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Testing a Spare Air
- Thread starter vjongene
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Bob DBF
Contributor
Usually I am neutral while I dive, so one kick up I'm positive and headed for the surface, if I don't adjust. But you knew that.
The target market is not the diver that has odds and ends lying about, and the knowledge, to make up a pony rig. The diver is also looking at buying another reg at their LDS, at an inflated price, which would bring the price much higher than the Spare Air.
Your diving experience places you well past the target demographic, you have to look back when you started your interest in advanced diving and wanted redundancy, and have no contact with ScubaBoard. Or be a diver that has lost a buddy or two and wants some backup. That is the target demographic.
Bob
drk5036
Contributor
I’ve felt the same way, and it’s why I’ve considered buying one. I dive with a buddy, and generally in larger groups. If I had a problem, I would feel much more comfortable swimming to my buddy or another diver with some air rather than nothing at all. I don’t plan to take more than half a dozen breaths off it before I’m on someone’s octo.
Bob DBF
Contributor
Good plan, if it works. Your buddy is farther away than he should be already, he was not paying attention to notice you are OOA, and he could as easily swim away from you to see something, or he wasn't watching his air and you find him OOA as well. Personally, if the s**t hits the fan and I have a severely limited air supply, I'm headed for the surface. Counting on everything going your way, after you have confirmation it isn't, is not a foolproof plan, making an orderly retreat to the surface is.
Bob
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We dived up north a ways in Cozumel today, 6 divers including DM and 2 newbies, and I looked around at everyone scattered across the reef - all same-ocean buddies, no way to save anyone in distress. I was the only one with a pony. I have to wonder how many unexplained drownings are OOA same-ocean divers, and the facts never make the news. Dive locations really do not like to publicize fatalities
Not at all what I would suggest. If an escape is needed, I'm going up! Good luck on catching that same-ocean buddy, and s/he being helpful.
Yeah, even adding the cost of a pony hanger, close enough. The pony a better buy. Just more trouble to fly.
markmud
Self Reliant Diver--On All Dives.
markmud
Self Reliant Diver--On All Dives.
It was my second dive trip that I saw my first SA. I was buddied up with another single diver who explained his form of redundancy.
This all made very good sense to me as I am becoming acutely aware of how dependant I had to be on some Instabuddies that were, um, oblivious.
After extensive research and discussion on SB(Thanks everyone!), I decided on a 13 cf for typical Caribbean rec. Dives.
I understand why gas consumption would double or even triple immediately following an equipment failure but I'm guessing most experienced divers would calm down during a normal ascent.
I refuse to surface faster than what is considered conservatively safe.
How safe is a CESA from 80 fsw afer a week of 3 or 4 dives a day?
A 13 cf pony may limit your safety stop but should allow for a SAFE ascent.
We all have are own comfort levels.
I think the best buddy is a self reliant buddy.
I love how the OPs vast experience told him to thoroughly test HIS performance with his new cylinder.
Educated decision=smart choice.
Cheers, Kevin
This all made very good sense to me as I am becoming acutely aware of how dependant I had to be on some Instabuddies that were, um, oblivious.
After extensive research and discussion on SB(Thanks everyone!), I decided on a 13 cf for typical Caribbean rec. Dives.
I understand why gas consumption would double or even triple immediately following an equipment failure but I'm guessing most experienced divers would calm down during a normal ascent.
I refuse to surface faster than what is considered conservatively safe.
How safe is a CESA from 80 fsw afer a week of 3 or 4 dives a day?
A 13 cf pony may limit your safety stop but should allow for a SAFE ascent.
We all have are own comfort levels.
I think the best buddy is a self reliant buddy.
I love how the OPs vast experience told him to thoroughly test HIS performance with his new cylinder.
Educated decision=smart choice.
Cheers, Kevin
Pony’s don’t belong underwater.
It might be because the vis isn’t that Great around here and a buddy is never more then a few feet away, that you almost never see them in this part of the world.
But if you think you will ever need one and you take one with you regulary, isn’t it better to Build in some safety?
You all talk about practise runs and pool swims etc. Being around 130 feet trying to breath and get nothing, taking your spare air, finally being able to breath, catch your breath, start a slow and safe ascend...
A spare air sounds like doing something half... you might get somewhere but no idea if it’s till the surface.
It might be because the vis isn’t that Great around here and a buddy is never more then a few feet away, that you almost never see them in this part of the world.
But if you think you will ever need one and you take one with you regulary, isn’t it better to Build in some safety?
You all talk about practise runs and pool swims etc. Being around 130 feet trying to breath and get nothing, taking your spare air, finally being able to breath, catch your breath, start a slow and safe ascend...
A spare air sounds like doing something half... you might get somewhere but no idea if it’s till the surface.
markmud
Self Reliant Diver--On All Dives.
[QUOTE="Coztick, post: 8551251, member: 462271"I understand why gas consumption would double or even triple immediately following an equipment failure but I'm guessing most experienced divers would calm down during a normal ascent.
I think the best buddy is a self reliant buddy.
Cheers, Kevin[/QUOTE]
Hi Kevin,
I liked your post.
I think your are correct about most experienced divers would calm down during a pony bottle emergency ascent.
I have had three failures u/w water with my primary breathing system. On two occasions, I had my pony bottle but did not need it as I breathed off the remaining gas. The gas did not blow out quickly.
On another occasion, my first stage was going Mount. St. Helens on me--literally. Both my octo and primary second stage looked like Mt. Vesuvias erupting while I held one in each hand. I was holding my breath, obviously, but I maintained my depth to eliminate a VGE from occurring--I was thinking about stuff like that. Next, I stuck one reg in my mouth and looked up toward the sky and slowly ascended to the surface breathing off the free flow as we were taught in OW.
My heart rate did not appreciably go up, if anything it went down. I thought, OK, if my first stage blows-up, I have to 1) CESA; 2) blow my whistle on the surface to get the boats attention; 3) get on O2; 4) if bent, have the skipper call for a USCG chopper; 5) get in a chamber.
I breathed all the way to the surface, and my 100cf tank still had gas in it when I got back to the boat by surface swimming.
My brother-in-law got shot off the Nimitz through a wave (pitching deck). He was piloting an S3A Viking. One engine dead, leading edge devices damaged, and the functioning engine was acting-up because it did not like sucking seawater either. And, there was some sort of a problem with the ejection seats in the back. The pilot and copilot could not punch-out because the two enlisted men in back would die as they would be stuck in the AC when it hit the ocean. They had to land on Nimitz. My brother-in-law shut the remaining ejection seats up-front off--now he had to land the plane or else. He caught a 3 wire with the jacked-up plane that either God, your creator, or fate gave him. Did he freak-out? No.
That former Navy pilot who landed her Southwest Airlines 737 jet with a blown-up engine, fuselage damage, wing damage, tail damage, and a lady stuck half way out a window. Did she freak-out. Listen to her voice when communicating with ATC. More calm than she probably normally is.
After the plane landed there are pictures of the pilot uncontrollably sobbing as she was standing over the lady who died. The first passenger in Southwest Airlines history to die of an AC accident and it happened on her plane.
I don't buy this freaking-out thing and sucking gas at uncontrollable rates. Get some training for Christ's sake if you freak-out like that. Practice. Stay calm and save yourself. Slow is fast. Freak-out afterwards.
Now if Jaws has you squarely in its mouth, freak-out all you want, as your life is over!
Rant mode off.
Markm
I think the best buddy is a self reliant buddy.
Cheers, Kevin[/QUOTE]
Hi Kevin,
I liked your post.
I think your are correct about most experienced divers would calm down during a pony bottle emergency ascent.
Kevin, this rant below is not for you:
Rant mode on.
I was a professional mariner. I was in some sticky situations. I calmed down and got the job done--I made sure none of my crewmembers tried to be the hero and save equipment. No one got hurt and we brought the equipment home under our own power. We did not spill our cargo of up to 50,000 barrels of oil.Rant mode on.
I have had three failures u/w water with my primary breathing system. On two occasions, I had my pony bottle but did not need it as I breathed off the remaining gas. The gas did not blow out quickly.
On another occasion, my first stage was going Mount. St. Helens on me--literally. Both my octo and primary second stage looked like Mt. Vesuvias erupting while I held one in each hand. I was holding my breath, obviously, but I maintained my depth to eliminate a VGE from occurring--I was thinking about stuff like that. Next, I stuck one reg in my mouth and looked up toward the sky and slowly ascended to the surface breathing off the free flow as we were taught in OW.
My heart rate did not appreciably go up, if anything it went down. I thought, OK, if my first stage blows-up, I have to 1) CESA; 2) blow my whistle on the surface to get the boats attention; 3) get on O2; 4) if bent, have the skipper call for a USCG chopper; 5) get in a chamber.
I breathed all the way to the surface, and my 100cf tank still had gas in it when I got back to the boat by surface swimming.
My brother-in-law got shot off the Nimitz through a wave (pitching deck). He was piloting an S3A Viking. One engine dead, leading edge devices damaged, and the functioning engine was acting-up because it did not like sucking seawater either. And, there was some sort of a problem with the ejection seats in the back. The pilot and copilot could not punch-out because the two enlisted men in back would die as they would be stuck in the AC when it hit the ocean. They had to land on Nimitz. My brother-in-law shut the remaining ejection seats up-front off--now he had to land the plane or else. He caught a 3 wire with the jacked-up plane that either God, your creator, or fate gave him. Did he freak-out? No.
That former Navy pilot who landed her Southwest Airlines 737 jet with a blown-up engine, fuselage damage, wing damage, tail damage, and a lady stuck half way out a window. Did she freak-out. Listen to her voice when communicating with ATC. More calm than she probably normally is.
After the plane landed there are pictures of the pilot uncontrollably sobbing as she was standing over the lady who died. The first passenger in Southwest Airlines history to die of an AC accident and it happened on her plane.
I don't buy this freaking-out thing and sucking gas at uncontrollable rates. Get some training for Christ's sake if you freak-out like that. Practice. Stay calm and save yourself. Slow is fast. Freak-out afterwards.
Now if Jaws has you squarely in its mouth, freak-out all you want, as your life is over!
Rant mode off.
Markm
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