Warning – SUUNTO VYTEC User Manual

Page 30

WARNING!

YOUR ACTUAL ASCENT TIME MAY BE LONGER THAN DIS-

PLAYED BY THE INSTRUMENT! The ascent time will increase if you:
remain at depth
ascend slower than 10 m/min [33 ft/min] or
make your decompression stop deeper than at the ceiling.
These factors will also increase the amount of air required to reach

the surface.

CEILING, CEILING ZONE, FLOOR AND

DECOMPRESSION RANGE

When in decompression, it is important that you understand the mean-

ing of ceiling, floor, and decompression range (Fig. 3.20.):

The ceiling is the shallowest depth to which you should ascend

when in decompression. At this depth, or below, you must

perform all stops.

The ceiling zone is the optimum decompression stop zone. It is

the zone between the minimum ceiling and 1.8 m [6 ft] below

the minimum ceiling.

The floor is the deepest depth at which the decompression stop

time will not increase. Decompression will start when you pass

this depth during your ascent.

The decompression range is the depth range between the

ceiling and floor. Within this range, decompression takes place.

However, it is important to remember that the decompression

will be very slow at, or close to, the floor.

The depth of the ceiling and floor will depend on your dive profile. The

ceiling depth will be fairly shallow when you enter the decompression

mode, but if you remain at depth, it will move downward and the ascent

time will increase. Likewise, the floor and ceiling may change upwards

while you are decompressing.
When conditions are rough, it may be difficult to maintain a constant

depth near the surface. In this case it will be more manageable to main-

tain an additional distance below the ceiling, to make sure that the

waves do not lift you above the ceiling. Suunto recommends that de-

compression takes place deeper than 4 m [13 ft], even if the indicated

ceiling is shallower.