It was suggested that the rule of thirds be modified when diving solo. I'd like to hear suggestions for modifying this rule.
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Modifying rule of thirds
It was suggested that the rule of thirds be modified when diving solo. I'd like to hear suggestions for modifying this rule.
"I like to do dangerous things safely."
Just curious, how did they suggest you modify the rule? I've heard everything from 1/6ths to 1/2+200psi. I'm in no way even close to being ready or wanting to solo dive, but I am curious to see what the standards seem to be.
Use thirds with a buddy bottle, fourths without bottle and sixths when scootering. JMO
If cave diving were Star Wars, who would be Yoda?
This is just me, but solo sm diving, I dive to 1/4, this is my "base line" and I modify up or down from there depending on many things, siphon, how strong? Restrictions, how many and how restrictive? One tank off restriction(s) or two tanks off restriction(s) how many jumps? How many T's, what's the vis like, going in? what's the vis likely to be like on the way out? If I'm solo sm probably a reason for it, vis will more than likely be bad and slow my exit...way too many options to cover it all.
You really need to know a cave before you get *serious* about solo diving it.
In a word...experiance. You can't buy it no matter how much money you have.
Last edited by Line Squirrel; 05-07-2008 at 07:18 PM.
It's bad luck to be superstitious.
RE:modifying the rule of thirds
Although I have heard of the "1/2 plus 200 psi" rule, I also remember that Sheck Exley cites it as a classic mistake in BLUEPRINT FOR SURVIVAL.
"I like to do dangerous things safely."
I don't want to go into details etc,but there are a couple solo dive accidents in the past that creative air rules are thought to be a factor,if not the factor.Originally Posted by allen
"Not all change is improvement...but all improvement is change" Donald Berwick
Hey Kelly,I cant figure out your avatar.Is it a sports team or something?
The shoals are there still, the winds howl loud, the rain beats down, the waves burst strong. Some night, in the chill darkness, someone will make a mistake: The sea will show him no mercy. John T. Cunningham
Oh,a softball team from Illinois.Thanks chimie.I dont feel so stupid for asking now.Someone uses that same avatar on TDS.
Modifying 3rds is fine, as long as you stay on the conservative side. Like Mike said, save extra gas for anything unusual, like restrictions, siphons, unfamiliarity with a system, low vis, etc.
Like Kelly said, creative, going past thirds, air rules are suicidal.
If you do use a buddy bottle, don't use it as part of your thirds. On the other hand, some divers *only* dive their stage, and save *all* their "back gas" (or side gas) for emergencies.
In any case, you should finish the dive with at *least* a third of your starting gas.
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