Recreational Dive Planner

Recreational Dive Planner (RDP) is a decompression table in which scuba divers use to determine the decompression stops needed for a particular dive. The RDP was developed by Divers Alert Network (DAN) and is widely used by recreational divers around the world.

Overview

The Recreational Dive Planner is a tool that allows divers to plan their dives in order to avoid decompression sickness, also known as the bends. The RDP takes into account the depth and duration of a dive, the surface interval between dives, and the repetitive dive group to calculate the no decompression limit and the required decompression stops.

Usage

To use the RDP, divers first determine the depth of their planned dive and find the corresponding depth on the RDP table. Next, they determine the maximum bottom time for their dive and find the corresponding time on the table. This gives them their pressure group at the end of the dive. If they plan to make more than one dive, they use the surface interval table to find their new pressure group before the next dive. They then use the repetitive dive table to find their adjusted no decompression limit for the next dive.

Limitations

While the RDP is a valuable tool for planning dives, it has some limitations. It does not take into account factors such as cold water, strenuous exercise, or diving at altitude, all of which can increase the risk of decompression sickness. Divers should always use the RDP in conjunction with good diving practices and never exceed the no decompression limits.

See also

• Decompression (diving)
• Diving cylinder
• Diving regulator
• Diving suit
• Scuba diving

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