So, what are you other PADI instructors going to do?

[Don Wray]

If you haven't read the 3rd Quarter Training bulletin, you might want to jog on over and take a look.  PADI has decided to allow us to eliminate not only teaching the eRDPml but also, do away with teaching tables.

New Dive Computer Option for the PADI Open Water Diver Course

In response to PADI Member requests and technological growth in the dive community, there is a new training option for the PADI Open Water Diver course that allows you to teach dive computer use instead of (or in addition to) Recreational Dive Planner use.
Traditionally new divers were taught RDP-use even when using dive computers. The RDP was used to both plan the dive and act as a back up to the computer, if needed. This continues to be a valid practice, and one you can choose to offer your student divers. In August, you will have three choices for teaching dive planning to your student divers – RDP Tables, eRDPMLTM or the dive computer option. Whichever option is selected, your student divers will continue to learn the basics of decompression theory, the importance of dive planning to keep nitrogen levels within an acceptable limit and the importance of monitoring depth, bottom time and surface intervals as they always have in the Open Water Diver Manual.

This becomes effective August, 2009 and affects all courses including nitrox.  Personally, I will continue to teach the tables and the computer.  For those of you who aren't instructors, what is your opinion?  Would you rather just learn tables, computers or both?

[Shrek]

I'm still going to make my students learn the tables.  I've personally been in the situation of my computer crashing and had to depend on my tables.  I've personally never have been a fan of the eRDP either.  If you can't get it wet, it doesn't belong in scuba.  Hence the third letter in SCUBA is underwater.  Not only did my computer crash, my dive watch also died on the same dive.  It wasn't a good day and I was forty or fifty miles offshore fishing in a spearfishing rodeo so that wasn't so good.  I tell all my students regardless of whether they own the eRDP and a computer, they still need to have a RDP in their pocket and watch for underwater use.  It never hurts to be cautious.  And as for nitrox, why even come to class for that now, just send me your picture and I'll mail you a card.  Not in my class.  Your going to have to learn the tables as well as buy a reg RDP if you don't have one.  Remember, PADI and the RSTC just sets the minimum standards, you can always add acceptable material.  Just my two pennys worth.  I would love to hear feedback as well.  Thanks for the post DonWray. 

[Don Wray]

Great minds think alike they say.  Thanks Shrek, that's the route I'm taking also.

[James64]

being pretty new to diving i would have to say that knowing learning how to use a he tabes is amust....i dont think i would be comfertable if i had to do it all over again goingto an instructor that didnt teach tables....even if it is something that most rarely use....as for nitrox thats lie the biggest part of the class and was a great refresher

[Shrek]

My point exactly James.  The tables will always be around.  And with going into mixed gas diving, they are even more important.  I find I usually have to re-teach or at least give a strong refresher on the tables before actually teaching the Enriched Air specialty.  The book is more filler than anything else.  Granted it does have some very pertinent information, but remember, you are being testing on your performance.  If you can't pass the test with the tables, you don't need to be diving the gas.  Anyone can set a computer to dive 32% enriched air.  You get out the manual and push about four different buttons and presto, your set.  But what happens when you computer takes a dump, you are at 80 feet and you don't have any tables?  Do you surface?  Do you continue your dive?  What is your contingency plan?  Well, if you only learned how to set your computer, you must surface.  On the other hand, if you had a caring instructor and you have that set of 32% tables or your RDP and the EAD table in your pocket, you just slide them out and keep on diving like they did 20 years ago before the advent of recreational dive computers.  Tables don't take up much room and you can put them all on a stainless or brass ring and they'll always be together.  If you aren't taught well and thoroughly, you are being done an injustice.  Just because someone or another agency is cheaper doesn't make them better.  Do your research and make your own opinion.  Remember, this is the training you are going to use not to dive, but to return to the surface in one piece and alive.  I can put scuba gear on a goat and get him underwater,  but is he going to be able to perform.  And no Frank, we are not going to try to put scuba gear on a goat.  However funny that might be............

[Blotto]

And heck, I thought fainting goats and scuba jackasses were funny... hahaha... that would suck for the goats to faint while underwater. Off your mask and reg and go BOO! See what happens. LOFL (el-oh-effin-el)

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so, yeah back on the subject of the tables. I rely on my computer. It's a good one. I've had only one issue with it so far in almost 2 years. But it was minor and perfectly solvable. Having backup batteries and.... yep... tables. I keep 'em clipped to my BC and for darn good reason.

[rebelrph]

It's not only the table use that is being taught, but the DIVE THEORY that they represent. Although computers manange a dive according to the models, they don't teach the THEORY behind it. That knowledge allows a diver to make accurate decisions as to continuing a dive, surfacing, diving in the first place, or getting on a plane the next day. Personally I use 2 computers on every dive one air and one nitrox. In the last year I've had batteries die during a dive on each computer (different dives). Both were shallow training dives as Don Wray's DM actually... but it emphasized the need for using the tables also.

TC

[frankc420]

What is the maximum height in an airplane you could go BEFORE the 24 hour window expires after diving?  At what height above land does atmospheres start to change? 

I saw this question somewhere but cannot remember where.

[Don Wray]

What is the maximum height in an airplane you could go BEFORE the 24 hour window expires after diving?  At what height above land does atmospheres start to change? 

I saw this question somewhere but cannot remember where.

Pressure varies smoothly from the Earth's surface to the top of the mesosphere. Although the pressure changes with the weather, NASA has averaged the conditions for all parts of the earth year-round. The following is a list of air pressures (as a fraction of one atmosphere) with the corresponding average altitudes. The table gives a rough idea of air pressure at various altitudes.

fraction of 1 atm average altitude :
1 atm is sea level or 0
1/2 atm is 18,000 ft
1/3 atm is 27,480 ft
1/10 atm is 52,926 ft
1/100 atm is 101,381 ft
1/1000 atm is 159,013 ft
1/10000 atm is 227,899 ft
1/100000 atm is 283,076 ft

The answer to the first part of your question depends....how many dives have been done, to what depths for what length of time over how many days.

[frankc420]

I think it was on Scubaboard that someone asked if they could go parasailing after 3 days of diving... was just curious how pressures change when flying.  I'm guessing if you were in an unpressurized plane you could still fly before the 24 hour window.

[Shrek]

Parasailing is no more than a couple hundred feet above the water.  Thats when you are hooked to a boat and drug through the air right?  I wouldn't recommend it as a surface interval, but I wouldn't see much harm in it.  Just remember, you are supposed to avoid strenous activity before and after to diving. 

[frankc420]

Parasailing is no more than a couple hundred feet above the water.  Thats when you are hooked to a boat and drug through the air right?  I wouldn't recommend it as a surface interval, but I wouldn't see much harm in it.  Just remember, you are supposed to avoid strenous activity before and after to diving. 

Yep, your strapped to the back of a boat by a long rope.  It's not strenous at all, you stand up and start floating. 

[Shrek]

My thinking would be that you are ok.  From my studies and what I have read, as long as you stay below a 1000' you should be ok.  Remember, that's the elevation that you are supposed to being using a seperate calculation or tables for the elevation from seal level.  Parasailing would be the same as getting in a Jeep and driving up the side of the mountain.  You'd probably get in more trouble in the Jeep. 

[Shrek]

sea level* not seal LOL!!!

[Don Wray]

sea level* not seal LOL!!!

Same diff unless their in a zoo in say Denver