How do dive tables work?

Dive tables (also known as recreational dive planners, dive charts, and decompression tables) were originally created by the US Navy to regulate scuba divers’ underwater time and prevent them from absorbing too much nitrogen, which results in decompression sickness or “the bends.” They are basically charts filled with …

What is RNT on a dive table?

Residual Nitrogen Time (RNT) This is the amount of time you must consider as already having been spent at a given depth for a planned repetitive dive. This time is based on the residual nitrogen remaining in your body from a previous dive or dives.

How many dives can I do a day?

For recreational divers, a typical limit is 4-5 dives per day as long as you follow dive tables or use a computer to track. For shallower depths, you will need to refer to dive tables to be able to determine how many dives you can safely do in a day and how long those dives can last.

Can I do 4 dives in a day?

For recreational divers, a typical limit is 4-5 dives per day as long as you follow dive tables or use a computer to track. A well-planned day usually starts with the deepest dive first with shallower dives later in the day to prevent nitrogen build up in the bloodstream.

What happens if you cough while scuba diving?

It’s perfectly alright to cough into your regulator until your airway is clear. If you feel that tell tale tickle in the back of your throat, try to move into an open area where you won’t bump into anything. Also, be aware of your buoyancy as you may unknowingly hold your breath.

How are dive tables used in scuba diving?

In this section we explain dive tables and go through specific examples of repetitive dives, using both the PADI and the NAUI tables. Dive tables are used to determine how long you can safely stay under water at a given depth, both for the initial dive and for subsequent dives.

When did the first dive table come out?

All of that led to the “dive tables” that were first used by the Navy, and then, as recreational scuba diving became popular, modified for recreational use. In 1988, Diving Science & Technology introduced the first dive tables for no-decompression recreational diving.

Is the NAUI dive table a decompression table?

The NAUI Dive Tables are based on the US Navy Decompression Tables and have been designed specifically for recreational diving (figure 5-6). The tables are designed to flow from one to the other in a continuous loop (figure 5-7).

What are the rules for the Padi table?

Multiple dive rules– Anytime the ending pressure group on the PADI table is W or X, all following surface intervals must be at least an hour. Anytime an ending pressure group is Y or Z , all following surface intervals must be three hours .