Were you taught dive planning using tables or computers?

[Kris Noland]

I havn't been through my class yet. (only three weeks to go) but from talking to the instructor it seems like we will be learning the tables and planning over the computer.

 

[Doubler]

My YMCA/PADI course in 1972 taught tables, dive planning, decompression dives and air consumption, we called it air not gas. I got my first computer in 1990, a Skinny Dipper II. There were no classes you just took out the book and figured out. Same with my Pro Plus 2. I also hate being herded by someone that wasn't born when I got certified. I usually ignore them.

 

[Scuba_Noob]

I was taught using both the computers and the table, and I was taught how to plan with both. However, I prefer the computer better and am less adept with the table (I can do the basics, but once it hits surface interval, the computer becomes way easier). Either way, I plan dive depths/times pretty thoroughly because I'm a very paranoid person.

 

[cloudflint]

I did PADI OW in 2007 and learnt to use the PADI tables, computers where mentioned very briefly. That was it as far as dive planing went.

I then joined ScotSAC in 2008 and had to learn the RNPL tables and be able to give the no stop times, required decompression stops e.t.c from memory. I also had to be able to calculate gas requirements and such with regards to dive planning. I still dive on the RNPL tables since I find them easier than the computer for planning repetitive dives.

I have a suunto D6 but the thing i found a little annoying about it is it wont tell you how much time you have for a second dive unless you are on the surface. I like being able to be on a dive and know how deep i can go and how long i can stay and still have a certain amount of time left for a second dive a certain amount of time later.

Also in winter my D6 had a tendency to literally freeze on me with the cold weather so I wouldn't like to rely on it anyway

 

[Primalchrome]

In our SSI OW class we were specifically taught tables and dive planning with those tables. We still do all our planning around tables but dive with computers. If need be, it always allows a safe fallback if you ever want to question the computer or your calculations.

 

[AfterDark]

Since computers were too big in 1968 to strap onto ones wrist, I was taught on tables US Navy Air Tables. I still us'em for preliminary planning.

 

[drbill]

When I started diving in the early 60s, I wasn't even aware of dive tables much less have a dive computer. The basic rule of thumb was that you could dive a single tank and not get bent if you did safe ascents. Since it was a royal PITA to get a tank filled, and we often had to share the single setup we had back then, multiple dives were not an issue. Don't even remember safety stops back then... not until 1969.

 

[Sam Miller III]

The first Civilian dive instruction manual was the 1954 LA County "Underwater Safety Manual" by Bev Morgan. On page 63 was "Navy Standard Decompression Table, Using compressed air."

Since the LA County program was the fountain head from which all programs emulated, (NAUI-1960, PADI-1969, and the remainder of the instructor alphabet) Therefore all programs should have had as part of their standard course of instruction some form of decompression tables, until the advent of the computer.

However, If a diver relies on a computer when his batteries die so does his brain, unless they can use the decompression tables.

sdm

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

However, If a diver relies on a computer when his batteries die so does his brain, unless they can use the decompression tables.

Without a dive scooter, there are very few Maui shore dive sites where "just dive your air" is not all the planning necessary; except for one site, it's hard to get deeper than 60 feet. Even with a scooter, at the end of the dive there can easily be 20+ minutes of shallow cruising.

If a diver has done 20 dives, or 10 pairs of dives, of very similar profiles, that never "pushed" a Suunto NDL, why would the diver's brain die if the diver just completes the dive as normal; which didn't really need the computer anyway, except for logbook's sake.

I mean come on, decompression tables is a little overboard for new divers and those considering.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I was taught the NAUI tables, but on the night of our final test my instructor offered the PADI OW card as well for an additional five dollars. I had to look at the PADI tables for a couple of minutes before taking the test, but they were similar to the NAUI tables so I aced it.
I never saw a dive computer until I began working at a dive shop a few years later.