SUUNTO Cobra - Manual (Page 20)

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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.
You must not ascend shallower than 3 m [10 ft] with the Mandatory Safety Stop
warning on. If you ascend above the Mandatory Safety Stop ceiling, a downward
pointing arrow will appear and a continuous beeping starts (Fig. 3.15.). You should
immediately descend to, or below, the Mandatory Safety Stop ceiling depth. If