From: mayne@ds1.scri.fsu.edu (Bill Mayne)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: computer recomendations?
Date: 19 Aug 92 15:42:39 GMT
Reply-To: mayne@ds1.scri.fsu.edu (Bill Mayne)
Organization: SCRI, Florida State University

In article <1992Aug13.213754.2933@mksol.dseg.ti.com> pyron@skndiv.dseg.ti.com writes:
>
>In article <1992Aug12.232747.21137@ads.com>, patterso@ADS.COM (Tim J. Patterson) asks about the Skinny-Dipper versus U.S. Divers Monitor II.
>
>My wife and I have rented the Skinny Dipper, and several of the instructors I
>work with use them.  They are simple and have VERY LARGE numbers.  On the
>negative, you have to turn them on, and they earned a nasty rep for flooding. 
>I believe the Monitor II is the same machine as the Aladin?  If so, I have the
>Pro, my wife has the Sport.  I really like it.

I have the Sport and I like it. I would like to have the Pro to get projected
time to surface when in decompression mode. Otherwise the differences between
the Pro and the Sport are too small to justify the bigger price tag on the
Pro for me. The best prices I've seen have been $410 for the Pro and $240 for
the Sport, and usually the difference is more (both $ and %). Hence if you
are committed to strictly no-decompression diving the Sport is a better deal,
IMO. I believe that the Monitor II is the same as the Pro. Hence an Aladin
Sport might be a more economical alternative. They seem to be reliable and
don't have to be turned on. In fact if you don't use the logbook or dive
planning features you never have to touch a control to use these computers.
Don't underestimate the value of that simplicity.

On the negative side Aladins (and Monitor IIs, if indead they are the same)
are so conservative I wouldn't be very happy with them for no-decompression
diving. The NDL at 100 feet is 16 minutes versus 25 minutes for the USN
tables, for example. I do mostly decompression dives, and let the dive guide
the decompression rather than the other way around, as is usual for
no-decompression divers. That is I do whatever dive I want and whatever
decompression is required for that dive, plus padding. If I was shortening
my dives rather than lengthening my stops I'd be less happy with the Aladin.
It is not true that computers necessarily give you more bottom time.

Consider carefully what you are buying a computer for. If you are doing a
lot of multi-level dives with a significant portion of the dive much
shallower than maximum depth, or are willing to either give up bottom time
or increase decompression time for more safety I think computers are great.

The Skinny Dipper is less conservative and not suitable for serious
decompression diving, according to people who have looked into it
and whose opinions I respect. This isn't necessarily a slam. It just
depends on what you want. How many recreational divers besides wreck and
cave divers do major decompressions? (For present purposes consider
"major decompressions" as involving more than a fairly short 10 foot
stop, or at most starting with a very short 20 foot stop.) A less
conservative computer with minimal provision for decompression might be
just the ticket for many divers.

>BTW.  If you're going to dive with one for a week, get ready to buy one when
>you get back!!!  You'll be addicted.

And in that case it might be worth buying one before you go so the rental
cost can be applied to purchase - unless you can work out a good deal on
renting with option to buy. It only hurts once when you pay for it and
it helps every time you use it.

Bill Mayne