Posted by MHK on November 23, 2001 at 12:04:02:
In Reply to: Re: Nitrox should be part of OW posted by finfan on November 22, 2001 at 17:52:19:
There are many ways that when comparing air -v- Nitrox that Nitrox is a safer gas.. But every time I have the discussion I hear from tha anti-Nitrox crowd that air isn't unsafe, to which I say, I agree.. The starting premise of this entire discussion because subject to word games, verbal gymnastics and semantics..
But since you asked how is it *safer* and I'd offer that if you go to the *upside down wreck* [ ie; the dive that Marta got bent on a few weeks ago] and went to 120'. If you used air you wold have a NDL limit of 12 minutes.. Let's assume that you used a Nitrox 32%, you would have a NDL limit of 19 minutes so if you did a 15 minute dive you would have violated your NDL using air, while you would be 4 minutes away from your NDL on a Nitrox mix..
Moreover, I would offer that by elevating the 02 content, your correspondingly reduce the N2 levels and are therefore in a less narcotic position 120' under water..
If that doesn't sound * safer* to you then perhaps you don't understand Nitrox because the benefits are manifest. I'd offer that the benefits of alternative mixes increase exponentially once you start adding Helium to your mixes.. Guys such as Ken Kurtis constantly misdirect the issue and turn in into flame wars or the anti DIR mantra, but if you look at the FACTS objectively and avoid the obligatory flame wars the benefits of Nitrox speak for themselves, as does the Helium benefits.. But some *old timer's* would have to admit that they missed the boat and that just isn't likely to happen so they muddy the waters...
I'll discuss the FACTS all day and night with you, and if you don't feel that Nitrox is safer then there isn't much I can do about it...
Later