Reg setups: a Philosophy Question

[jeckyll]

...

One also has to consider insta-buddy problems. If your pick-up buddy is OOA near the end of a dive and you don't have at least 500 psi, he could easily breathe you both dry in an ascent from 80', even if you skip the safety stop.

Wouldn't you be checking on your insta buddies remaining gas on a regular interval?

And if you don't have enough gas between the two of you to make it back from 80', why the he77 do you have a buddy?

I have nothing against a pony (I own a 40cf slung bottle myself), I'm arguing for better skills.

 

[munitor]

jeckyll,

I'm not disagreeing with a need for more skills, but I don't personally read my buddy's gauge, nor do I ask if their gas is okay as often as I probably should - but my usual dive buddy is someone I trust and who I know is skilled. When I have had to dive with an insta-buddy, I've gotten everything from a highly skilled diver to someone who still can't get 40 minutes out of a tank. Problem is that they seldom admit it if they're a hoover.

 

[jeckyll]

munitor: If you check your own gauge every 5 minutes, I'd certain check an insta-buddies gas that often. That's my reserve (s)he is carrying, pony or no pony. Letting them get close to a OOA just because you have a pony has the potential of turning ugly if they then have to go after you for gas. I'd rather know during the dive and adjust early if necessary.

With my regular buddies, I sometimes go 10 minutes between checking on them and then I make a guess to see how close I am to their remaining gas based on what I have left. We are generally very close and I can typically get within 100 psi in guessing. But diving with someone new is a whole different ballgame IMNSHO. I'll ask people what their SAC is, if I get a blank look I assume they are a hoover. If they give me a number I check to see if they were in the ballpark during the dive.



Bjorn

 

[dumpsterDiver]

yeah... the problem is that now you have disconnected your back up regulator, and only have one regulator should the brown stuff hit the fan

remote, yes, but accidents happen in a chain ...

personally, i prefer a dedicated second stage for that reason

will you ever in your diving career encounter the problem? probably not ...

but ... the chance is there

So for people like me who use a pony bottle to provide redundancy, then there is no problem with using the Air 2 instead of the standard inflator and a true octopus from the primary regulator? Yes?

 

[King_of_All_Tyrants]

JMcD- you assume correctly. I think taking a bottle to the tropics would be an interesting experience. But I prefer security over adventure when I'm in airports.

Munitor - very important caveat.

KoAT

 

[H2Andy]

So for people like me who use a pony bottle to provide redundancy, then there is no problem with using the Air 2 instead of the standard inflator and a true octopus from the primary regulator? Yes?

it would depend on the size of the pony, i suppose. if it has enough gas to get a diver to the surface slowly and safely, with a safety stop, then it acts as your "secondary" so that would be ok.

 

[munitor]

I'll ask people what their SAC is, if I get a blank look I assume they are a hoover. If they give me a number I check to see if they were in the ballpark during the dive.

Good idea! I'll definitely give that one a try.

 

[jeckyll]

Good idea! I'll definitely give that one a try.

Hope that works out for you.

I generally break them into the "uses more air than me / uses less air than me" groups. Then I verify. For "fun dives" that's usually all I need to know. Then I adjust my profile (if necessary).

Bjorn