Varying Dive Computer Decopression Obligations

I had one of the older Cochran Nitrox Commanders. On the first dive to 100', for half an hour (at Devil;s Eye), it would show less than normal deco. On a repetitive dive to about the same profile, and a couple hours S.I., deco was several hours. After much discussion with Cochran, and sending it back a couple of times. they said it was somehow MY fault, and refused to do anything about it. You couldn't give me a Cochran today. FWIW, I replaced it with a NiTek 3, and that is still working fine 10 years later (as a backup to my Shearwater).

While it is possible that Cochran's new computers actually work, I doubt that their customer service has improved any.

I don't understand, I have been using this computer for 30 years, and it still works fine.

http://www.underseas.com/news/images...nd_o_matic.jpg



My shoulder is a little sore, but that's just age, right?

This is a serious question: I know that's an SOS/Scubapro, but is that what they called the Bend-o-matic?

Yes, but I have also heard the Edge called that. The SOS was notorious for going out of calibration.

Both had the perception of pretty high hit rates relative to modern computers but to be fair did ok relative to square profile US Navy table dives (which had a pretty high hit rates of about 1% for single deco dives and about 4% for repetitive deco dives.)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Slüdge

This is a serious question: I know that's an SOS/Scubapro, but is that what they called the Bend-o-matic?

---

That, or the "brick", because the part that simulated tissues was a piece of ceramic. As you descended, gas would go through the ceramic, and move the needle up. Then as you ascended, gas would go back out. You just waited until the needle was back around zero to exit the water. It would have worked too, if all human tissue absorbed gas at the same rate :roll:

Is the Bend-o-matic for sale?

I'd love to be seen entering a cave wearing one...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FW

I had one of the older Cochran Nitrox Commanders. On the first dive to 100', for half an hour (at Devil;s Eye), it would show less than normal deco. On a repetitive dive to about the same profile, and a couple hours S.I., deco was several hours.
.

---

Pretty funny,that was about typical,that is one reason you carried an extra reel inorder to hang the computer at deco,got out of your gear,ate lunch etc,and then pulled the computer. I remember one friend who was so pissed,he hid it behind a rock,and picked it up two days later. I loved my Bridge 2,but the Nitek 3 was such a revolution.

I try to stay away from the repetitive dives. The last time I did some were a little over a year ago in the Keys diving The Eagle and then The Spiegel Grove. I used the EMC-20H and had no problems there.
Living in cave country I don't have to worry about getting a lot of dives in during a short period of time as some vacationing divers do. The only exception has been Jackson Blue, which is about as far as I travel for diving. First dive there is a big push (usually with a DPV), followed by a relaxing swim dive under 1 hr. Mexico doesn't count, as my 4-day trip there in 2001 involved about 24 hours of bottom time with 3.5 seconds worth of deco. But I prefer to make one big-ass dive and then call it a day.

I figure if anyone is a prime candidate for DCS using this "aggressive" computer, it would probably be me. I respect all the opinions out there, but my experience and number of dives with Cochran computers has convinced me that their disrepute by some be taken with a grain of salt.

Thanks for the input, everyone, and more posts will certainly be informative.