Sharing a dive computer....

[Mossman]

And unless you can hold formation and depth to the exact centimeter with your buddy at all times, I don't think you have a reasonable justification to saying "my buddy's computer has been recording/diving MY dive".

You don't have to "hold formation and depth to the exact centimeter" even if dive computers were really that accurate. As long as computer-less buddy stays at the same or shallower depth and ascent rates are similar (i.e., ascend together) there's no risk of having a more dangerous nitrogen load than the computerized buddy.

 

[Rhone Man]

No it's not.

If your computer stops working you're not going to die. Assuming an NDL dive, just ascend. Nothing life threatening about that.

You know, in the old days, we used to go diving and none of us had computers.

I mean, can you imagine?

 

[ianr33]

You know, in the old days, we used to go diving and none of us had computers.

I mean, can you imagine?

Wow,you must be a lot older than me!

 

[Tristan.ak]

You know, in the old days, we used to go diving and none of us had computers.

I mean, can you imagine?

My bad, I forgot about the old farts breaking the way to make it easier for us younger generation of divers. To restate my view to clarify it the way i see it: dive computer or timer or any other time piece to me would be a life support since to me that tells the user how long they have been down and with tables or computers the users window for a NDL. To me that is a life support system a component of the whole unit.

As with any sport or high risk activity like rock climbing its not the rope that saves the user its the whole unit (cams, nuts, belayer, figure 8's, carabiners, runners, and other safety devices) if used properly that saves the user in a fall. Im using this analogy since many might over look the whole unit and to state it in a different light.

 

[g1138]

You don't have to "hold formation and depth to the exact centimeter" even if dive computers were really that accurate. As long as computer-less buddy stays at the same or shallower depth and ascent rates are similar (i.e., ascend together) there's no risk of having a more dangerous nitrogen load than the computerized buddy.

That wasn't the point of my statement.

What you say is true but the buddy's computer would still not be logging YOUR dive. It be logging your buddy's.
If you follow the dive plan of your buddy's computer but stay shallower or stays down for less time then DCS risk is very minimal. However you'll still have to monitor your ascent rate visually.

 

[Mossman]

My bad, I forgot about the old farts breaking the way to make it easier for us younger generation of divers. To restate my view to clarify it the way i see it: dive computer or timer or any other time piece to me would be a life support since to me that tells the user how long they have been down and with tables or computers the users window for a NDL. To me that is a life support system a component of the whole unit.

As with any sport or high risk activity like rock climbing its not the rope that saves the user its the whole unit (cams, nuts, belayer, figure 8's, carabiners, runners, and other safety devices) if used properly that saves the user in a fall. Im using this analogy since many might over look the whole unit and to state it in a different light.

All those components of rock climbing gear are taken with you on the climb. On other hand, if you dive tables, you leave the tables behind after planning your [recreational] dives. You mentioned tables as an alternative to computers, so I'm guessing you accept tables as an alternative to computers. If you leave it behind, how can it be life support?

The "life support" portion is what you take with you, either the computer OR the NDC limit gleaned from the computer. The latter is a number and all you need is a depth gauge and timer to keep to the limit. Now suppose a hard bottom shallower than the depth you used for your NDC calculation. Depth then becomes irrelevant and the depth gauge likewise. Also, time doesn't vary by diver as does depth and ascent rate. Therefore, as long as your buddy has a watch, you don't really need one yourself (excluding the value of redundancy for sake of this lesson). Therefore, the only "life support" component on a table dive with a hard bottom shallower than your planned NDC limit and a buddy with an accurate watch, is your pressure gauge (and your regulator, of course, since it's hard to breathe underwater without one).

(For divers that know their air consumption well and know the starting pressure, the pressure gauge really isn't so important either as long as one sticks near the buddy with the watch and the redundant air just in case. The only true piece of life support down there is your regulator and even then you can always share your buddy's in a pinch.)

 

[redacted]

That wasn't the point of my statement.

What you say is true but the buddy's computer would still not be logging YOUR dive. It be logging your buddy's.
If you follow the dive plan of your buddy's computer but stay shallower or stays down for less time then DCS risk is very minimal. However you'll still have to monitor their ascent rate visually.

I don't believe I have ever used my computer to monitor my ascent rate.

 

[g1138]

I don't believe I have ever used my computer to monitor my ascent rate.

I'll assume with your experience you'll know how to reliably monitor it by yourself.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

My bad, I forgot about the old farts breaking the way to make it easier for us younger generation of divers. To restate my view to clarify it the way i see it: dive computer or timer or any other time piece to me would be a life support since to me that tells the user how long they have been down and with tables or computers the users window for a NDL. To me that is a life support system a component of the whole unit.

As with any sport or high risk activity like rock climbing its not the rope that saves the user its the whole unit (cams, nuts, belayer, figure 8's, carabiners, runners, and other safety devices) if used properly that saves the user in a fall. Im using this analogy since many might over look the whole unit and to state it in a different light.

I another old fart who thinks the term life support gets overused.

Definition of Life Support ==> adj [COLOR=#0]of or providing the equipment required to sustain human life in an unnatural environment.

A dive computer may be a critical piece of safety gear and a handy tool, but it is not required to sustain your life.



[/COLOR]

 

[Mossman]

I'll assume with your experience you'll know how to reliably monitor it by yourself.

Not by experience alone (follow the slowest bubbles isn't too accurate), but surely you know how to do it with just a watch/bottom timer and depth gauge? 60 fpm means you ascend 60 feet over one minute. 30 fpm means you take 2 minutes to ascend those 60 feet. Hardly rocket science.