Pony as a replacement for shore side oxygen tank.

[SlugLife]

When I look at many of the videos on the web, Malta and Bonaire most notably, I see divers in little jeeps driving around with 2 tanks in the back and just getting into the water where ever they want/can.. None of them appear to have any Oxygen/Medical equipment at hand. What are their contigency plans ? How are they taught to deal with emergencies ?

I would expect having an oxygen kit on hand is rather highly-rare for recreational divers. Instead, it's a lot more common for someone who is very dedicated, an instructor, technical-diver, or around large numbers of divers (a club, charter, etc). Why do you feel like you need oxygen on hand?

 

[Angelo Farina]

Unless you've completed technical diving training covering oxygen toxicity risks and safe gas switching procedures it's really not a good idea to carry an oxygen stage or pony bottle when diving. You don't need it for recreational diving, and it introduces additional hazards and equipment complications. When I do recreational shore dives, I keep an oxygen stage bottle in my car. The odds of actually needing it are extremely low, and if you do need it then taking a few extra minutes to swim to shore is unlikely to make a difference. If you're really worried about the time factor, then I would suggest using a DPV so you can get back to shore faster instead of trying to haul the oxygen around in the water.

They are Cmas *** divers, so already used and certified for deco dives and max depth 50m.
Although in Cmas this is still fully recreational, in other organizations this is considered highly technical.
They also pman to get Advanced Nitrox, which covers accelerated deco with high oxygen mixtures up to 100%...
So yes, albeit recreational, they will be fully prepared for using a deco tank with 100% oxygen.
It is the idea of using that tank as an emergency oxygen supply which is weird.
A distressed diver with DCS symptoms is unlikely to be able to breath from a regulator outside water. You need an oxygen mask.
On another side, I do not think it is a good idea that a couple of divers do a shore diving leaving no one on shore waiting for them.
I also started in a diving club. And when I and my girlfriend had enough of such "group organised diving", we did simply start diving with a couple of our friends from the club.
In 4 you can easily afford to rent a boat, sharing the cost. We did usually dive two first, with the other two on the boat, and thereafter swap roles.
2 in water and 2 on boat is very safe. And you can carry on boat a full safety kit.
And even when shore diving, we did the same: 2 in the water, 2 on shore. And thereafter we swap.

 

[Searcaigh]

I have a 40 cu ft tank for O2 that doubles as a deco tank as well as a source of 100% O2 on long boat trips when I'm diving "locally".

Best keeping it in the car when doing shore diving IMHO.

 

[Roy_W]

I would expect having an oxygen kit on hand is rather highly-rare for recreational divers. Instead, it's a lot more common for someone who is very dedicated, an instructor, technical-diver, or around large numbers of divers (a club, charter, etc).

Here in France, and I would imagine the majority of Europe, it is an obligation for a club/dive shop to ensure the availabilty of Oxygen..
And normally any Level 3 or above divers that dive outside of the club have an obligation to ensure that they have all of the Medical/Oxygen gear with them too.
The majortiy of their divers will be recreational divers. I think that most Tech divers are usually highly autonomous and don't usually use Dive Shops.

Why do you feel like you need oxygen on hand?

Anyone that has done rescue training will know that in almost all cases Oxygen must be administered after an accident that involves a decompression issue and this should continue until the medical services arrive.

I don't consider ourselfs as a tech divers, but we definately are bordering into the domain since we do decompression diving.

 

[Edward3c]

@Roy_W I’m surprised O2 and Nitrox we’re not part of your 3 star training. A BSAC diver (BSAC Advanced Diver) holding a CMAS 3 star card would have both these covered off as core training.

Echoing others, get a proper O2 unit and have it available on the shore or boat.

I often dive outside my club, but carry the club’s O2 unit (and an AED). Providing there isn’t another club event happening.

 

[Roy_W]

@Roy_W I’m surprised O2 and Nitrox we’re not part of your 3 star training. A BSAC diver (BSAC Advanced Diver) holding a CMAS 3 star card would have both these covered off as core training.

Echoing others, get a proper O2 unit and have it available on the shore or boat.

I often dive outside my club, but carry the club’s O2 unit (and an AED). Providing there isn’t another club event happening.

The CMAS 3 star training does cover all of the basic Nitrox and pp02 in theory but does not certify you for it's usage. The certifications are seperate courses. We have the basic Nitrox certifications, this limits us at 40%, we are not yet Advanced Nitrox certified which is what would be required for mixes above 40%, which in turn is necessary for 100% 02.

"Echoing others, get a proper O2 unit and have it available on the shore or boat."
I agree but at the time I am sure that there are divers in the following 3 cases :

1 : Those that have no emergency equipment, personally I don't want to be in this case (hence my search for what other do).
2 : Those that use a similar pony method as I mentioned, I know that they exist because some of them are already in my club.
3 : Those that have the full equipment on shore/boat.

I was interested mostly in the option 2 divers solution/responses. Option 3 is the obvious solution but I am not convincesd that everyone is in this case when diving outside of their clubs.


"I often dive outside my club, but carry the club’s O2 unit (and an AED). Providing there isn’t another club event happening."
Unfortunately our club will not accept to have the gear used for anything but a club organised event. Which is quite understandable, we all know what happens with equipement after a while.

I will definately be pushing the discussion further with my club buddies this coming Sunday. ;-)

 

[Jacob BV]

In terms of an o2 kit being expensive, this is an option for your shore/car pony bottle:

Home (Desktop)

This allows you to give oxygen enriched breaths to a non-breathing casualty.

As others have said I wouldn't take it into the water with you but leave it on the shore or car.

 

[jale]

Here in France, and I would imagine the majority of Europe, it is an obligation for a club/dive shop to ensure the availabilty of Oxygen..
And normally any Level 3 or above divers that dive outside of the club have an obligation to ensure that they have all of the Medical/Oxygen gear with them too.

Hi
Is it a legal obligation?
I thought that diving outside clubs or shops in France was free of any obligation and that you don't even need a diving licence-card...
Thanks

 

[Roy_W]

Hi
Is it a legal obligation?
I thought that diving outside clubs or shops in France was free of any obligation and that you don't even need a diving licence-card...
Thanks

That's always the big question .

Yes, you are right, you do not technically need anything not even a licence . BUT when things go haywire you are going to have to answer some difficult questions to some very difficult people.

And the big problem is that you will no longer be insured for Third Party damage .

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Nothing wrong with having a pony bottle of O2 in car. Here in the US, a certification is required to get it filled. So then obviously one would have the training to use it. However, it’s pretty hard to get in trouble breathing O2 from a pony on the surface.

I like to have my O2 tank in the car even if I’m not doing a deco dive, especially when diving some place that could be over an hour to a hospital.