Multi-day repetitive dive planning: planning for liveaboard divng

[reubencahn]

In another thread, the subject of repetitive multi-day diving on liveaboards has come up. I've never seen a good thread discussing sensible dive planning for such circumstances. So I'm starting this one, I'd like to hear some of you, Mike Ferarra, Uncle Pug, MHK, Curt Bowen, DepartureDiver, etc. lay out your views on what would be the most sensible way to plan such diving? How many dives would you do per day? Max depths? All or some on nitrox. Use computer or no? Vplanner? Break after so many days? Anything else you think should go into good planning?

 

[fan(t)a(s)tic]

While I'm not of the guys you asked for comments, I thought I'd chime in with this link:

Divers urged to take day off from repetitive dives

Basically DAN recommends to take a day off during high frequency diving periods.

Couldn't find the original on DAN's site, so I had to post the magazine article...

 

[JDostal]

I've only got one liveaboard experience on my belt - it was a Blackbeard's trip. We did 4 dives a day for a few days.

It was a lot of diving - I loved it!! But, our dives were all well within ndl's. I always do a safety stop on every dive and slow ascents. And most of the dives are shallow anyway. I had one deep wall dive the whole trip, a few 90 foot dives. Otherwise, most of it was in the 60-20 foot range. Not really that intense diving, so I was never really worried about it. We always had good SI's as well.

 

[glbirch]

Done a few liveaboards, including three back-to-back in Australia some years ago. Doesn't seem to be an issue on the shorter duration boats, because you're only out for three or four days. On the week-long or longer trips I've noticed some of the boats kind or 'build in' a break for you with an afternoon trip to a local village or something similar around the middle of the trip.

I try to get in all the diving I can, within ND limits. Computer is a must, as I was taught with some of the most conservative tables around and I'd be out for the day after a couple of dives if I followed them. Usually do the first one or two on N2 if it's availabe, depending on the depths and number of dives planned for the day.

I don't see the point of too much advance planning since you don't always know the dives until the boat gets to the site. Just keep an eye on my computer, and listen to my body.

 

[rcain1]

Let me know if I am making the wrong assumption.

I assume that ALL reputable dive boats have a safe plan for making multiple dives in the same day over the course of a few days. IE, three day trip with 2 to 3 dive a day for 3 days straight.

Yes I can figure out if and what is safe using dive tables. But I would like to thing that they have a planned trip.

 

[Diver0001]

In another thread, the subject of repetitive multi-day diving on liveaboards has come up. I've never seen a good thread discussing sensible dive planning for such circumstances. So I'm starting this one, I'd like to hear some of you, Mike Ferarra, Uncle Pug, MHK, Curt Bowen, DepartureDiver, etc. lay out your views on what would be the most sensible way to plan such diving? How many dives would you do per day? Max depths? All or some on nitrox. Use computer or no? Vplanner? Break after so many days? Anything else you think should go into good planning?

I'm not on your fan list but here's my take:

First you need to realise thta if you're diving lots you need to do more than usual to avoid predisposing yourself to problems by:

- Do drink loads and loads of water and zero alcohol.

- Do stay awake during surface intervals

- Do get lots of sleep *after* the last dive of the day.

- Do take breaks. 10-15 dives or so, skip 24 hours.

- Do listen to your body. If you're feeling crappy (tired) after a dive slow down, hit the O2 for precaution and skip 12 hours.

- Do make every surface interval a minimum of 3 hours

- Don't work out during surface intervals

- Don't work hard on the bottom. Drift and abort if you have to instead or use a reef hook. Not only is working hard no fun but it's also a risk factor for DCS.

- Don't lift heavy objects, including your gear, during surface intervals and especially at the start of a surface interval. In other words, get your kit ready for the next dive when you're about to go in and not when you just got out.

That's top side. Under water:

- Do dive deepest dive first

- Do make longer than normal safety stops. 5 min minimum

- Do make SLOW ascents and if you have a bad feeling about the ascent then make a long safety stop. Of gassing goes faster/beter under water so do not be in a hurry to finish with your safety stop.

- Do put your computer on a more conservative mode. Alternatively (what I do) dive Ean32 and put your computer on air whenever you can.

- If you dive air you can consider taking a pony bottle with EAN40 for your safety stops.

- Keep your computer in the green. If you need a 10 min safety stop to get it back into the green then wait 10 min.

- Make use of the "hidden stop". If you surface with a group don't be in a hurry to get back on teh boat. Just float around for a few minutes and wait until the ladder is clear to get back on. This can signifcantly extend your "safety stop" and aids in off gassing.

- Give you kit off first and *then* climb the ladder if you have this option.

That's a start. I'm sure others will add more.

R..

 

[Wijbrandus]

RCain, are you advocating trusting the boat to safely plan your dive? Or are you simply saying you have faith that they aren't going to get you hurt?

I don't use a computer, just tables. So I don't have an instrument to tell me a plan is going safely or not other than the one between my ears. While I understand that the dive ops have their routines and that odds are very good these are safe plans, I'm much more comfortable asking the DM beforehand what the plan is. That way I can confirm it to myself that it's within my own personal conservative limits, esp with respect to multiple dives. I did this on my last trip, and the DM was very cool about it.

No one will take your safety as seriously as you will.

 

[gj62]

Let me know if I am making the wrong assumption.

I assume that ALL reputable dive boats have a safe plan for making multiple dives in the same day over the course of a few days. IE, three day trip with 2 to 3 dive a day for 3 days straight.

Yes I can figure out if and what is safe using dive tables. But I would like to thing that they have a planned trip.

Certainly not. Since bottom times, depth, etc can vary widely for a given group, it is not reasonable or likely that most boats could do this. Also, many schedule dives to give everyone an op to pick and choose those that they wish to do, not so that you can "dive every dive"...

 

[Curt Bowen]

In another thread, the subject of repetitive multi-day diving on liveaboards has come up. I've never seen a good thread discussing sensible dive planning for such circumstances. So I'm starting this one, I'd like to hear some of you, Mike Ferarra, Uncle Pug, MHK, Curt Bowen, DepartureDiver, etc. lay out your views on what would be the most sensible way to plan such diving? How many dives would you do per day? Max depths? All or some on nitrox. Use computer or no? Vplanner? Break after so many days? Anything else you think should go into good planning?

Multiple day liveaboard diving.

This is a tough subject due to the differences in individuals physical make up. Obveously we are all different ages and physical condition.

With this said, I will extract what I do on these trips.

First, I am 40 and in good physical condition for my age. Maybe overweight by 10 pounds (BEER) or so but keep very active.

On the technical type expeditions I run where we are diving extreme depths each day we limit our dives to one deep exposure (200’ to 350’) and then one semi deep. (170 or shallower) with lots of extra decompression included.

On the recreational trips I have conducted up to 9 dives a day in shallow water (100’ or less), but typically don’t do more than 5. On recreational charters I normally do not concern myself with deepest first or last but more on making as few returns to the surface as possible. Over the years I have found that making multiple dives with lots of up-down type diving (as in my spearfishing days) is much harder on myself than just conducting less dives with more bottom time if possible.

I also concentrate on SLOWER ascents to the surface and ALWAYS do a couple (5-10) minute safety stops starting at 50 feet and working my way up in 10 foot increments.

Example

50 feet 2 min
40 feet 1 min
30 feet 1 min
20 feet 2 min
10 feet 1 min

I would be a fibbing if I said I never drink the night before a dive, because we almost always do. (This is real life we are talking here not some fabled ferry tail openwater dive manual) Hell I have had guys hand me a beer before I got out of my gear after an extreme deep dive. I do not condone this, but if you go diving with me

Probably the most important thing is to listen to your body, if your whipped, skip a dive or stay shallow (50 feet ) and take photos.

Liveaboards are the greatest! You can dive your butts off and have lots of fun with your buddies. Remember we dive for fun.

 

[reubencahn]

- Do stay awake during surface intervals


R..

No fan list, just the people I could think of who would have interesting things to say about this. No intent to slight anyone else.

Obviously, I get all the other suggestions, but why no sleeping during surface intervals?