![]() IWC made the perfect example – and as far as I know the only one – of a mechanical watch with built-in Bourdon tube depth gauge. And even in perfect water conditions, drying salt crystals could become a problem – not for the average sport diver, but more for the manufacturer, who has to keep the watch functioning. The biggest disadvantage of both of these types of depth gauge is the fact that both the entrance to the tube and the tube itself can be blocked by floating algae, debris, silt, sand, and rust while wreck or cave diving. So this is a much better device to register a more precise reading at greater depth, but it is not as ideal as the Boyle-Mariotte type in the shallows. The straightening process translates to a scale in such a way that the greater depths are further spread out. But in this case, the curved tube straightens out thanks to the incoming water. The Bourdon depth gauge also uses a tube (the Bourdon tube) that fills with water as the diver descends. The one pictured here is a fine example – even the coloring makes it a real diving tool. The Oris Aquis Depth Gauge is probably the bestselling mechanical diving watch/depth gauge combo on the market. ![]() A logarithmic scale is usually printed on the outside of the tube. It is most accurate at depths to ten meters. just as Boyle’s – takes advantage of the gas law by allowing water inside a tube, which compresses air volume proportionally to the depth. The Boyle-Mariotte depth gauge – known in the U.S. So let’s have a look at the various types of mechanical depth gauge. But, heck, who wants to use electronic gadgets that can fail? Decompression is calculated using the variables dive time and depth and a decompression table – or a dive computer. These divers will run into decompression time, which is not bad only important to think about – and adhere to – for a healthy, long, and deep dive. The longer/deeper in the water, the greater the risk of decompression sickness.įor more experienced divers, the third reason to track depth is the most important: many want to stay long and go deep. Which means if you need 20 liters of air at the surface, you require double that at ten meters (which is two atmospheres or two bar), which will double again at 30 meters (four bar).Īs you can’t feel this while breathing underwater, knowledge of your depth is quite important to keep control of your limited air reserves while diving.ģ. This amount is inversely proportional to the depth as is described in the first diving law, Boyle-Mariotte. Near the surface we use about 20 liters of air each minute by breathing in and out. The deeper you go, the bigger your air consumption. Rebreathers working with 100 percent oxygen can be safely used only in depths to ten meters (by today’s rules) or 20 meters (former military rules), so having a depth gauge to check depth is a good idea.Ģ. But he also lost a cameraman diving too deep using an oxygen rebreather. Hans Hass was the first scientist to use oxygen rebreathers for his studies of marine life, especially sharks, and later became the godfather of sport diving. They used oxygen rebreathers before the invention of the AquaLung. Until recently, oxygen toxicity was a neglected problem, only occurring when diving with pure oxygen like navy frogmen did. Oxygen is a strong poison, especially under pressure. ![]() Three reasons to know your depth in sports divingġ. And as I’m not known for keeping my stories short, let’s dive right in. ![]() This example is just to get an idea of how important depth is – especially for a diver. This is because Mauna Kea extends nearly 6,000 meters from the seafloor to the surface and another 4,207 meters above sea level. Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano in Hawaii, is the highest mountain on earth.
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