redundant air at less than 30'?

[drdaddy]

One thought is that one will be more comfortable in an emergency with equipment that one is used to. So if you intend to carry one when below 30', then maybe it's a good idea to carry one above 30' too. Maybe even practice using it once in a while so it's a routine procedure in the unlikely event that it is ever required.

In the fire service, we call this "train as you intend to work".

I very adamantly agree with this!



(I was just getting ready to write this when "derwood" beat me to it. Good job!!!)

 

[Jai Bar]

If you don't have any difficulty doing a free-ascent / CESA from this depth after an exhalation, you don't require redundant air at 30' in an unrestricted environment.

I think that redundant air is not only for OOA situation and feeling OK with doing a CESA from 30', it is more about doing the right thing.

Sure, a diver can always do a free ascent to the surface in case of emergency, but sometimes a free ascent can be right into a dangerous zone, like strong surf, boat activity etc. Having the right amount of redundant air will enable a diver to end a dive that turned bad in a much safer way.

Redundant air is not only for such cases as that suddenly the air stops flowing into your mouth, it can help in cases like suddenly there is a free flow and by the time the diver solves it he may lose half his tank, for example. BTW, it happened to me with sidemount configuration, and by the short time it took me to reach the valve under my armpit and close it I already lost half the air. Those regs with extremely high air flow tend to do miracles when free flowing
With redundant air supply it is a simple procedure, with single air source it could mean the diver doing an emergency procedure, in which the outcome can not always be predicted.

Moreover, one can get into a dangerous situation even if he hadn't plan to go below 30' and planned to keep on top of entanglement hazard (like above the kelp) etc etc etc.
But in real life **** happens, and it happens when less expected- and yes- divers do occasionally get entangled with kelp, fishing lines (the darn things are sometimes invisible), ghost nets or god knows what, and sometimes just the confidence the redundant air supply will be enough to avoid panic and help a solo diver to solve the problem.

And I think that in state of mind, each dive should be planned as such one that can always turn bad- entanglement, gear failure, changes in sea conditions (waves, current, tides) and whatever surprises may rise, and such planning such a solo dive should always include redundancy.

Eh, I started in the very same manner- why bother with extra air when just diving to 20', then realized I am doing it wrong and switched to a single tank with dual first stages "just for case". Then understood it's a folly too and started using a 10L pony slung as a stage. Eventually I switched to sidemount and I am very satisfied with the added comfort and safety it adds to my solo dives.

 

[DCBC]

I started in the very same manner- why bother with extra air when just diving to 20', then realized I am doing it wrong and switched to a single tank with dual first stages "just for case". Then understood it's a folly too and started using a 10L pony slung as a stage. Eventually I switched to sidemount and I am very satisfied with the added comfort and safety it adds to my solo dives.

Each diver selects the equipment he feels comfortable with. I'm the last person that will criticize a diver for their equipment choices; as long as it isn't something that would endanger them or their buddy.

If they wish to wear a hot pink dry suit with bunny ears, they can fill their boots, but it's not really necessary. Just like a diver who's within his or her free-ascent target depth (FATD) at 30' and still chooses to wear a pony bottle. It's not necessary, but they are free to do what they like.

 

[DCBC]

Double post in error. My apologies.

 

[idocsteve]

I guess you do it your way because you haven't been diving for 50+ years without redundancy and in that time never having had an out of gas or equipment malfunction situation, I have.

Saying that something has "never happened" and therefore there is no need to prepare for it is foolish.

Some people drive the same car for 10 years and never get a flat tire.

Does that mean they should remove the spare to make more room in the trunk?

 

[Jai Bar]

Does that mean they should remove the spare to make more room in the trunk?

Actually I have a friend who really removed the spare tire, based on a similar line of thought. Then one rainy night I get a phone call to come and help him with the car "Oh, and bring a spare tire with you, if you can, please please please"...

People can be very strange sometimes

 

[redacted]

Actually I have a friend who really removed the spare tire, based on a similar line of thought. Then one rainy night I get a phone call to come and help him with the car "Oh, and bring a spare tire with you, if you can, please please please"...

People can be very strange sometimes

If he was making room to keep his harvest of bugs on ice, it may have been a very reasonable risk trade-off. :cool2:

Some folks may go solo with no redundancy to 130ft. Others may carry a pony with them even in their backyard pool while diving with a buddy. We all get to make our call on this one. But I'm pretty sure those opting for either extreme are greatly in the minority.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Some folks may go solo with no redundancy to 130ft. Others may carry a pony with them even in their backyard pool while diving with a buddy. We all get to make our call on this one. But I'm pretty sure those opting for either extreme are greatly in the minority.

And that's where I like to be, in the minority. SB is also a minority; from asking divers I meet for the past 5 years I'm estimating that less than 1% of the world's divers visit SB.

I see and know of lots of solo divers here in the Islands, and only know less than a handful as SB members. From what I see, the vast majority of solo divers do not take pony's, but most admitted SB solo divers claim to take at least a pony.

It's possible I have over a thousand solo dives, definitely over 500, and I have taken my pony once. I always try to warn people that they should never copy my solo diving; come up with your own solo diving; that's kind of the point!

 

[DaleC]

I guess you do it your way because you haven't been diving for 50+ years without redundancy and in that time never having had an out of gas or equipment malfunction situation, I have.

Come on Captain, 50+ years is to low a sampling pool to base your decisions on. Come back and tell us what you really think after another 50 years or so

 

[captain]

Come on Captain, 50+ years is to low a sampling pool to base your decisions on. Come back and tell us what you really think after another 50 years or so

Sure will.