Pony Bottle & octopus

[The Chad]

I cast my vote in the primary+octo (or safe second)and the pony w/ one primary charged but shut off till needed catagory

 

[loosebits]

For the discerning diver who wants redundancy that just won't quit I recommend this:

Rig yourself a harness with about 60 loops on it all over the thing.

On these 60 loops, attach 60 spare-airs.

When a spare-air is empty, replace it upside down so you don't accidentally grab it later.

Now, for those who don't care for independent doubles, we should be able to rig a 59-valve isolation manifold for these 60 spare airs using flexible HP tubing. I leave it as an exercise to the reader to come up with the appropriate shut down procedure.

 

[The Chad]

Why don't we just sink a PraxAir Semi trailer and shoot a hole in it with our underwater ray guns, and sip the air like they taught us with the free-flow reg in the OW class. LOL all you gotta do is say "spareair or pony bottle" and ppls panties start bunching up.

 

[ams511]

What are you using the pony for? Is it strictly for out of gas emergencies or are you using it as a stage bottle to extend bottom time? Also do you dive with a buddy or go solo?

If you are not using the pony as a stage. My opinion is to carry two second stages, one for the main tank and one for the pony. Given you are back mounting the pony, I do not see you handing it off to another diver.

Also how do you are your buddy handle OOA emergencies? Do you hand off the primary second or the Octo? Your procedures should dictate how many seconds you carry.

 

[divedadepths]

Could you leave your octo the way you normally carry it, and bungie the second stage for your pony to the tank, the way somebody would rig it for a stage, even no its mounted on your back??? So now you would have one in your mouth, one attached to your bc somewhere (your normal octo) and one bungied behind you.

 

[jtivat]

There is no reason to have an octo on your main tank if you are using a pony, that is the octo and it is better than the one on your main tank as it is on it's own 1st stage. I would do as some suggest and mount is upside down so you can turn the valve off.

 

[ClayJar]

There is no reason to have an octo on your main tank if you are using a pony

I'm afraid I have to call you on that one. If I remember correctly, I myself posited a reason for having an octo on your main tank if you are using a pony. Let me see if I can remember....

having two second stages each, in addition to the pony I always carry,[...] would allow us to correct the problem on the surface interval and still have the pony available as redundancy for the following dive. If we went on the pony on the first dive, there may be no way to fill it (adequately) for the second dive, which would adversely impact my available redundancy options.

Well, lookie there! I *did* come up with a reason!

If I'm out diving the Gulf on a two-tank dive, I don't have a way of refilling the pony for the second dive. I could transfill from my second tank, but that may not get enough air in the pony for the second dive's depth, and it would (obviously) consume a portion of my back gas. I find it quite reasonable to go to an alternate second stage air-sharing ascent when possible in order to conserve the redundancy for the second dive (which I'd certainly make if it were something as simple as, say, a yoke O-ring blowing at depth).

 

[Jim Lapenta]

As string said. My pony is my backup air source. I do not hand it off. If a buddy goes ooa he's getting my primary and I'm on the bungee back up. The pony is for if my air fails and I'm not near enough to anyone else.

 

[Brewone0to]

For the discerning diver who wants redundancy that just won't quit I recommend this:

Rig yourself a harness with about 60 loops on it all over the thing.

On these 60 loops, attach 60 spare-airs.

When a spare-air is empty, replace it upside down so you don't accidentally grab it later.

Now, for those who don't care for independent doubles, we should be able to rig a 59-valve isolation manifold for these 60 spare airs using flexible HP tubing. I leave it as an exercise to the reader to come up with the appropriate shut down procedure.

Wow, Where can I get one of those set-ups?
This certainly sound like just what one needs to dispell
that silly notion that Spare Air has no place in deep diving.
I'm going to go now to work out the 60 different deco gases.

 

[ReefHound]

Originally Posted by ClayJar
having two second stages each, in addition to the pony I always carry,[...] would allow us to correct the problem on the surface interval and still have the pony available as redundancy for the following dive. If we went on the pony on the first dive, there may be no way to fill it (adequately) for the second dive, which would adversely impact my available redundancy options.
Well, lookie there! I *did* come up with a reason!

....Well, lookie there! I *did* come up with a reason!

But this is a reason of convenience, not safety. I'm thinking that getting in the second dive is not all that critical when the first dive ended with an OOA incident. But if it is, just bring an extra pony bottle. Your buddy should have one of his own anyway.