dive watch?

[tuffstuff]

How important is having a dive watch? I havent taken any courses yet and I was told that if I'm diving >80ft I should have a watch to moniter my surface time? I don't really spend more than 30seconds at depth, I just shoot my fish and go back up. A watch isn't THAT important right?

thanks,

-Matt

 

[EcchiK]

Good question. I wouldn't mind knowing the benefits of having a dive watch vs. not having one.

I know for freediving it's quite helpful as you can track your depth and dive time so that you don't dive too deep/long. However, if you're just diving the same depth over and over again and can track that you don't dive too deep I'm not sure what the benefit is.

 

[Erik]

The main benefit is that you can monitor your surface interval. If I dive without a comp, I always go back down to hunt too soon. Always. Repeated 30 sec dives can kill you as easily as repeated 3 minute dives if you don't breathe up properly.

I spent the last few years without one becuase my Suunto flooded. There's a nice aspect to not using one, but the quality and length of my dives suffered due to my impatience at the surface. I got a new computer this year, which keeps me aware of my breathe-up times.... my hunting is much better and I am much safer too.

 

[myfish]

well, i just recently added a D4 to my wrist and i feel much safer and more informed.

 

[EcchiK]

Then I'll be waiting for the ever anticipated F.10 and hunt one down!

 

[Spaniard]

Amen to what Erik said; you must pay attention to your recovery times between dives i.e. surface interval - regardless of depth! Stay safe!

 

[vali]

buy a dive computer!
i love mine because:
- in freedive he tell me many things [surf time, max depth, water temperature, the actual dive time]
- it can be set to make some audible signs depending on the dive and settings....for example if i want to go down and i set the watch to make a beep at 15m, he does and i know that i reached that dept....also he can beep after a seted periode of time....and so on
- he can be set to work in fresh or salted waters, have function also for scuba with air and nitrox separatelly from freediving functions
- is sooo good looking
- when i go spearing, sometimes i forgot how the time pass...a push a button and i know what time is
- he can be turned off on the land to preserve the batteryes
- he make a beep at every exact hours

his name is NEMO EXCEL from MARES