Do you plan dives on your computer AND with tables?

[setesh]

I'm curious how many of you actually backup your computer planned dive profile by using the wheel/tables? It says to do this in all the PADI training, to check the computers accuracy, and to give you a way to continue diving if it fails. But do any of you actually do this? It seems like a lot of extra work to me, but maybe I'm just being lazy?

[cutter77]

I like to back up all my dives with tables. It's not that big a deal if you do it a while, it gets pretty simple.

[SarahBella]

This is my first dive season with a computer so I am sure at the start the tables will be the main planning tool-using both would be the best idea in my book though.

[coyote]

I do it when it makes sense. But sometimes the tables don’t work with a dive. If I drop down to 80 feet on a wall dive and slowly work my way up, then the tables don’t work. The computer knows I spent less then 2 minutes at 80’ and adjusts for what is basically a 45 minute ascent. Even figuring the dive as multilevel using the wheel doesn't come out even close to the computer.
What I most often use the tables or wheel for is to plan a dive in advance.

[comet24]

Depends on the dive. If it's a simple single tanks withing rec limits then I likely don't. If my computer dies I would just end the dive. I also carry a watch as a back up timer and know how deep I have been. So if needed I could work out a plan hanging on the line. Within rec limits things are fairly safe. Start getting into the "tech" area and things change.

[Damselfish]

On my typical multiple multilevel dives, backing up with tables would be useless. I'd be off the tables. The wheel would not be of much more use to me, since I do not know the details in advance, and wouldn't have them afterwards if my computer croaked (and practically speaking am certainly not going to record them off my computer after every dive.) I dive with a backup computer as I have no desire to sit out dives.

[setesh]

Thanks for the feedback! I guess the best thing would be to pick up a cheap backup, and since I'm using an AI computer, a backup with an SPG too. Could just clip it off and check it occasionally, and if my VT3 died I could keep on diving. There goes another $200

[Gombessa]

I always try. A lot of times it's really slipshod because my recreational profiles are all between 30-60ft, with 90+min surface intervals for lunch. As gas is more of a limiting factor than NDLs, there's not much to the planning.

[BuzzGA]

When I first started with my computer, I always checked the tables as a back up but now I do it less, especially if I know I'm doing something shallow...30 ft or so...because chances are I'm not going to bust the tables. I still give them a quick look for the second dive but I don't worry about them too much. Granted it doesn't matter if my computer fails, if that happens I'm ending the dive

[whse56]

Originally Posted by setesh

Thanks for the feedback! I guess the best thing would be to pick up a cheap backup, and since I'm using an AI computer, a backup with an SPG too. Could just clip it off and check it occasionally, and if my VT3 died I could keep on diving. There goes another $200

Just repeat after me: it's only money, it's only money, it's only money.
Now did that help?