Which computer to stay away from?

[Queequeg]

I think this is where we are talking about different sorts of divers.

If you find it common for divers to "not notice" they are without gear they though was required for the dive untill they hit depth..and continued the dive anyway..thats ok for you.

It's just not ok for me.



Yeah, but most of us head back to the boat on the surface and reconfigure our required gear for the dive rather than try to sort things out while underwater.

You choose differently. And that's cool.

Enjoy.

You said it's "okay with me" that divers continue their dive without gear and don't realize it till they reach depth? ....where exactly did I say I was okay with it? I never said I was ok with it...just pointing out what I have witnessed.

Also...

I don't head back to the boat to fix a problem?..."I choose differently " and that's cool . Where did I say that I don't make that choice to return to fix a problem?

I merely pointed out what I see on any given weekend...on any given trip.

If anything...I admit I am prone to forget things...and that is why I head off one problem by using a console computer. I've seen too many times, divers, good divers, forget to strap on their wrist mount. It happens....and I don't want it to happen to me...so I choose to not use wrist mounts. One less thing I have to find, and strap on. I don my gear, do my checks and get in the water...okay...with out fins on occasion.

Anyway...my apologies to the OP....this is distracting from your question.

 

[Dr Wu]

You said it's "okay with me" that divers continue their dive without gear and don't realize it till they reach depth? ....where exactly did I say I was okay with it? I never said I was ok with it...just pointing out what I have witnessed.

Also...

I don't head back to the boat to fix a problem?..."I choose differently " and that's cool . Where did I say that I don't make that choice to return to fix a problem?

I think it was right here. The part where you included yourself in the group of divers that "forget" gear but continue the dive.

I've seen it all and done it myself

Or, to put it in context:

Without exaggeration....I've seen divers start a dive without their computer and not notice till they have descended. I've seen dive masters, instructors and common divers alike do this. I've seen divers with redundant computers do this, and then have to rely on their console the rest of the week. We all have forgotten some piece of equipment at one point or another, fins, mask, weights, I've seen it all and done it myself.

I don't pretend I'm any kind of super diver, I have forgotten things on occasion.

 

[danvolker]

I have never tried a wrist computer, but you still need to connect to your HP side to see how much air you have left. Personally, I would trust a rubber hose with a mechanical gauge over a pressure transducer with an IR transmitter and receiver combo. It certainly costs less, and I can visually inspect a hose and get an idea of mechanical integrity. It is really hard to look at a tank IR transducer and see what condition it's in.

When I started diving, everyone had J valves and you stayed above 40 feet if you wanted the least risk. If your breathing started to get tough, you pulled the little wire down and headed toward the surface. Nowadays we rely on that tank meter.

Hose or not to hose...that is the question. If you're going to have the hose, why not put your DC and compass on there too. No hose, then...you have more faith in electronics than I. There are two many single points of failure modality for which there is no reasonable inspection methodology.

Actually, I would never consider using a transducer system for tank pressure. We use a short hose with a analog pressure guage ( with no boot) clipped off by left hip...I can see it without unclipping, but you could easily unclip if desired....the idea is to avoid an entanglement hazzard, which is what the big consoles dragging along typically are.....when you get to a really awesome divesite, with life exploding all around you, often this will be in a high current or even an eddie type environment--as this tends to bring in huge clouds of fish....in these scenarios, you will want to be very low to the bottom...belly to the bottom, without actually touching coral or marine life..if there is sand or non-live surface bottom in a good place, you would possibly want to flatten out on it for less current effect on your body..this is key for photographers as well as sight seers.
Any time you are sticking your head into a crevace or small cave, you are also executing a maneuver where having no dangling consoles or other entanglement hazzards is the smart way to be configured. Again, the wrist computer wins hands down here, with the clipped pressure guage....

In these shots showing the simplicity of DIR style donation of the long hose to an OOA buddy, you can clearly see the clipped pressure guage and wrist computer...
Also notice how slick the stomach and chest area is, if this diver had to get bellied up to the bottom. Of course, another benefit of the streamlining here, is the diver's ability to "glide" after a big kick. Typicall console trailing, gear hanging everywhere divers with huge puffy BC's, inflated to handle too much carried weight, will kick and come to a stop ..much like a puffer fish, they have to kick like crazy to go anywhere, and they use up a lot of energy going slow.


Regards,
DanV

 

[DeusVerto]

DanV, I understand the importance of streamlining, and yet there are some trade-offs involved. I do clip off my console, and yes it drags a bit lower than your gauge...maybe 4 inches?

I am certainly not going to start a "DIR" debate, as that horse has been thoroughly beaten to glue elsewhere in these hallowed confines.

Still, point taken. I think all I need for my Zoop is the wrist strap to try it your way. Which I will do dive-after-next.

Speaking of Suunto, the Zoop has different nitrogen exposure profile settings. I don't mind the most conservative setting, because I am just...more conservative. Age might have something to do with that. I am not familiar with the other Suunto models, so your mileage may very.

 

[Willar]

Good illustration. I have my Cobra clipped to my BCD at the waist band so it doesn't drag or hang out, similar to the photos above. I can glance down to see the face or unclip it and use the integrated compass when desired. Very streamlined, no dragging in the sand, very handy, plus it keeps my hands free.

I'm not confident in the wireless air-integration because I've seen too many that lose signal randomly. I really like the Cobra with the hose securely attached to the first stage and all my data in one place.

 

[Queequeg]

I think it was right here. The part where you included yourself in the group of divers that "forget" gear but continue the dive.



Or, to put it in context:

Amazing....you continue to add on to your assumptions. Now I am a diver that forgets things and "Continues the dive". I admitted I have forgot things.....that's it. Most notably my fins ...on a live aboard while tending to other divers. Its happened...it is rare...but it has happened. That would be an amazing feat to continue a dive without fins, how the hell does one do that?

Forgetting fins is not in comparison to forgetting a dive computer. I have not forgotten my computer because it is a console...very convenient feature that it is attached to my first stage. But I have seen many times, others forget their wrist mount. Usually on a boat...and I hear of it when they surface and are talking about it. But I've also seen it on shore dives. My experience, what I've seen, persuaded me to get a console because I thought that's something that could happen to me. I've never seen anyone forget a console...a great advantage.

However it's great that manufacturers offer both...different preferences for different divers. I don't understand whether one prefers consoles or wrist mounts can have proponents that are so adamantly opposed to one or the other. They each have an advantage and disadvantage. I like the idea of wrist mounts..but I use a console for personal preferences.

 

[charlesml3]

Yep, I knew it was just a matter of time before this turned into yet another useless DIR rant. Why in the world does every DIR diver think that the rest of us are idiots?

which is what the big consoles dragging along typically are

Never taken a DIR course in my life, but my console never "dragged along."

Any time you are sticking your head into a crevace or small cave, you are also executing a maneuver where having no dangling consoles or other entanglement hazzards is the smart way to be configured.

I agree. I just don't see how my VT-3 transmitter is any more of an "entanglement hazard" than the rest of the bloody tank valve. I also don't see how a clipped console is any worse than your analog pressure gauge.

I completely respect and acknowledge that DIR does a terrific job of properly training divers. I wish more of the DIR aspects were brought into PADI/SSI/whatever training programs. The problem is the DIR wonks who come out here and treat the rest of us like we're stupid.

Again, from someone who's used both consoles and wrist mounts, there is NO CLEAR WINNER. I like my VT-3 because it's a bit quicker to look at my wrist, but I sure do miss that big, fat display of my Pro Plus 2....

-Charles

 

[charlesml3]

That would be an amazing feat to continue a dive without fins, how the hell does one do that?

Funny you should mention that. A DM in Cozumel told me about a time they went out and one guy had forgotten his fins. So him and his buddy just shared a pair! One fin each and they did just fine... I love resourcefulness.

-Charles

 

[Nukeboy]

I'm glad this thread turned out to be about absent minded divers dragging their consoles

 

[marinediva]

That would be an amazing feat to continue a dive without fins, how the hell does one do that?

I had a student in the islands once who during OW3 took off his fins and was diving without them.
They hurt his feet. I was amazed as he had no problem diving.
He continued his course as well as all his dives without fins.
His feet were wider than they were long, he was a very experienced spearo who never wore fins, or shoes for that matter. He also never wore weights, not one ounce, I even resorted to putting children's arm floaties on his ankles to assist keeping him horizontal.