Posted by MHK on December 19, 2000 at 19:02:49:
In Reply to: Re: Ascent rate question for MHK and TLEEMAY posted by Alonza on December 19, 2000 at 18:35:15:
We spend COUNTLESS hours learning the profiles and are capable of computing our tables on the fly...
But PLEASE do not misunderstand what we suggest with respect to computers... We say over and over and over do NOT eliminate the use of the computer until you have gained sufficent knowledge/understanding of the profiles... What we do say is that while you are in the process that you loose the cumbersome console that holds the computer, SPG and compass and streamline your gear.. But we do NOT suggest that you go willy nilly into the water without a understanding of the profiles..
We suggest that you learn the profiles, and in my case while I was learning them, I kept a computer with me as a check.. I'll give you an example when we were diving this weekend, Mike Blitch brought a new diver with him, she had the usual computer set up, I was running the dive and in my head I called the dive when her computer showed one pixal from caution... We learn the profiles so as to render the computer unecssary.. Remeber our philosophy, if it isn't needed we don't take it...
The goal is to understand the decompression models so as to render the tables/computers useless... I'm embarrased by Sport Chalet's approach.. It is my understanding, based on VERY personal experiences that they no longer even require the learning of tables if you purchase a computer from them during the open water class..
This, once again, speaks to the dumbing down of standards.. I believe that diver's shouldn't rely on computers inasmuch as they should have sufficient knowledge of the algorithms that to the extent, as you suggest, on a multi day trip, should the computer fail for whatever reason, they know enough to continue diving as opposed to relying on equipment... I'd rather KNOW than believe on an instruement..
I'll give an example that at the time I could not have disagreed with more.. I graduated college in 1985, at that time when I sat for the CPA exam you were not allowed to use a calculator and were required to compute all the problems by hand.. When I was stidying for the exam I thought that was the dimbest thing I had ever heard of because I knew full well that once I got into the *real world* I would use a calculator for everything.. But the AICPA believed that it was important that we understood the theory not so much as we could work a calculator.. At the time I hated it, but later on I appreciated it... I hold the same view with respect to decompression models today.. All too many diver's are reliant upon computers and know nothing at all about decompression other than the fact that the computer has 1 pixal in the yellow or red and it's time to ascend... What happens if you are at 100', your computer is in the red and you figure it's time to go up, but at that moment the battery dies??????? What do you do????
What happens if you are on a liveaboard and the 3rd day your computer dies, are you done diving??????
I love the fact that I can compute in my head and don't need a computer, I love everything that I learned up until the point I got comfortable gaining that knowledge...
I'd prefer every diver learned the profiles, could calcualte on the fly and didn't need to spend ~$300 on a computer...
Later