Do you really think a pony bottle is a solution - let alone the best solution - to your troubles?Ice9:
pony bottles
- Thread starter zed3
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Sometimes the solution to a problem can't be purchased with money, there are situations where time and effort are the only coin that will do. Before you layer on another piece of gear, hoping that you'll be able to handle it in an emergency, make sure you can handle yourself. Adding complexity to a situation is often counter-productive.zed3:
JeffG
Contributor
A hardware solution for a software problem.reefraff:
reefraff:
Clearly, better decision-making at the time would have been a nice solution in my case. However, after my brief exposure to resort diving, I've determined that having a redundant air supply - just in case - certainly wouldn't hurt.
JeffG:
No comment
Before you get a pony, you really should have enough knowledge to know the difference between a 13cf, 19cf, 30cf, 40cf, etc. Some of that knowledge comes from understanding the applied physics of diving (how deep, what ascent rate, any stops, etc), and some of that knowledge comes from experience (your air consumption numbers, comfort in the water, etc).
For myself, I decided that 30/40-cf tanks were overkill for me. They say you can never have too much air, but it doesn't count if it's in your garage because you found it cumbersome or annoying (which larger tanks could be, topside at least). I also was quite certain that 13cf (or 6cf! or SpareAir!) was *not* enough for what I wanted a pony to do. A 19cf pony, slung stage-bottle-style, gives me enough air for my diving, and it's small enough that it's never in the way.
With the sole exception of the two 15-20 foot deep skills testing dives when I did Rescue, I have carried my 19cf pony on *all* my logged dives since I got it. (Actually, I've even carried it in several pool sessions, but I wanted the practice doing rescue skills while encumbered.) If I ever get into tech diving, I'll need stages, but I'll need a lot more than that, and the 19cf pony would still be the perfect size for rec dives.
Know what you want and why you want that particular setup (size, mounting, etc), and you'll never have to worry about it. Although, if you happen to wear your pony on a pool dive, note that you might get a few odd looks.
For myself, I decided that 30/40-cf tanks were overkill for me. They say you can never have too much air, but it doesn't count if it's in your garage because you found it cumbersome or annoying (which larger tanks could be, topside at least). I also was quite certain that 13cf (or 6cf! or SpareAir!) was *not* enough for what I wanted a pony to do. A 19cf pony, slung stage-bottle-style, gives me enough air for my diving, and it's small enough that it's never in the way.
With the sole exception of the two 15-20 foot deep skills testing dives when I did Rescue, I have carried my 19cf pony on *all* my logged dives since I got it. (Actually, I've even carried it in several pool sessions, but I wanted the practice doing rescue skills while encumbered.) If I ever get into tech diving, I'll need stages, but I'll need a lot more than that, and the 19cf pony would still be the perfect size for rec dives.
Know what you want and why you want that particular setup (size, mounting, etc), and you'll never have to worry about it. Although, if you happen to wear your pony on a pool dive, note that you might get a few odd looks.
Agree. I chose 19cf because it was the smallest bottle that met my depth requirements - judging by the tables in the Rock Bottom doc. LDS instructors seem to agree. Also, most of my diving will be in the quarry (~90 ft max), with only a few vacations taking me to potentially deeper spots. I looked at the 30cf, but it seemed a little big
avpro4
Registered
Why would a guy with less than 25 dives be going 120' over a wreck? How many breaths do you think you'd get at 120' out of your 19cf? (I bet somebody here would invest the energy to do the math...) And if your even anxious about your situation, how long do you think it would take you to breathe all of them?
That would be about the equivalent of 4.1cf on the surface, which, with a 1cfm breathing rate (about double my usual, or so), would give me a bit over four minutes.
Of course, if you reserve 11.3 cf for the ascent at 30fpm and 1cfm SAC, that leaves you with basically a minute or two at depth to correct the problem. (Of course, adding in stops and all that jazz would change the results, but we're using rules-of-thumb for SAC, so we may as well use a "use the rest" rule for the safety stop.)
Of course, if you reserve 11.3 cf for the ascent at 30fpm and 1cfm SAC, that leaves you with basically a minute or two at depth to correct the problem. (Of course, adding in stops and all that jazz would change the results, but we're using rules-of-thumb for SAC, so we may as well use a "use the rest" rule for the safety stop.)
grassyknoll
Contributor
C'mon Ice9, youve whetted our appetites, now won't you share the whole story? Not meaning to hijack a thread, but youre opinions and response are shaped by an event that you've alluded to but haven't really provided a fair accounting of.
I promise, nobody will laugh or pass judgment (fingers crossed).
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