Posted by Tribes on August 07, 2002 at 15:26:21:
In Reply to: Re: Get a Suunto Vyper wrist model posted by Eagle Ray on August 07, 2002 at 11:43:27:
Here’s the deal(I think you know most of this, but some don’t). Dive Tables (NAUI, No-Bubble, The New NAVY Tables) should be more conservative then a computer. Dive tables profiles are all square dives. So at 100ft. on a NAUI table you have a max time of 22 (from surface to surface). Most of the time divers do not make square dives, we dive multi-level.
So even if you only spent 1 min at 100ft and the rest of the time at 20ft. you still only have 22 min (Max Dive Time).
The computers are multi-level instrument. It’s on board, and if it functions properly it will tell you where you are at, though-out your dive(time, depth, MDT, ). It gives you more time because it gives you credit for the shallower part of your dives.
I only use computers on multi-day trips and vacations. The rest of the time I dive with a timer/depth gauge (digital) and use tables(most of the diving that I have been doing in the last 10 years have been square deeper dives or shallow class dives, the deeper dives are done with nitrox or trimix so the computer wouldn’t do any good anyway).
I think that computers are a good thing for most divers. Most divers today have almost no knowledge of deco theory and don’t know how to use tables(that’s not the way it should be, but the way it is). The computer keep these divers safe or safer then they would be.
When I use a computer I stay will away from the MDT’s. I think the key is to be conservative, don’t get out on the edge.
If I was going to buy a computer I would buy an Oceanic (not because it’s any better or has more features(they are all about the same), but because it’s made here in California and gives Californian’s jobs).
Tribes