40 cu in Pony

[Scuba446]

Do you think an AL40 is an excessive size for a PONY bottle to supplement a single AL80 rig for rec dives?

 

[jetblast00]

Yes.

Do you soley want emergency gas? Dive with a buddy.
Really no buddies around, you live way up there near the border? Dive doubles.
Or are you kinda looking for extra bottom gas? Dive doubles.

 

[Scuba446]

Emergency gas, but this is why:

I am DIR, many are not.

I do not expect to run out of gas - I watch my SPG religiously...

 

[jetblast00]

Originally posted by Scuba446
Emergency gas, but this is why:

I am DIR, many are not.

I do not expect to run out of gas - I watch my SPG religiously...

Dude,
If you're totin' a pony, you are not DIR...

And in DIR the SPG is considered backup... you shouldn't watch it religiously, you should know what your air consumption is in your head... according to DIR.

 

[Scuba446]

Well, whats DIR's thought process of non-DIR diving friends? DON'T DIVE with them?

 

[Waterlover]

You said it not me....

 

[jetblast00]

Originally posted by Scuba446
Well, whats DIR's thought process of non-DIR diving friends? DON'T DIVE with them?

I don't understand what this has to do with pony bottles?

 

[Scuba446]

Well, I am just starting to read GUE's Fundamentals of DIR book now...and, supposingly, DIR's thoery is: If they are not DIR compliant, don't dive with them.

 

[jetblast00]

Yes, that is what DIR says about buddies: you must have one and they must be DIR also.

That has nothing to do with ponies though... Ponies are not DIR in of themselves. DIR says that your emergency gas is on your buddy's back (and yes, that assumes that your buddy is DIR)

All of that aside, I agree with DIR on this one and think ponies shouldn't be used. Your emergency gas should come in the form of a buddy or doubles.

 

[Spectre]

Originally posted by Scuba446
Do you think an AL40 is an excessive size for a PONY bottle to supplement a single AL80 rig for rec dives?

I would say yes. I just went for a AL19 for a pony bottle. Take a look at your consumption rate and make a calculation on that. I figured even at the basic 1 cu ft per minute, and an ascent rate of 60 ft/min, your looking at 5+3+1+4.5 (for safety stop) -> 13.5 cu ft for an ascent from 130 ft.

I don't plan on _ever_ using my pony bottle, the attitude I have is that if I use it, I've died and am given a second chance at life. When I was getting it rigged up, I needed a longer hose. My LDS asked if I wanted a yellow one. I told him no... I know about it, I know where it is. It's _not_ my buddy's... he gets the yellow one... this one's mine!

-Jeff