My Official Introduction to GUE - Long Report with Mind-Numbing Detail!

[oncor23]

It does sound like you had a great time...and that's good to hear. Having someone who really knows his stuff critiquing your every move...kind of scary, but great for learning. I'll bet he could even find a thing or two to correct in my technique.

You mention that in the really shallow depths it was still difficult to hold horizontal position. Books on the dangers of deep diving are a dime a dozen. I wonder if anyone has written a book on the challenges of shallow water diving? I believe we have some expertise on the topic. Extreme shallow water diving...depths measured in inches, not feet. As long as all parts of your gear are under the surface, it's still diving....and not "tank snorkeling".

Sure...now that I got my own 13, you're getting rid of yours. That said...having a small pony gives me another excuse for staying shallow. Gee, I'd like to go deeper, but my pony is puny. So, did Bob suggest a size to consider...as in...maybe...a 30? And what size, if any, to use on shallow dives? Yeah, I guess if you want to get used to something...use it every dive.

 

[gsk3]

So, did Bob suggest a size to consider...as in...maybe...a 30?

In general, once you adopt a team diving approach combined with good gas management, you shouldn't need a "pony," as your gas is sitting in your teammate's tank.

If you still just have to get a pony, go with an AL40, as at least you can use it for other things down the line.

 

[Beiji]

It does sound like you had a great time...and that's good to hear. Having someone who really knows his stuff critiquing your every move...kind of scary, but great for learning. I'll bet he could even find a thing or two to correct in my technique.

There was nothing scary or intimidating about it much to my relief.

I'll bet he could even find a thing or two to correct in my technique.

No comment! :tongue: But you know you want to take Fundies!

You mention that in the really shallow depths it was still difficult to hold horizontal position. Books on the dangers of deep diving are a dime a dozen. I wonder if anyone has written a book on the challenges of shallow water diving? I believe we have some expertise on the topic. Extreme shallow water diving...depths measured in inches, not feet. As long as all parts of your gear are under the surface, it's still diving....and not "tank snorkeling".

Tank snorkeling. lol

In general, once you adopt a team diving approach combined with good gas management, you shouldn't need a "pony," as your gas is sitting in your teammate's tank.

If you still just have to get a pony, go with an AL40, as at least you can use it for other things down the line.

GSK3, Bob said the same thing about a 40. At this point I'm a bit intimidated by doubles (and I honestly don't know if I will ever be able to handle them), so I'm going to use a bigger bottle - what to call it? - as a kind of intermediate step for carrying more air for me and my buddy. I realize that it's not DIR, but I think it's moving in the right direction. Before my class with Bob I never thought much about the safest way to get myself and my buddy up. I also held the conventional belief that in "NDL" diving, safety stops could be blown in an emergency. I figured my 13 was enough. Now I want to plan to have enough air not only to get me and my buddy to the surface but get to the surface in a safe manner, making all the stops required.

 

[ScubaSam]

Before my class with Bob I never thought much about the safest way to get myself and my buddy up. I also held the conventional belief that in "NDL" diving, safety stops could be blown in an emergency. I figured my 13 was enough. Now I want to plan to have enough air not only to get me and my buddy to the surface but get to the surface in a safe manner, making all the stops required.

That was one of the biggest "ah-ha" moments during my Fundies class. Keeping enough gas in my tank to make sure my buddy and I return to the surface safely, doing all our stops, without running out of gas for BOTH of us. Realizing that the gas on my back is a team resource.

 

[gsk3]

GSK3, Bob said the same thing about a 40. At this point I'm a bit intimidated by doubles (and I honestly don't know if I will ever be able to handle them), so I'm going to use a bigger bottle - what to call it? - as a kind of intermediate step for carrying more air for me and my buddy. I realize that it's not DIR, but I think it's moving in the right direction. Before my class with Bob I never thought much about the safest way to get myself and my buddy up. I also held the conventional belief that in "NDL" diving, safety stops could be blown in an emergency. I figured my 13 was enough. Now I want to plan to have enough air not only to get me and my buddy to the surface but get to the surface in a safe manner, making all the stops required.

Here are instructions on how to rig one up:
DIR-diver.com - Stagebottle rigging

Label it permanently on the side with the MOD of the gas you will put in it.

Your reg should look something like this:
DIR-diver.com - Reg config stages/deco

I'm a big fan of the generic MiFlex-style HP hoses for the 6" hose. The MiFlex-branded HP hoses are notoriously burst-prone.

Once you get used to diving with a 40, it really almost disappears.

 

[oncor23]

GSK3, Bob said the same thing about a 40. At this point I'm a bit intimidated by doubles (and I honestly don't know if I will ever be able to handle them), so I'm going to use a bigger bottle - what to call it? - as a kind of intermediate step for carrying more air for me and my buddy. I realize that it's not DIR, but I think it's moving in the right direction. Before my class with Bob I never thought much about the safest way to get myself and my buddy up. I also held the conventional belief that in "NDL" diving, safety stops could be blown in an emergency. I figured my 13 was enough. Now I want to plan to have enough air not only to get me and my buddy to the surface but get to the surface in a safe manner, making all the stops required.

Of course, if doing rock bottom air planning, you would have enough air for you and your buddy without counting the pony. So...the pony is just another layer of redundancy. If your buddy is OOA, your primary tank should have enough to get you both to the surface with safety stops. My take on pony's is...redundancy for solo diving. The pony should be large enough to get you to the surface...if you are solo or your buddy is absent.

 

[Beiji]

That was one of the biggest "ah-ha" moments during my Fundies class. Keeping enough gas in my tank to make sure my buddy and I return to the surface safely, doing all our stops, without running out of gas for BOTH of us. Realizing that the gas on my back is a team resource.

Another one of those moments for me was the idea that all diving is decompression diving.

Here are instructions on how to rig one up:
DIR-diver.com - Stagebottle rigging

Label it permanently on the side with the MOD of the gas you will put in it.

Your reg should look something like this:
DIR-diver.com - Reg config stages/deco

I'm a big fan of the generic MiFlex-style HP hoses for the 6" hose. The MiFlex-branded HP hoses are notoriously burst-prone.

Once you get used to diving with a 40, it really almost disappears.

Of course, if doing rock bottom air planning, you would have enough air for you and your buddy without counting the pony. So...the pony is just another layer of redundancy. If your buddy is OOA, your primary tank should have enough to get you both to the surface with safety stops. My take on pony's is...redundancy for solo diving. The pony should be large enough to get you to the surface...if you are solo or your buddy is absent.

Gsk3, thanks for the links. I can try to rig it myself, but do you know where to get the various components like a fuel hose and hose clamp? I'm not exactly Ms DIY. :shocked2: Also, if I were to use it as a bailout bottle (not DIR, I know), is it easy to deploy the hose and second stage?

Dan, what I'm thinking of doing is making my gas planning a lot more conservative and in line with GUE standards. Since I'm only diving an Al80, I'd like to use the smaller bottle in my planning (even though it's not DIR, as I mentioned above I'm taking intermediate steps because of doubles fear ).

 

[gsk3]

Gsk3, thanks for the links. I can try to rig it myself, but do you know where to get the various components like a fuel hose and hose clamp? I'm not exactly Ms DIY. :shocked2: Also, if I were to use it as a bailout bottle (not DIR, I know), is it easy to deploy the hose and second stage?

Stage Rigging Kit for 40 cf tank: choice of tank marking decal | Extreme Exposure

It's easy to deploy...just yank the second stage out.

Dan, what I'm thinking of doing is making my gas planning a lot more conservative and in line with GUE standards. Since I'm only diving an Al80, I'd like to use the smaller bottle in my planning (even though it's not DIR, as I mentioned above I'm taking intermediate steps because of doubles fear ).

I don't think this is totally unreasonable for benign environments. Just make sure your 40 is actually working before you depend on it.

 

[HenrikBP]

do you know where to get the various components like a fuel hose and hose clamp? I'm not exactly Ms DIY. :shocked2:

McMaster Carr for the hose clamps:

McMaster-Carr

316 stainless steel - worm drive. I picked the "vibration resistant" ones - they seem to be built stronger.

Home D or your local auto parts store for fuel line.

Home D for the nylon line - or if you want fancy patterns, your local outdoor/climbing store will probably have some nice rope.

Henrik

 

[Beiji]

Thanks, gsk3 and Henrik. I think I'll give it a go using the DIY instructions. If I end up being hopeless with putting it together myself, I can buy the kit.

Speaking of hopeless, yesterday I went to the pool to see if I could do the Fundies required swim in the allotted time. The pool is 25 yards. The required swim is 300 yards. I did the math and came up with 12 laps. I did not do 12 laps in under 14 minutes. :depressed: However, I did figured out that I had the math wrong, and I only needed to do 6 laps, which is not a problem.

And thanks to everyone who has read my report and "liked" it!