pony bottles

[Web Monkey]

You go abroad with the family and then cant dive as the perfect buddy didnt come ready fitted in your suit case and so on.

A "Boat Buddy" may be able to leap tall buildings with a single bound, teleport you safely away from danger using only the power of his mind, or completely freak out and leave if you have a problem. There's no way to tell until the you-know-what hits the fan.

I bring a pony, especially on trips, for exactly that reason. I'm still waiting for a valid reason why an extra 30 CuFt of air isn't a good thing to have, but so far I haven't heard any.

Thats why someone invented SPGs. Yes you may argue its a failiure point but its a VERY rare failiure point. People diving independent twins also have to deal with that issue. Its no different to stage tanks which also have one.

Even if it does fail, it's only annoying, not fatal. The hole in a HP hose is amazingly tiny.

TErry

 

[Soggy]

Even if it does fail, it's only annoying, not fatal. The hole in a HP hose is amazingly tiny.

I think it was Curt that took a bunch of Al80s down to various depths and tested how long it took to bleed the tank dry with a variety of failures. If I recall, it took a *long* time (double digit minutes) to bleed a tank through the HP hose regardless of depth, but a LP hose failure emptied a tank in less than 2.

 

[JeffG]

What I see on Scubaboard is a lot of people who choose to solo dive, or just grab a pony buddy (bunny? puddy? poddy?) that don't understand that.

Its just another instance of a long standing philosophical difference. What I see as the pursuit of the easy solution. Seeing people throwing gear at what I see as a skill issue because they (IMO) has the mistaking belief that the "gear" is somehow going to save them.

I guess, I'm a bit of a cynic...I don't have to dive with them and the chance of them actually dying is pretty small.

 

[Curt Bowen]

You go abroad with the family and then cant dive as the perfect buddy didnt come ready fitted in your suit case and so on.
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A "Boat Buddy" may be able to leap tall buildings with a single bound, teleport you safely away from danger using only the power of his mind, or completely freak out and leave if you have a problem. There's no way to tell until the you-know-what hits the fan.

I bring a pony, especially on trips, for exactly that reason. I'm still waiting for a valid reason why an extra 30 CuFt of air isn't a good thing to have, but so far I haven't heard any.



Even if it does fail, it's only annoying, not fatal. The hole in a HP hose is amazingly tiny.

TErry

Yes, I did conduct a hose failure test at several depths

HP hoses will not drain the cylinder quickly

but

LP hoses will drain a cylinder within 2 minutes or less.

If I remember correctly, I conducted the same tests at 0', 99' 187' and 245'

But, thats what the pony is for, (an emergency)

 

[JeffG]

I bring a pony, especially on trips, for exactly that reason.

and I just don't dive with a "boat buddy"

 

[Soggy]

and I just don't dive with a "boat buddy"

Jeff, that's just not very flexible.

 

[Curt Bowen]

and I just don't dive with a "boat buddy"

So, if a member of your TEAM is not with you, you don't dive?

I think I would rather dive with a boat full of openwater students, then not dive at all.

Of course I would probably be diving alone for the dive, with my pony or stage.

 

[redacted]

and I just don't dive with a "boat buddy"

Accepting and managing that limitation is your choice.

 

[JeffG]

So, if a member of your TEAM is not with you, you don't dive?

I think I would rather dive with a boat full of openwater students, then not dive at all.

Of course I would probably be diving alone for the dive, with my pony or stage.

In its simplicity my statement is a bit misleading. I am a dive slut and would pretty much dive with anyone, but the less I know of the buddy the less I would be willing to venture. I would have no problem diving with a group of open water students, but I probably wouldn't do a wreck penetration with them. I'll do swim through with my brother, but I wouldn't tie off a reel and disappear into a wreck with him.


Edit: But I may choose to only dive with a person once.

 

[pickens_46929]

If, after researching the advantages and disadvantages of caring a pony bottle you decide to get one, here is my two cents:

• 30cf min.
  
• Sling it. (you can do a search for info on slinging)

May I ask, are you planning on diving solo, or don't trust your buddy?

Agree with Rick here... larger the better... 30 cu.ft. isn't unmanageable... sling it... and do it right with a decent sling kit... 19 cu.ft. are small for slings... 30's are just about right... slings are easier to get on and off vs all the other methods I've seen and/or tried.