Scuba Diving Adventure

Suunto Vyper Air Dive Computer

admin — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:07:15 +0000

The Vyper by Suunto has been a well known dive computer model for several years. Now an upgraded version has been released that has provision for adding a wireless receiver to manage gas consumption.

The new Vyper Air has an integrated electronic diving compass that continues to work within a massive 45 degrees tilt range. The wireless transmitter allows the user to monitor tank contents (one gas mix only) and gas consumption rate.

This is an easy to use computer that will suit most divers taking their diving up to a semi-technical standard. The next step would be a Suunto Vytec which would give you three gases for a few pounds more or a Helo2 which would allow trimix within the different gases on a complex dive.

As a step up to your Gekko, the Vyper Air is a good value diving computer that is more advanced than it brother the Vytec, which has been around for a while now. The Helo2 does everything the Vytec does with the addition of multi gas and helium for £250 more. I would leave the Vytec out of the equation and choose between the Vyper Air and the Helo2 depending on what your short term plans are! Personally I have decided on the Vyper – and if I do have a go with Trimix in the next year or two I will use it in gauge mode while I am learning to cut my own decompression tables!

This is something people forget – when choosing a computer get one that is ideal for your diving now, not what it might be in a year’s time. If I bought a helium computer now I would be tempted to use it and not get acquainted with the new deco regimes. In a similar way I believe my air diving was so much safer for spending years on BSAC 88 tables before I even owned a computer!

Technical specifications:

Reduced Gradient Bubble Model
Option of 1 or 2 minute deep stops
4 button ease of use
Air, nitrox, gauge modes
Option of secondary deco gas
Personal safety adjustable
Back light – soooo important!

Uwatec Galileo Terra Dive Computer

admin — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:06:17 +0000

This is quite a big dive computer and so the big screen should mean easy to view information. This turns out to be very much the case with an extremely user friendly display. It is only the more advanced features that send you searching for the manual but that is only to be expected.

There is a big digit mode for people like me who are suffering the beginnings of long sightedness! This is probably an overlooked feature for many manufacturers.

This is a sports diving computer which will also allow for up to three mixes of nitrox to be used during a single dive. Therefore it is a great step up from a basic diving computer for those who want to extend their diving range a little but are not contemplating closed circuit diving and also know that if they have a go at trimix mixed gas diving at some point they will only need a depth timer for the first dozen or two dives.

The performance of this computer is top rate, and certainly merits a 9 out of 1o. It is rather pricey at around £450 for the entry level model but a good buy all the same – 6 out of 10 for value because you have to upgrade for 3 diving gas algorithm.

Time will tell if this dive computer is to provide a few years complaint free diving, but if it is anything like my old Alladin Nitrox dive computer which gave 6 years of sterling service I am sure this will meet the challenge. Dive computers of most makes will serve the purpose, but the Uwatec Galileo is set to be one of the few diving computers that excels.

Technical details:

Buhlmann ZH-8L algorithm
Adjustment for increased safety
Deeps stops
3 minute safety stop (adjustable)
Nitrox 21-100%
Max PO2 – 1.6 bar
Altimeter
Electronic Scuba Diving Compass
PC Link
Upgrade – heart monitor
Upgrade – three NO2 mix algorithm

In conclusion a great computer with an on board electronic compass, but very pricey since the entry level model does not include the 3 gas algorithm.

Mares Puck

admin — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:05:07 +0000

I have a Suunto Gekko dive computer that belonged to my daughter before she gave up diving (too cold and dark in the UK!). I still use it from time to time and it is a great entry level diving computer. But as diving computers around the £150 mark go, there are now a few good items on the market and the Puck seems to be one of them.

I have never been emotionally tied to one or two manufacturers but do appreciate the strength of a good brand. I have used a Mares Abyss regulator for around 6 years until getting my twin set with Apeks regulators. I still take the Mares Abyss on holiday and use it for instructing with a single cylinder. It is the best regulator I have ever used and has been bomb proof so far.

So I would be happy to consider a Mares diving computer. The Puck is unlike most diving computers in that it has only a single button to press, using a scrolling menu. It does work well, but the only down side is that if you miss a menu item you have to go back to the beginning and start again!

The Mares-Wienke Reduced Gradient Bubbles algorithm considers microbubble formation and the use of deep stops. In use the Puck dive computer gives very similar dive times to the Suuntos, if anything the first dive of the day may be a little longer but thereafter things even up.

This is a simple to use, easy to set up and read, good value starter diving computer at around £150 – 10/10 for value and 9/10 for performance. Its a shame that you have to pay £80 for the dive computer PC link if this is something you feel is essential.

Like the Gekko, the Puck can be mounted in a console if required. Several of our club members have bought this computer and there are no complaints from any of them so far!

Mares Nemo Air

admin — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:02:18 +0000

If I was able to have two computers I would choose one wrist mounted model suited to the diving I was doing currently and also one console mounted version that was integrated with my air supply. The reason for this would be that for most of my diving at home I would use the console and when travelling I would take the more portable wrist computer along with basic mask and fins – as I would be hiring my dive gear at my destination.

The console affords a convenient mode of stowage and a reliable gas integration method allowing diving gas usage to be monitored accurately. The Mares Nemo Air is a gas-integrated computer that includes dive computer and gas pressure gauge in one. The Mares Nemo Air is a competent computer for recreational diving and the addition of gas-integration via a console route has made it an even better choice.

The Nemo will tell you current scuba cylinder pressure, how much remaining breathing time you have left at your present breathing rate and also what that breathing rate is.

Mares diving computers use the Mares-Wienke Reduced Gradient Bubble Model algorithm for diving decompression software which takes into account micro bubbles formed in the body and attempts to reduce their likelihood. The algorithm is very similar to the Suunto RGBM.

The diving information included on the display is very similar to most other dive computers – showing no-stop time remaining, current and maximum depth and stop information. This includes a countdown of both deep stops and safety stops.

As a recreational computer it will only allow a single gas mix of up to 50% nitrox – and when diving on air the computer should be set to 21% nitrox rather than the air setting as not doing so would incur a 49 hour lockout when switching from air to nitrox.

The dive computer unit easily detaches from its hose fitting for safe transport away from the bulk of your dive gear. It has a bayonet fitting that involves a simple quarter turn to fit or remove. Without an electronic compass included, however the console does have an attachment for a traditional analogue unit.

At £499.95 mrp this is not a cheap diving computer but for gas integration it is reasonable value – 7. Performance is good, ease of use brilliant – 7

Dive Rite Nitek X

admin — Wed, 05 May 2010 12:54:20 +0000

The Dive Rite Nitek X Diving Computer is not cheap retailing at £1,265 in the UK. New in 2009 it is a trimix decompression dive computer that uses a modified Buhlmann ZH-L16 algorithm with gradient factors set as follows:

75/95

40/100

30/75

The computer provides real time decompression information during the dive based on gas mixtures that the diver sets before the dive. They can however be also changed underwater if this becomes necessary. Dive Rite says that the computer is simple to use and the menus are intuitive which means that a complex user manual is not needed. As with all such promises, the reality is that it does pay to familiarise yourself with this unit fully before diving – it is pretty straight forward though.

The Dive Rite Nitek X Dive Computer is supplied as an open circuit dive computer as standard, but can be upgraded at a cost to closed circuit rebreather use – it includes a PO2 set-point and external oxygen sensor via an optional fourt cell.

Dive Rite diving computers and scuba gear are supplied by Sea & Sea in the UK.

Suunto HelO2 Mixed Gas Diving Computer

admin — Wed, 05 May 2010 12:24:35 +0000

Now that enriched air diving is pretty standard and nitrox can be bought from most dive shops and dive stations around the world, dive computers have all developed so that they can plan and execute any dive – sometimes including when more than one mix of nitox is being used.

Nitrox is a great gas, but has its limited when deeper diving is being carried out. The deeper you go the less oxygen you can add to your mix as a result of the poisonous effects of oxygen on the bodies nervous system at increasing depth. The less oxygen you breath at depth, the more nitrogen tou must have in the mixture. Unfortunately nitrogen causes more than decompression sickness (which can be avoided by suitable dive profiles and decompression stops etc) – it causes nitrogen narcosis. Apart from being very dangerous, even mild narcosis means that a divers awareness is reduced with an unexpected consequence – there is often very limited recall of the experiences of the dive!

So more and more divers are beginning to see the advantage of diving with helium added to their breathing gas mix – not only to allow reduced oxygen partial pressures as the diving gets deeper, but also on relaatively shallow dives of 30 metres or so to increase the perception and this enjoyment during and importantly – after the dive.

The Suunto HelO2 dive computer is the first simple to use, intuitive and straight forward mixed gas diving computer allowing several gas switches during a dive (3 gases can be programmed into the start of each dive).

The Suunto HelO2 menu is similar to its stablemates the D6 and D9 watch versions. With four buttons it is easy to use and there is not the having to start over again if you make a mistake as often happens when only one or two buttons utilised.

Oxygen content from 8 to 100 can be accommodated in air, nitrox and trimix programmed as one of 8 gas mixes into the HelO2. It can dive to 120 metres which is deep enough for any recreational deep diver who is likley only to qualify up to a maximum of 80 or so meters depth. It uses the Suunto Reduced Gradient Bubble Model algorithm.

The Suunto HelO2 Diving Computer can be used in conjunction with wireless gas integration.

The Suunto trimix computer is priced at around £700 but you can pick one up for under £600 from the large scuba gear outlets – for example Divers Warehouse will send one post free for £591 within the UK.

VR Technology NHeO Scuba Diving Computer

admin — Wed, 05 May 2010 12:18:42 +0000

For divers in the UK the VR3 dive computer from the local manufacturer VR Technology was the ultimate piece of equipment – you had to have one if your diving was ever going to progress beyond occasional holiday dips!

There was a little echo from the past image of “rufty tufty” British diving image at play I am sure. I succumbed to a VR3 two years ago and found it to be a great bit of kit – but not exactly what I wanted for my type of diving. I wanted an easy to use, easy to read (yes I will have to suffer reading glasses before long) good quality diving computer that would deal with at least two, and better three different gases. It would also be nice to store the half dozen or so mixes used most frequently so that they were ready for use each time I went diving.

The VR3 was too clunky – it felt loose on a wet suit and I hate to think how it would sit on a bare arm! It ate the batteries at a rate of knots also. Therefore when I sold the offending item I looked at VR’s new entry level model that seemed to address some of the faults that I had with their original dive computer.

This was a mixed gas diving computer capable of storing (and using) four different gases at a time – including trimix of course. It comes in a more light weight casing and is slightly easier to program and use (more as a result of having less functions than the VR3 than being any more intuitive). The single AA battery is user changeable as with the VR3 and the trimix version costs around £600 – though I have seen some good prices at the better dive shops and online. However, for those who like downloading their dive details you need to purchase a separate link at £128 (via factory upgrade)!

In the price range the only real competitor for this model is the Suunto HelO2 – which can be bought for just over £500 if you shop around – including PC interface link and software!

The NHeO can be factory upgraded for closed circuit use at an additional £112 – by the time you have added colour screen etc you might be better looking at a more dedicated unit for technical diving use – such as the VRX (a more modern version and replacement for the VR3) or Shearwater.

If your diving consists of general nitrox diving with two mixes, a few trimix dives per year and holiday/pleasure dives then the Suunto HelO2 is a better choice. I was also put off the NHeO by the rather curious pyramid shaped front screen that seemed to lack the general “quality” build feel of the old VR3s and added a little to unwanted reflections.

Choosing the Right Cylinders For Your Diving

admin — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 15:15:21 +0000

There is often a tendency to go with the flow when it comes to choosing diving equipment. For example every new trainee in our club goes out and buys a 15 liter cylinder as soon as they are ready to have their first sea dive as a qualified diver. I did the same many years ago, but since then sold it because I was either using much less gas on simple pleasure dives – or needed more gas and redundancy on extended range diving.

Similarly when I started extending my diving range, I went out and bought a twin 12 liter set – why? Because everybody used a twin 12 liter! However, again I found that it did not suit my needs. Either I was getting three simple pleasure dives out of it (in which case it was too heavy and uncomfortable for pleasure diving) or my deeper longer dives still resulted in surfacing with much more than third of my gas left.

I realised that only a handful of my dives each year would warrant the use of a twin 12 liter tank set up. I considered replacing them with a set of twin 10s. I can get a single club dive to say 20 meters out of a 10 liter tank so twin 10s would cover me for a twin dive trip as well as the extended diving I was planning to do. However, these tanks are very short. Too short to fit my excellent Halcyon Evolve wing and back plate which I wanted to keep using - and also much too short to rest the tanks on a boat’s bench while waiting to dive!

Twin sevens were decided upon – but I paused when my friendly dive shop owner told me twin 7s were for girls! Back to the drawing board – I didn’t care about the friendly teasing – if the tanks were right for my diving I would get them. But I realised that 14 liters of gas was too little. I ran some diving software on a range of dives that I was planning to do over the next 1 to 2 years – typically a week in Scapa Flow in the Orkneys diving 35 – 40 meter wrecks.

My conclusions? I needed 17 or 18 liters of back gas in addition to decompression gas (in either a 5 or 7 liter tank). I ran the scenario of my buddy (on twin 12s) having a bale out at the worst point in the dive (i.e. on the point of starting the ascent) and found that I had plenty of back gas for a range of escape options that assumed at least one 7 liter decompression stage was always available – at 50% from 18 – 22 metres upwards (i.e. ideally 1.4 ppO2 max).

My problem – 10s too short – 7s longer but too small in volume. If only they did long 10s!! I searched everywhere, and was giving up when I happened to look at some foreign specifications being used abroad. Entering “twin 8.5 cylinders” into Google I was presented with a page from Silent Planet’s web site along the lines of “…are twin 12s too heavy…are twin 7s too small…”

It seemed that Silent Planet were just starting to import 8.5 liter Euro cylinders into the UK. They were sized to exactly fit my wing as they were as long as the 12 liter cylinders, but a lot less weight. A couple of telephone calls to Silent Planet and my friendly dive shop owner - and I was hooked – an order made!

I will dive twin 12s when the dive calls for the gas – a single 10 when I am instructing a new trainee who will use up their 15 liter even quicker than me. All else I am looking forward to using the twin 8.5s this summer – watch this space for my report and hopefully not eBay to see them on sale!!

Red Sea Diving – MV Asmaa

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:44:16 +0000

The Emperor Fleets boat Asmaa is not one of the Red Sea’s biggest liveaboards accommodating only 16 divers when full. I joined this boat at Marsa Alaam on the 12th of May in 2006 for my first ever visit to the Red Sea. It did the trick and I have been back most years since!

The Asmaa currently does two different itineraries, St Johns and the Deep South was the one I was on out of Marsa. The other is the Classic Cruise out of Hurghada. This one takes in some of the northern Red Seas best sites including the four wrecks at Abu Huhas and the famous Thistlegorm.

My group of divers was from the club attached to York’s only diving shop Overland Underwater. Without my usual buddy I was diving with a chap called Ken. It is always a worry going away on a trip alone that you will end up with a bad diver and spend your whole holiday in ‘instructor mode’. I needn’t have worried, Ken was an excellent diver – in fact usually he could be found with twin sets and other technical gear diving to 100 metres!

With a smaller group of only 16 people who loosely knew each other the holiday went very well. The boat was excellent if not quite as luxurious as some of the bigger better models. However, there was nothing to fault and given the price is usually around £200 – 300 less than the bigger boats this trip represented very good value for money.

The boat is 28 meters long but doesn’t feel small in any way. It has nitrox on board at extra cost and has two zodiacs to assist with the diving. It also offers a free PADI nitrox course but you will have to pay for the course materials and certification which comes to around £60/£70.

All dive guides that I have encountered working on the Emperor Fleet have been great. On this trip we had Alicia Hattersley and Richard Seale. Recognizing that we were all competent divers they left us to our own devices, but were always there if we wanted help and assistance. The way it should be.

On this trip we didn’t manage to spend a long time at the deep south as one of the Asmaa’s twin engines developed a fault and the captain felt that we should slowly make our way back north to Marsa. The diving was still superb, with dives at Elphinstone, Daedelus, Rocky, St Johns and Fury – 20 dives in the six days. To polish off the holiday in style we spent the seventh night on land at the Coral Bay Hotel – fantastic.

It would be worth bearing the Asmaa in mind when choosing your next Red Sea liveaboard trip – it is a very good value for money boat and can deliver a holiday every bit as good as those offered by the bigger ships.

Winter Diving During the “Off Season”

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:22:15 +0000

There is no doubt about it, I am a fair weather diver. There is however a big difference between this and being a holiday diver. I do like diving all year round and on a nice bright sunny day in the winter a visit to an inland quarry such as Capernwray can uplift your diving spirit and blow away some of the cobwebs that gather during the off season.

In fact I do advocate year round diving as there is nothing worse than the diver who puts his gear away in October and takes it out again for the club Easter outing the next year. This is when the accidents occur! Has all the scuba equipment been properly checked and serviced before taking it out of storage – was it even washed down and stored properly in the first place?

The diver who has not been diving for six months is not likely to be “dive fit”. Anything other than a shallow bimble around calm waters after such a break would be dangerous. This is why holiday divers are forced to pay for a boring “check out dive” before they can join in the fun.

There is so much you can do during the so called off season that it can seem that there is no break in the season whatsoever. Many people get involved in training, and visit their local pool every week. Dive instructing helps to improve safety skills and means that much of the scuba gear is being continually used.

Then there are the visits to the inland sites. They can be a little cold, but modern dry suits and efficient under suits, gloves and hoods can mean that you stay dry and warm. My buddy and I try to go at least once every month, and always look forward to the Christmas dive at Capernwray, though I do remember the year that the outside of my wet dry suit that was laying on the ground actually froze solid and stuck to the floor!

Most areas of the UK have an inland dive site near to them that they can use when the weather does not permit scuba diving in the sea. Some are better than others but there is always somewhere to visit within an hours drive away.