Age to deco

[gianni]

Hello,

I was wondering about the right age to start deco diving. :confused:

I mean physiologically, don't mind about maturity ( that could be the subject of another thread:p ).

According to many diving agencies standards ( for example Iantd), you can do deco from the age of 15, in course like advenced eanx http://www.iantd.com/standards/IANTD_Standards_2003.pdf

Many people say that is too young because of the maturity and because of the poential bone necrosis 'cos of the decompression of inert gas. That's where other disagree saying that each dive is a deco dive ( I mean you don't do deco, but your body eliminate N2)

So do you think that in spite of the position of agencies' opinions (they say you can deco at 15), teannagers shouldn't deco dive?

I just ask you what is you degree of qualification when you answer: if you are a doctor or someone who tries to understand the deco;)

[David Walker]

Whatever answer you get will be arbitrary at best. Whats the difference between someone 19years 364days and 20 years old? Nothing. Whats the difference between a dive where you leave the bottom with 1 minute of no-deco time remaining and leaving with 1 minute of deco to do? And once you factor in that one 14 year old may be extremely fit and healthy and a 20 year old might be a terribly unfit and morbidly obese chain smoker, then you don't have much of an answer.

The limits of the training organisations are intended to cover say 95% of people, ie 95% of 14 year old might have matured enough to start diving. Or 95% of people should be safe diving within the limits of the BSAC tables, 95% of the time.

Nothing you don't already know i'm sure, but personally I don't think anyone should be trying to say "ummmm, well maybe about 17 is about right"... Apply a minimum by all means, but anything above that should be decided by parents / instructors or other people who are able to assess that person individually, without making a million and one assumptions!

David

[TerryH]

Hello,

I was wondering about the right age to start deco diving. :confused:

I mean physiologically, don't mind about maturity ( that could be the subject of another thread:p ).

According to many diving agencies standards ( for example Iantd), you can do deco from the age of 15, in course like advenced eanx http://www.iantd.com/standards/IANTD_Standards_2003.pdf

Many people say that is too young because of the maturity and because of the poential bone necrosis 'cos of the decompression of inert gas. That's where other disagree saying that each dive is a deco dive ( I mean you don't do deco, but your body eliminate N2)

So do you think that in spite of the position of agencies' opinions (they say you can deco at 15), teannagers shouldn't deco dive?

I just ask you what is you degree of qualification when you answer: if you are a doctor or someone who tries to understand the deco;)


Way I look at it is that if anybody is under 18 then we should all err on the
side of caution. We can get fairly reasonable bottom times in the 30m range
without going into deco and even with basic Nx, extend that even further.

With so many wrecks, reefs, sites etc. in the sub 30m range why is there
any rush to go into deco?

Soon as they become adults it is there decision and the responsibity is taken
away from Instructor, Dive Club, Skipper, non-parent you name it.

As for what is a deco dive? Well thats defined just enough to create a
reasonable safety barrier. As long as its there and for all the reasons in your
post and more, why rush?

TerryH

[gianni]

In fact I'd like to see some wrecks but most are quiet deep ( 35-40m) so to see them 25 min you have to do a short deco.
Morever, now ( I have 16 years old) I have time to learn well, but in a I will go in University before beeing 18, so I will have less time.

But the standards sy that at 15 of age you can do deco ( cf: advenced eanx by Iantd, ...), I'd like to know if the are known risk 'cos of the age ( except maturity)

[David Walker]

But the standards sy that at 15 of age you can do deco ( cf: advenced eanx by Iantd, ...), I'd like to know if the are known risk 'cos of the age ( except maturity)

I don't think anyone can say that there are definitely risks if you do it - if they did think that then IANTD wouldn't let people do it. There may be a slightly increased risk compared to adults, but then if you're 16/17 by the time you do it then obviously that isn't far from 18 anyway. If the instructor is happy to teach you that course then its probably not going to be a problem.

The only thing i'd avoid when you're that bit younger is very long deco or doing it too regularly - if there are any effects, they might start to add up. And if you're concerned, then add an extra margin of safety onto your dive plan - use nitrox for the main part of the dive, use a higher decompression mix for the deco stops, do more than the minimum decompression stops, maybe think about doing some deep stops, that kind of thing.

Are there risks? Of course! But then there are risks to ALL divers doing any type of diving - its the nature of what we do. As long as you're happy to accept that risk, then you can probably go and do it safely and have fun. Talk to an instructor who would teach the course, see what they say.

David

[TerryH]

In fact I'd like to see some wrecks but most are quiet deep ( 35-40m) so to see them 25 min you have to do a short deco.
Morever, now ( I have 16 years old) I have time to learn well, but in a I will go in University before beeing 18, so I will have less time.

But the standards sy that at 15 of age you can do deco ( cf: advenced eanx by Iantd, ...), I'd like to know if the are known risk 'cos of the age ( except maturity)


Here's the problem and one that you will even find when you go to Uni if you are under 18.

Anybody in the UK can go off and do whatever they like. Even many boat
skippers say that they are just taxis. So if you are 15 then you can do deco.

But that all changes as soon as anybody else has either a mandatory duty
(HSE work etc) or even in a volunteer type capacity (BSAC, SAA club etc).

So once you involve other people it is they, not you that are making the
decision if you are either physicly/mentaly mature or if they personally feel
that deco has no effect over 15 year olds.

Thats a very heavy burden to place on somebody else.

TerryH

[gianni]

Yes, I think the first thing is to accept the risk. And to take the time to get the right experience: I will first learn in summer with short deco ( 5 min), when I will have made a few deco of 5-10 min I will do ones a bit longer, etc..

[David Walker]

Yes, I think the first thing is to accept the risk. And to take the time to get the right experience: I will first learn in summer with short deco ( 5 min), when I will have made a few deco of 5-10 min I will do ones a bit longer, etc..

Only one other thing really, don't get into doing deco for the sake of it. For 30-35m max diving, which frankly should give you plenty of options for wrecks and things to see, if you're using the right nitrox mix then you get more than enough bottom time without going into deco, especially if you're on a single cylinder? In fact, when I was still diving air on a single 12, I found that a 30m dive was just about perfect for that setup - just as you're about to hit deco, you need to start ascending because your air is starting to get low. Stick a nitrox mix in and you should be able to do at least 35m diving on a single cylinder without getting into deco (as long as you're not doing multiple deep dives in a day, etc).

David

[Garry Whyke]

Interesting question.

Just bear in mind that every dive is a deco dive, thats why we have to come up at controlled rates to off gas correctly at all diver levels.

Which means!! 12 year olds carry out deco diving already???

Seriously though! Whatever answer you get it can only be taken as a guide as I am not aware of any definitive research that has gone into the implications of the nitrogen absorbtion and release on body's at different ages. Unless someone knows different??

The assumption appears to be that the younger you are the less the bones are developed. At what point that starts however is anybody's guess as children / young adults develop at different rates.

Although some agencies may differentiate between normal diving and diving where mandatory stops are required. I have a feeling it will be a risk based approach - unless someone knows different.

[MattDuke]

I started at 16, and did my first deco diving at 18, when I started uni.

I reckon I was "Suitable" for deco diving at about 25, when a mate got bent, and I stopped thinking I was indestructible.

You can't pigeon hole on age, but taking into account the need for maturity, mental aptitude, training & experience, it would be unlikly to be a big problem to wait until 18.

I was diving for the Norsk navy a few months ago, we had OC trimix and they had SCR heloix breathers. There rules allowed them 6 minutes bottom time. My team opted for 20 minutes.

When I suggested they consider extending their bottom time & required deco, their swift response was. (Translated)

Lifes too short for decco.

He was in his 30's.

So age is just one small factor in the equation.

Matt