RichLockyer:
Rich,
When did you go Solo?
I did not know DIR divers would go solo.
Nice of you to join the solo community.
Spare Air & Pony Tank
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Rich,
When did you go Solo?
I did not know DIR divers would go solo.
Nice of you to join the solo community.
From what I understand, Spare air came from the Navy pilots bail out. They carried them in a pocket of the flight suit. It is enough air to get up from shallow submersion without passing out.
Personally, with my SAC, I could do a small safety stop on one, but I do not carry them.
If you want to ascent and avoid the bends, carry a pony. I sling 19, 30, 40, 80, depending on the dive. A 19 is fine for most rec dives, small and out of the way. Once you go to a 30, it might as well be a deco bottle. Put 50/50 in it and carry it on dives to 80ft.
Personally, with my SAC, I could do a small safety stop on one, but I do not carry them.
If you want to ascent and avoid the bends, carry a pony. I sling 19, 30, 40, 80, depending on the dive. A 19 is fine for most rec dives, small and out of the way. Once you go to a 30, it might as well be a deco bottle. Put 50/50 in it and carry it on dives to 80ft.
saildiver
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Mass-diver,first of all ,I do know quite abit about currents,( I've probably done over 2000 dives in stiff currents,many too strong to swim against),I've researched currents,I've been towed behind research and other vessels underwater in scuba gear scouting and mapping reefs at various speeds (simulating current),and when sailing,(as most good sailors can) ,I can generally tell how fast we are going within .2-.3 knots(speed on gps).The dive incident I referred to was done on a seamount, (known for its strong currents),in the Bligh waters in the channel between Vauna Levu and Viti Levu(which is known for strong currents) at a the time when the peak tidal current was reinforcing the surface current (which was also reinforced on that day by surface winds of approx.25 mph. from the same direction) as well as the deep water upwelling current(from the same direction) which created the complex confluence of forces that made up the current we were diving in.Current speeds varied at different spots on the seamount at different times on the dive.We did the dive in the lee of the seamount(little or no current).Only on returning to the bottom of the anchor line did we again hit the stiffest part of the current at the top of the seamount.I have to admit,there was no knot meter on my diveconsole,but the difficulty it took to pull our selves along the top of the seamount against the current,the speed at which we were swept backwards,spinning, and upwards-combined with past experience, helped me estimate the current's speed. But most of all-my good friend Dan Grenier- experienced US Marine diver with Seal training,technical diving training ,and a pioneer in exploring pristine(high current) Fijian sites and long time instructor and dive guide (who drifted after us when he saw we were in trouble)and has dove this site more than anyone else has-estimated the current to be at least 7-8 knots where we were swept off the top of the sea mount.Its possible 9 knots was too high an estimate. Mass Diver, I shared my our bad experience so others may learn from it.Unfortunately,Dan disappeared in a roaring current very close to this site, on August 31 2004 and still hasnt been found.These currents can be nasty-I hope we all stay safe by getting smarter........Peace........SaildiverMASS-Diver:
CRDiver
Contributor
"I did not know DIR divers would go solo."
Admitedly, I don't come from a diving mecca (upper midwest), but I know several people who are DIR-F certified, and a couple who are Cave 1 and 2 certified, and more than a few dive solo quite a bit, only because they can't find buddies when they want to dive. Interesting how painting yourself into a corner by adhering to an isolationist diving philosophy ("I don't/can't dive with strokes") leads some DIR guys to violate the very principles they pretend to be faithful to.
Admitedly, I don't come from a diving mecca (upper midwest), but I know several people who are DIR-F certified, and a couple who are Cave 1 and 2 certified, and more than a few dive solo quite a bit, only because they can't find buddies when they want to dive. Interesting how painting yourself into a corner by adhering to an isolationist diving philosophy ("I don't/can't dive with strokes") leads some DIR guys to violate the very principles they pretend to be faithful to.
Soggy
Contributor
CRDiver:
Yes, we're all a bunch of hypocrites, blah blah blah, diving in a vacuum, blah blah blah, closed minded blah blah blah, lemmings blah blah blah.
Please...at least have some originality. Just because someone has chosen GUE training, doesn't mean they have to be DIR outside of the context of the class. It just means they realize that GUE offers some of the best training available. People can do whatever the heck they want to do outside of class. Very few people are "all DIR, all the time." There aren't GUE police going around trying to catch former students violating standards.
A stroke is a diver with an unsafe attitude. IMO, no rational person would dive with a "stroke." Isn't that one of the main reasons why people choose solo diving...because diving with a buddy can make a situation worse?
Notice you will pretty much never hear a GUE trained diver use the word stroke, as it is derogatory and inflammatory. I only use it in this thread since you mentioned it yourself.
Oops...just realized this isn't in the DIR Name pissing contest thread. Sorry. Mods, feel free to delete or move it.
PhotoTJ
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Spare Air rocks!
There, now the thread is back on topic.
There, now the thread is back on topic.
RichLockyer
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I was involved in this thread before it was moved to the opt-in forum.Viscya:
Thought we had another convert.
RichLockyer:
While I can agree with the posters who have stated that having something extra (spare air or pony) is better than nothing, I strongly feel that spare air devices have no place in diving.
Spare air like devices are used extensively by helicopter crews in the military to aid in emergency egress in the event of forced ditching over water. In that application, the spare air is ideal as its small size makes it able to fit inside the survival vests with minimal encumbrace to the pilots/crewmembers. There simply is not room for crews to carry larger tanks. Additionally, the small volume of gas is not a major issue as it really only needs to be enough to get the crewmember to the outside of the aircraft.
To contrast, in diving applications, the extra encumbrace that larger tanks (13, 30, or 40 cuft for example) create is minor. If you are finding yourself in a situation where the clearance is so tight that the difference in size between a spare air and more standard tanks is so critical, then you may want to reconsider what you are doing. Additionlly, an aircraft crewmember can make an ascent to the surface as rapidly as it suits them - with the only consideration really being to exhale to avoid lung injuries. On the other hand, a diver who finds themselves in an out of air situation has no doubt already ongassed enough to make their asscent rate an issue. Depending on your dive depth, a spare air is likely to not have sufficient air to make a controlled ascent.
Just my thoughts.
Spare air like devices are used extensively by helicopter crews in the military to aid in emergency egress in the event of forced ditching over water. In that application, the spare air is ideal as its small size makes it able to fit inside the survival vests with minimal encumbrace to the pilots/crewmembers. There simply is not room for crews to carry larger tanks. Additionally, the small volume of gas is not a major issue as it really only needs to be enough to get the crewmember to the outside of the aircraft.
To contrast, in diving applications, the extra encumbrace that larger tanks (13, 30, or 40 cuft for example) create is minor. If you are finding yourself in a situation where the clearance is so tight that the difference in size between a spare air and more standard tanks is so critical, then you may want to reconsider what you are doing. Additionlly, an aircraft crewmember can make an ascent to the surface as rapidly as it suits them - with the only consideration really being to exhale to avoid lung injuries. On the other hand, a diver who finds themselves in an out of air situation has no doubt already ongassed enough to make their asscent rate an issue. Depending on your dive depth, a spare air is likely to not have sufficient air to make a controlled ascent.
Just my thoughts.
Question, I wear a 19 cf pony on the right side bottom of my main tank and have it upside down with the hose secured to the pony. The second stage is next to the pony valve, line charged but valve off. I charge it before getting in the water and then again when I get to the bottom. In this configuration are there any specific problems I could have?
I've found it easy to reach back, get the reg, put it in my mouth and reach back while getting a small breath and turning the valve on.
I tried the same mounting upright in the middle of the tank and at the top but it was difficult to access the valve. I keep my octo from the main and don't want 3 regs on my chest. All done in OW at less than 120 fsw.
I've found it easy to reach back, get the reg, put it in my mouth and reach back while getting a small breath and turning the valve on.
I tried the same mounting upright in the middle of the tank and at the top but it was difficult to access the valve. I keep my octo from the main and don't want 3 regs on my chest. All done in OW at less than 120 fsw.
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