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3.2. SAFETY STOPS
Safety stops are widely considered "good diving practice" and are an integral
part of most dive tables. Reasons to perform a safety stop include a reduction
in sub clinical DCI, microbubble reduction, ascent control, and orientation
before surfacing.
The Cobra displays two different types of safety stops: Recommended Safety
Stop and Mandatory Safety Stop.
The Safety Stops are indicated by:
•
STOP label, when in the depth range 3 m - 6 m [10 ft - 20 ft]
= Recommended Safety Stop Countdown
•
STOP + CEILING label, when in the depth range 3 m - 6 m [10 ft - 20 ft]
= Mandatory Safety Stop Time display
•
STOP label, when deeper than 6 m
= Mandatory Safety Stop scheduled
3.2.1. RECOMMENDED SAFETY STOP
With every dive over 10 meters the instrument has a three minute countdown
for the recommended safety stop, to be taken in the 3 - 6 meter [10 ft - 20 ft]
range. This is shown with the STOP sign and a three-minute countdown in the
center window instead of the no-decompression time (Fig. 3.11.).
The Recommended Safety Stop, as the name implies, is recommended. If it is
ignored, there is no penalty applied to the following surface intervals and
dives.
3.2.2. MANDATORY SAFETY STOP
When the ascent rate exceeds 12 meters/min [40 ft] momentarily or 10 meters/
min [33ft] continuously the micro-bubble build-up is predicted to be more than
allowed for in the decompression model. The Suunto RGBM calculation model
responds to this by adding a Mandatory Safety Stop to the dive. The time of
this Mandatory Safety Stop will depend on the severity of the ascent rate
excess.
The STOP sign will appear in the display and when you reach the depth zone
between 6 m to 3 m [20 ft to 10] also the CEILING label, ceiling depth and the
calculated Safety Stop time appear in the display. You should wait until the
Mandatory Safety Stop warning disappears (Fig. 3.14.).
The Mandatory Safety Stop time always includes the three minute
Recommended Safety Stop time. The total length of the Mandatory Safety
Stop time depends on the seriousness of the ascent rate violation.
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