PADI tables finally going away?

[AfterDark]

Anyone want to borrow my old scuba pro decompression meter (bendomatic) LMAO... Night Diver, I hear what your ur saying. As I agree, however as a whole we have kind of moved away from that for increased margin of safety in the recreational realm... I was taught by John Manlove, Willie Wilson and Drew Ruddy all renown navy divers, decompression was just a way of life then even on the recreational side. Now the knowledge is there for safety as a backup not a primary plan, at least for me and those I teach.

Absolutely agree. I don’t dive deep much anymore but I do sometimes have long bottom times when I use my 90’s as IDs. I’ll plan to go into deco at times without even going below 100’FSW, on those really nice days or nights. I’m scrambling now to do a >100fsw dive before I go on vacation so I can dive some of the deeper wrecks. It’s been more than a few years now. I was going to do the U853 last year just never got the required $$. I guess with the courses being what they are these days it’s probably just as well most people diving less than 20 years are afraid of decompression. I know I wouldn’t pay the price to get a cert. for it.

 

[boulderjohn]

This thread is for no decompression diving, but as long as people have brought it up....

1. I have done more than one decompression dive in a day a number of times, and, yes, I have been trained for it.

2. There are different approaches to planning decompression dives. One of the problems is that people are frequently taught one approach and in that instruction are taught that the others are wrong. The fact is that there are people who regularly do the following to plan decompression.

a. Plan according to straight tables. (I only know that people do this from hearing about it. I have never seen it.)

b. Plan according to decompression software programs like V-Planner, DecoPlanner, or Gap. Many people refer to this as using tables, but it is not quite the same thing as described in a.

c. Plan according to a concept called Ratio Deco.

d. Plan using any of the above 3 with a computer as a backup in case they deviate from the plan too much during the actual dive.

e. Plan to use a computer for the primary ascent plan, with backup computers and the other methods mentioned above as the backup.

 

[matt_w]

Some of theses posts are making me think that some of the posters are using their computers to do decompression dives. If this is the case, you are putting yourself at serious risk. Compressiion diving is extremely dangerous, and compression diving without proper training is suicide. Recreational dive computers only have compression modes built in to get you to the surface safely in the event that you accidentally over-stay your ndl (no real excuses for this) or that an emergency situation keeps you down longer. Even tech divers don't do more than one decompression dive in a day.

Plenty of tech divers doing more then one Deco dive in a day. Plenty using computers, even "recreational" computers to execute Deco dive. Planning is generally done on software like VPlanner, but many divers will record this info for a backup and then use their computers.

DIR / GUE divers ( and many others ) don't use computers AFAIK, and all deco training teaches proper use of tables and software, but I would guess most planned deco (at least by incident, not time) is dive computer aided.

I would never do a planned deco dive without cutting tables and going through all the appropriate planning steps, I will always with at least one computer capable of performing the gas switches and deco stops for the dive. For a long 80-90 foot dive, several recreational computers would work fine.

I do agree with one point...People making deco dives without training are asking for trouble.

 

[notivago]

Not all divers aspire to be average divers, I'm not looking at the "average" as my performance standard. I'm willing to spend additional time and money to pursue the better/higher quality training.
For the average diver that is looking for average instruction....there are plenty of average instructors that will provide what they want.
Threads like this one highlight the differences.
Clearly there are different approaches, we all find exactly which one appeals to us.
Computers vs. tables...doesn't matter really, they both work fine. In many ways a computer IS the better tool.....I'll still cling to my tables. ;-)

I'm not disagreeing with you, just pointing out that the average doesn't necessarily represent a "standard" for some.

;-)

-Mitch

I would like to add that as you keep on letting average people decide the to decide which are the standards for a risky activity your average accidents tend to increase.