Spare Air

[DaFireMedic]

The big problem Nobby,

Is that people will substitute gear for skills. Buddy skills and gas management are almost a lost art among many divers. We seem to have a plethora of "SOB"s... "Same Ocean Buddies", and that's wrong. Your "solution" does not seem to improve the situation but condone it.

But hey, if you can't stick with your buddy, then by all means rely on a much lesser solution. If you CAN stick with your buddy, then why send the wrong message?

I agree with you, but I would also argue that the same situation of complacency can and does occur when relying on someone else for your redundancy. I believe that self evaluation is important regardless, and that self sufficiency is always prudent.

 

[Nobby]

I agree with you, but I would also argue that the same situation of complacency can and does occur when relying on someone else for your redundancy. I believe that self evaluation is important regardless, and that self sufficiency is always prudent.

This is a good maxim. Yes we all like the rosey idea that we will always fall back and rely on our skills. I am not saying that SPARE AIR is the be all and end all but merely and extra level of safety, and surely safety is what it is all about? I always stick with my buddy and never dive alone. Whenever I enter the water I carry a knife, this is for cutting myself free, I have been diving 12 years (not a lot by some of your experiences) but have never had to unsheath that knife apart from cleaning, does that mean that I needn't bother diving with it cos my buddy will be there to cut me free? Oh, but he isn't carrying his either even though you'd assume he did, just like you don't know what might have happened to his octopus as it is only as good as the last breath you took from it during your buddy check, who knows what might have happened since you entered the water. WHAT IF, WHAT IF, WHAT IF! SPARE AIR equals extra line of life support that you may need regardless of the level of training you have, you have to be prepared to deal with the unexpected. 1 year versus 25 years experience! Last time I checked the Scuba veterans at my club they didn't have gills!

 

[detroit diver]

GG troll, I've got to give you credit. You've taken this from a spare air troll to a solo vs buddy troll.

Nice work!

 

[jonnythan]

Hey, if you really want redundant air on your person, use doubles or at least a pony bottle.

3 cf of air is not enough to count as a safety. Period.

 

[The Chairman]

Complacency is the result of replacing the need for skills with a flawed piece of gear.

It was suggested that a sparedeath be used as a contingency air supply in an overhead environment. This is as unconscionable an act as I can imagine. The only thing that comes close is the concept of using this device to extend "freedieing".

 

[markfm]

Just a "what if" -- what if you happen to be swimming in a Great Lake, perhaps reasonably close to your buddy, and happen to, for instance, go over an 8' wide intake pipe sucking water at 3-1/2 knots? You've instantly gone solo, and there's at least a fair chance that your own primary kit might get whapped on the entrance, wreck the first stage or cut the hose.
Something giving you even a short amount of fully redundant backup might well mean the difference between life and death as you ride the pipe.
Personally, I'm looking at a regular pony, but I'm conservative.
You might call if a far-fetched stretch, other than that it just happened. The woman was lucky her air stayed OK and she got out with "just" a bloody nose.
I guess, in that case, your buddy should dive in after you?
(Doesn't it bite when the outside world intrudes on the real-divers-never-ever-get-cut-off-from-their-buddy mantra? No offense meant, but it seems that the world's lakes and oceans have things to defeat the best laid plans of mice and divers.)

 

[The Chairman]

Sure,

I'll make SURE that I cover 8' intake pipes on my OW class.

Beats the heck out of training responsible divers.

 

[Nobby]

Hey, if you really want redundant air on your person, use doubles or at least a pony bottle.

3 cf of air is not enough to count as a safety. Period.

Codswallop! Actually 84l as you will know is enough to ascend safely. That is what I am on about. 84l! average breath = 3 - 4l at 20m = at least twenty breaths......that is better than 1 breath hands down. Face it the argument against SPARE AIR is redundant and unreasonable in itself. Responsible diving does not mean throwing caution to the wind in the vain hope that you and your buddy will rise from the ashes of every near miss. Here's a thought should we all learn to dive being attached to our buddies by some sort of umbilical cord that we can tug every time we may get into difficulty, don't be so stubborn! Indepedent back up means that you have some time to sort your life out in an emergency and then get hold of your buddy that is 10ft along the reef from you observing a wonderful specimen of the underwater world of which we are transittal visitors.

 

[JeffG]

Face it you are being unreasonable.

Things that make you go.... hmmmmmmmmm

 

[Nobby]

Things that make you go.... hmmmmmmmmm

Yes I know that song too.