Which is it- 60fpm or 30fpm for ascent??

[mdr231]

My son and I just finished our PADI Open Water classes. In them we were taught that the correct ascent rate is 60fpm for NDL diving using normal air. But I'm seeing all over this board and in other publications that the recommended ascent rate is 30fpm. Which is it??

Thanks in advance!

Michael
:gecko:

 

[Uncle Pug]

I guess it depends on who you ask.

But if you ask me it should depend upon your depth.

Personally I like to slow it down the closer I get to the surface.

30fpm is good from 100' but really go slow from 20' to the surface.

 

[Cave Diver]

Generally speaking, slower is better.

A 30 fpm ascent rate is recommended with a 60 fpm being the maximum ascent rate. Anything faster than that may cause problems.

Divers doing extreme depths, mixed gasses and decompression diving often use an even slower ascent rate during portions of their dive, but the above recommendations should work for the average recreational dive.

 

[The Chairman]

to reflect 30 fpm as the max ascent rate. They do give exceptions (60 fpm) for an ESA (Emergency Swimming Ascent) or for assisting an unconscious diver to the surface.

 

[mdr231]

Thanks to all for the good advice.

Michael

 

[Big Blue One]

also note that some instructors highlight that it is easier to count and manage your ascent rate in seconds per metre/foot and a lot easier to control - especially for novice divers.

Therefore 30fpm approx = 10mpm

= 6 seconds per metre

i.e. count one thousand, two thousand ... for each metre on the guage when ascending as this is easier to manage.

For fpm means about 2 secs per foot (I'm not naturally imperial if you hadn't noticed)

 

[Whirling Girl]

I learned to do safety stops at 30', 20' and 10' for a minute each, and ascend at 10' per minute in between, and never ascend faster than 30'/min at any time. 10'/min. is really slow, try it sometime. If you can do it between 30' and the surface, it's also great practice for buoyancy control.

 

[Rick Inman]

However, after reading the Big Mistake megathread, it seems that, at depth, it is possible to accend TOO slow.

 

[TimIng]

AIUI different tables set their own ascent rates so you might see yet other figures quoted. Having said that I think that the PADI rate of 60ft/min or in normal speak 18m/min is too quick.

10m/min is safer and more normally used although again I have seen people quoting 9m/min to 6m and then 1m/min to the surface and even faster when descending from depth.

As with everything its as clear as mud!

 

[iainwilliams]

Personally I use the 6 m / minute ascent speed, with a 4 minute safety stop at 5 m and 2 minutes at 3 m with a deeper stop calculated using the following formula - depth to first stop divided by 2.

EXAMPLE: 30 meter dive. First stop at 12.5 m for 2 minutes thereabouts, then 5m for 4 and 3 m for 2.

Of cause if you are shallower you may not worry about the first deeper stop.

Divide/multiple by 3.3 to convert to FSW (feet salt water)/ MSW (meters salt water)

My style only - but it works for me. 1000 plus dives and I have yet to get bent! (touch wood quickly)..........Iain