Spare Air: some thoughts

[vshearer]

This is where I stopped reading this pony expert's long-winded analysis. Is anybody really suggesting that you need to be able to get to the surface "holding your breath"?

He is young, when he is ready the teacher will appear.

 

[RJP]

Simply put the "H", or "Y" valve gives the diver a redundant means of regulator, thus eliminating the need for a Pony, or Spare Air.

The "H", or "Y" valve also gives a diver the option for means of redundancy that would prefer not to use Doubles connected via a Manifold...

This may come off the wrong way, but - the way you have stated it above - what you're saying borders on nonsensical.

Husband: "Honey, we're out of milk..."
Wife: "Try opening the carton from the other end..."

:shocked2:

I think you need to delineate the difference between "redundant gas supply" and "redundant gas access" and then clarify the requirements/solutions for each.

Simply put... to say that an "H or Y valve eliminates the need for a pony/spare air" is like suggesting that running a second fuel line from a car's gas tank to the engine eliminates the problem of running out of gas.

It's even sillier to say that "a Y or H valve gives a diver redundancy who would prefer not to use Doubles..." People specifically use doubles to carry MORE GAS, not as a way to carry MORE REGULATORS.

Wife: "We're having company, did you bring home that gallon of milk?"
Husband: "They were out of gallons, so I got a half-gallon. Just get out twice as many glasses."



Y/H valves solve a regulator redundancy problem, but will provide no benefit whatsoever if you don't have enough gas in the tank they are connected to.

 

[Blackwood]

Wife: "We're having company, did you bring home that gallon of milk?"
Husband: "They were out of gallons, so I got a half-gallon. Just get out twice as many glasses."

 

[Thalassamania]

This is where I stopped reading this pony expert's treatise. Is anybody really claiming that you need to be able to "get to the surface holding your breath"?

I'd say that it is a good skill to have in most cases for non-ceiling dives.

 

[Tanked]

I'd say that it is a good skill to have in most cases for non-ceiling dives.

Holding your breath?
Have we forgotten Boyles law?

 

[Thalassamania]

You can "hold" your breath (as in not breathe) yet keep the airway open so that you will bent excess air on ascent.

 

[Tanked]

When you say "hold your breath" I read that as filling your lungs on the bottom, and holding the air in on the way up.

 

[vladimir]

I think "holding your breath" is a poor choice of words for what you are describing, Thal, but I'll stop nitpicking. I agree that CESA is a valuable skill.

 

[Thalassamania]

When you say "hold your breath" I read that as filling your lungs on the bottom, and holding the air in on the way up.

Not a procedure that I'd recommend, but it is a free country. Granted, the language is imprecise, but it would appear to me that you are being intentionally foolish and trolling on something that we all know the better of.

 

[Dr Wu]

You can "hold" your breath (as in not breathe) yet keep the airway open so that you will bent excess air on ascent.

nice work