New to SCUBA - Few Questions?

[paddler3d]

Generally, the price of gear is inversely proportionate to water temperature. Florida diving does not require the heavy-duty gear that a New Jersey diver would need. We can get equipped with less investment.

I never heard it put quite like that, but that is exactly it!

 

[boulderjohn]

You may be perfectly happy with your snorkel fins, but they might not do the job you want for scuba. Scuba fins are generally larger than snorkel fins because they have to propel a lot more mass. On the other hand, I have seen very good divers in fins meant for snorkeling, so it is your choice.

Your mask leaking problem might not be your mask's fault. While a good fitting mask, as others have said, is important, and while a mask purchased at a dive shop will be different from a mask purchased at WalMart, many inexperienced divers create mask leak problems through their own actions. For example:

• They exhale regularly through their noses, constantly breaking the seal of the mask against the face as the air escapes. Learn to exhale through the mouth only.
• They wiggle the various muscles in the face, especially in the mouth area, breaking the seal at the bottom edge of the mask. Learn to dive with a poker face.
• They have the mask too tight, flattening the suction cup design of the edges. The mask strap should be comfortable, never tight. The mask is kept in place by a light suction of the mask against the face. You can actually dive with a mask in place and no strap at all if you are careful.

 

[rstofer]

You probably don't want to rent a computer. The thing about computers is that they take a lot of time to learn to use. Sure, you can get something going in a few minutes with the book in front of you. But can you change gas mixes while the boat is rocking? Do you know how the ascent indicator works (while you are in the water)?

There are many different user interfaces for computers. There are 1, 2 & 3 button computers. There are tap sensitive computers. No two menu systems seem the same.

Computers are a PITA! Except you need them...

We have 2 Dive Rite Nitek Duo's, one Oceanic Veo 100 and one Aladin Prime They are all different. The Nitek Duo is probably obsoleted by the Nitek Trio but they are really nice computers. If I had the money to spend, I would buy the LiquiVision X1.

Richard

 

[PUFFY_SANCHEZ]

My fiance and I will be diving together and will be side by side the whole time. Is it okay if we share a dive computer?

 

[boulderjohn]

My fiance and I will be diving together and will be side by side the whole time. Is it okay if we share a dive computer?

If you train through PADI, I can help you now with one of the questions on your final exam.

The answer is no.

You may intend to be exactly side by side throughout, but there will be differences in depth. Believe it or not, a couple of feet difference in depth over a dive makes a difference on your computer. The computer keeps track not only of the dive but on how your body is (in theory) decompressing between dives, and it takes that into account on the next dive. What if your buddy decides to take a dive off? The computer will now not be valid for that diver.

When I as diving in Cayman Brac, a woman emerged from the water, the first diver up from the group. She had also been the last one in the water, so she clearly had the shortest dive. The DM asked her where her computer was. She said she was sharing her husbands'. The DM asked her if she had her tables so she could compute her dive manually. She did not. The DM held her out of the water for 24 hours, at which point she was able to return with a rented computer.

 

[idocsteve]

My fiance and I will be diving together and will be side by side the whole time. Is it okay if we share a dive computer?

That question is specifically addressed in the PADI book.

The answer is no.

You won't be diving the exact same profile no matter how hard you try, especially since you're new divers and your buoyancy won't be very precise.

And believe it or not, things can happen during a dive that will result in the two buddies not being at exactly the same depth for the exact amount of time.

I think it's about $10 bucks to rent a computer for the day, give or take..

It's worth it.

 

[idocsteve]

The DM held her out of the water for 24 hours, at which point she was able to return with a rented computer.

Wow he must have had very strong arms.

 

[PUFFY_SANCHEZ]

That question is specifically addressed in the PADI book.

The answer is no.

You won't be diving the exact same profile no matter how hard you try, especially since you're new divers and your buoyancy won't be very precise.

And believe it or not, things can happen during a dive that will result in the two buddies not being at exactly the same depth for the exact amount of time.

I think it's about $10 bucks to rent a computer for the day, give or take..

It's worth it.

Yeah. Thats what I assumed.

 

[idocsteve]

Yeah. Thats what I assumed.

I guess in theory, if there was only one computer available and you didn't have the $10 for a rental computer, a buddy team could conceivably share one computer, as long as the one without the computer ALWAYS stayed the same or more shallow than the buddy with the computer, and always entered the water last and exited first.

But if there was any deviation from that rather rigid restriction the diver without the computer is taking a certain amount of risk, and again if you share a computer and the scuba police find out you'll do a brief stint in the local lockup and you just might not appreciate the dive plan your new buddy might have for you.

 

[scubafanatic]

My fiance and I will be diving together and will be side by side the whole time. Is it okay if we share a dive computer?

...and what happens if your only computer fails mid-dive ??? ...or if you get separated from each other ??? .....also, most reputable dive ops/boats won't even let you go diving that way anyway......just like they won't let you in the water with out an alternate air source/octo. If affording more than one dive computer is going to be a problem, you really can't afford to be involved in this sport...sorry, just being honest!