19cft bottle what to do with it?

[mongodives]

I'm sorry if this has been asked answered before, the "has this been asked before?" button didn't find it.

I've just aquired a 19 cu ft bottle with K valve, I was thinking it would be nice to use for filling lift bags for recovery classes and as a bail out bottle for dives at the recreational limits.

Problem is I don't know how I should rig it for both purposes safely. I'm primarily concerned about how to sling it for both situations. I'm also thinking about using one of my spare reg sets with it. If thats an acceptable practice how do I make it so its not a spaghetti mess hanging off of me.

Any recommendations, be it on the rigging of it or agency that can provide the education.

 

[NudeDiver]

I'm no expert here - by any means.

But I just got a 19cf bottle with a quick draw bracket.

It's derided in some circles, but it seems reasonable to me. Let's you easily hand the bottle off if needed.

I'll be picking this up tomorrow - then I have to decide how I'm going to rig the reg for it, etc. I'm still trying to figure out how I want to do that. I'm planning on posting my question over in the solo diver's forum, if you want to come over there and check it out.

Good luck!
nd

 

[b1draper]

I've got a 19cf with an Akona bag that just straps onto my main tank. I use a seporate reg set with it. The idea behind using the tank as a "bail-out" would also make it something that you wouldn't use for filling lift bags, because the 19cf of air/nitrox is there in an emergency. I would also suggest getting a little pressure guage for the pony bottle.

Rather or not I bring the pony depends on the type of dive I'm doing. If I'm going deeper than 60-70 feet than I'm bringing the pony. Expecially if I'm doing any wreck diving. My instructor friend taught me to always have plenty of "gas". He said ANY problem can ge figured out if you have pleanty of gas. He's also a public saftey instructor. He said in public saftey if you're rescuing a trapped diver the first thing you do is make sure they have PLENTY of air because that takes the stress level way down.

For my deep course he wouldn't do the dives UNLESS I used or had a 19cf pony.

 

[mksmith713]

You could always send it to me....

 

[Doc Intrepid]

"Problem is I don't know how I should rig it for both purposes safely. I'm primarily concerned about how to sling it for both situations."

Its expensive. Costs about maybe $6, or maybe $15 if you include the cost of the 2 SS boltsnaps.

You're looking for some nylon line (cord). Go to a boat supply place. Something about the diameter of clothesline will work. Lowes might also have it, but you're looking for the stuff that does not stretch when wet. Costs about .60 per foot or so. Since you're feeling generous, splurge on 3 foot of it. You big spender you! If you want to go over the top, purchase 10" of clear plastic tubing at the same time. The diameter of the tubing needs to allow a doubled section of the cord to fit inside it.

Next you need a SS hose clamp that fits around the bottle. Costs about $1.20 at Lowes. Prices may vary wherever you are. If you want to party like a rock star you could also go for about 8" of 1/4" nylon tube (no metrosexual colors, please) that will slide over the hose clamp band for about .30, or even 8" or so of the rubber sleeve material that fits over the hose clamp which generally tends to look a bit more professional.

Almost done. You need 2 SS boltsnaps. You can get'em online at Nix, or your friendly neighborhood dive shop should have them if they have any self respect at all. If you dive in real cold water they can be boogers to manipulate wearing gloves when your fingers are frozen, so get the larger size if this is the case. Prices vary.

Loop the nylon cord around the tank valve. Tie a double bowline-on-a-bight, and secure one of the bolt snaps within the bight. Snug the knot down so that the bight is small around the boltsnap - you're not looking for a loop as much as simply capturing the ring of the boltsnap in the knot. The bight should be located right at the shoulder of the tank.

If you bought the 10" of clear nylon tubing, now would be the time to run it up your nylon cord, so it snugs up against the double bowline-on-a-bight.

Run your cord 11" down the side of the tank and tie an basic double overhand knot. Then about 3" below that knot, tie another one.

Whats going to happen is you're going to run the hose clamp up the bottle over the nylon cord such that the first knot is 'beneath' it (with the bottle oriented standing on your work surface), and the cord has been folded back up so the second knot is 'above' it.

Thus when you tighten the hose clamp, a loop of double nylon cord will protrude beneath the hose clamp. The second SS boltsnap will be secured within that loop.

Make sure you pull down hard on the cord before you tighten the hose clamp.

That's basically it. You secure the upper boltsnap to your left shoulder D ring. The lower boltsnap secures to your left waist D ring. Cut a couple pieces of inner tube (some guys use bungee cord) to secure your regulator hose to the bottle. Some guys use a third, broader slice of inner tube to cover over the hose clamp, which prevents the screw head from scratching up any gear. If you do that, be sure to pull it away to rinse your sling tank in fresh water after any salt water dives...in most cases the hose clamp band is stainless steel, but the screw is not - and it rusts out first.

There are photos all over SB - if someone else doesn't post them first I'll try to find some for you.

Edit: Here are some images of various sling bottles - they are larger than 19 cu ft but the sling is the same:
http://gue.com/?q=en/node/588


Hope this helps,

Doc

 

[sotgecho]

DIR-diver.com - Stagebottle rigging

Here is a How To Guide to make a sling. It is really good step-by-step guide with pictures.

 

[crpntr133]

Sling it and be done with it! A 19 will disappear once you get use to it. I thought a 40 would be a pain but it isn't. BTW, don't change your weight or where you have it. The 19 isn't going to change things that much.

 

[mongodives]

Doc, Sotgecho, Thank for the instructions an links.
6 bucks though, I might have to go and take out a second mortgage to make the rig.

 

[WarrenZ]

One additional idea for your bail out: I have myne set up much how Doc Intrepid has described but I usually have mine cliped at the top and bottom of my backplate rather than from my hip to chest. It is clipped so that it runs along my side between my shoulder and hip with the wing sandwiched between tanks. I then run my pony reg out and clip it off where I can find it easily. Sorry I dont have any pictures of this setup yet but maybe nextime I will tanke a few.

 

[Nemrod]

I used mine to stick in my weight belt with a Sea Turtle breathing tube to dive to the bottom of the Blue Hole at Ichetucknee. That and a mask and flippers and swimsuit and nothing else. The Florida SS Manatee cops would not let me with scuba gear and kept following me around until they aggravated me so I just sneeked in and did it anyways. I was already banned from Florida the previous year so I was going for two in a row. Your results may vary.

N