose 130 ft. for normal dive situations is about right.

BDSC

 

[BKP]

How so? You can dive deeper than 130' on EANx but it does not make it more ideal as far as determining a MOD for recreational dives.

I think he's assuming the more standard defaults of 32 or 36% EAN (at least for banked Nitrox).
At a PO2 of 1.4, you really can't go beyond 29% at 130'.

 

[The Logic Theorist]

Thanks I understand that.

I was simply stating that your best mix and say a Po2 of 1.5 will easily take you deeper than 130' safely and is not a determining factor on whether or not it is an acceptable depth limit for recreational diving. I was seeing if the OP of the comment understood that.

Let me try to be a bit more clear: Different Nitrox mixes have different MODs, so since you didn't specify a mix I was forced to assume you were asking about recreational diving with standard air.

 

[The Logic Theorist]

I really don't know what I would say the max depth should be.

My deepest on air was 230 ft. in Bonaire and I've done several dives in the 150 to 180ft. range and all I was using was normal gear. We did the deco stops like our computers said to and we never had any problems. I understand why they put depth limits in place because dive operators can't have people going all over the place to all kinds of depths and there are safety issues involved.

All in all I suppose 130 ft. for normal dive situations is about right.

BDSC

Yeah, but once you're doing staged decompression diving you are no longer, by definition, diving recreationally.

 

[Blackwood]

a Po2 of 1.5 will easily take you ... safely

yikes.

My deepest... was 230 ft... I was using was normal gear.

Meaning a single tank configuration?

Yikes.

 

[do it easy]

I voted for 100'

For single tank, recreational dives, I think 100' max is a good balance between narcosis, depth, and bottom time. Also, I don't feel as comfortable diving deeper with just one reg and one tank.
You wouldn't consider your car reliable if you dumped a bucket of saltwater on the engine everytime you used it?

I've also done "deeper" recreational dives and the profiles aren't great for repetitive diving, which puts you in the worst of both worlds category. For deeper recreational dives, I prefer one longer dive (which really isn't recreational anymore) or several shallower dives to maximize bottom time. Doing a deep recreational dive of let's say 130' shortens your dive time for subsequent dives (especially when using a conservative computer) or lengthens your surface interval.

 

[BDSC]

Yeah, but once you're doing staged decompression diving you are no longer, by definition, diving recreationally.

Good Point.

 

[BKP]

Yeah, but once you're doing staged decompression diving you are no longer, by definition, diving recreationally.

Not to mention that a 230' dive with deco obligations on what the poster calls "normal gear" (which I'm assuming is a standard al80, in Bonaire) is certainly not what I'd consider a prudent profile.

If the poster is using slung stage bottles and/or doubles, we're no longer into recreational space or "normal gear"...

 

[syntaxerrorsix]

yikes.

Sheesh guys, do the math. You do realize that you are not restricted to .32 and .36 nitrox right? A po2 of 1.5 is not all that uncommon either and is used for planning with .27FG in deco class. Realizing this is out of the scope for rec diving.

 

[BDSC]

yikes.



Meaning a single tank configuration?

Yikes.

Yep. Believe it or not it was a single tank aluminum 80. That was when I was a little younger and a lot dumber.

BDSC