The Octopus Conundrum

[dumpsterDiver]

My newest build is a GM 250+ hp turbo 4 cyl with a 5 speed overdrive in a 1980 triumph spitfire.... The stock motor was 60 HP with a 4 speed... It should move along pretty good ....

Jim...

For some reason, I get the feeling it is unlikely you will die while diving..

 

[Nemrod]

Nem, that's how I feel. True solo, all bets off. Diving alone in a mixed skills group, there is a chance I may need to render aid. Judgement is the key.

Having a strange diver come up to me out of the blue from nowhere and need to share air is probably in about the same level of possibility that I would be in route on some airliner someplace and both pilots have a heart attack and I would have to fly the airplane. Like, hey, is there anyone onboard who can fly an airplane? Yeah, that is going to happen. I better get to practicing those landings on Flight Simulator . It is probably not all that hard to do huh?

N

 

[DaleC]

Easier than trigonometry anyway.

 

[drbill]

I used to but removed it and rely strictly on my Air 2 unless I'm doing deep dives (130-200 fsw)

 

[Nemrod]

Dumpster, I came across this today digging about the interwebs:

XS Scuba XTR Extra Air System

Very similar to your homemade rig.

N

 

[danvolker]

If I really believed I needed a redundant backup of gas on a dive, I'd like to be either able to see the whole rig as you do when it is slung stage style...so you know it is not leaking suddenly after you bump something...or, have a pressure gauge easy to check a few times during the dive, at the very least. But the pony just does not make sense to me--if I need more gas than an 80, a 100 or 120 makes much more sense than a 80 plus pony.

If you don't trust yourself not to breathe the whole tank down to zero, and then you want a back up pony for this, the old style J valve might be a better way to go....But, I think a diver that often breathes their tank down to zero accidentally, has some wiring that is wrong for diving, and there may not be a good solution for this. Carrying the extra drag , entanglement hazard and convolution of a pony as back up, is not the solution--fixing the diver is the actual need.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Dumpster, I came across this today digging about the interwebs:

XS Scuba XTR Extra Air System

Very similar to your homemade rig.

N

that looks similar, although they add a failure point with the swivel on the pony, they mount the pony on the wrong side, they look like they put a metal block against your main tank to scratch it, they don't have a back up retaining system or height "fixer" consisting of heavy mono (or weed wacker line), they position the pony gage so that if the tank falls over the gage will be smashed or damaged, they position the handle of the pony valve so that it can catch on stuff behind you (would be resolved if tank was mounted on right side of main tank), they have the pony bottle hose routing RETARDED - I route the hose straight DOWN coming off the pony where it is protected from damage.......so yeah it looks similar, but my system works for a variety of reasons. I've never seen that rig before...

 

[Akimbo]

Dumpster, I came across this today digging about the interwebs:

XS Scuba XTR Extra Air System

Very similar to your homemade rig.

N

Cool, a Spare Air with the added failure potential of a hose.

Sorry, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to yank Dumpster’s chain.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I think I have a solution to the new PC version of life that we are all supposed to live by now.
It seems that this new way of life means that anybody should be able to do anything since anything less would be unfair, and we're all supposed to chip into the communal pot to make sure everything is fair to everyone regardless. It appears this even expands to activities such as diving because to not allow someone who can't manage to do the simplest things like keep track of their gas supply to be allowed in the water would just be wrong. So I guess if I don't have common sense enough to know not to drive down the wrong side of the freeway or drive drunk it's OK now? How is this any different....OK forget about that, it's off track.

OK, anyway my solution to this is if the "new" rules are that half my equipment is there for my buddy including a larger tank to accomodate their additional air usage, an added regulator that I wouldn't need if I was solo, an additional hose of a longer length, an an SPG that I could do without if I wanted but since the buddy may be a hoover I would need to keep close track of supply once we are sharing air.
What I will do is have the buddy go and buy the extra equipment needed for them to use since it is "theirs" and if they don't go buy it, then they will have to be happy with what I buy, but there's a catch. Just like rental equipment, if it's my stuff then they will be charged whether it's used or not. For the extra gear that I wouldn't necessarily have to have if I was diving solo I'm going to charge them $50 per dive in rental fees for the equipment that is for them to use in an emergency payable before each dive, cash only. Consider it an insurance policy of sorts. How about that, sound fair? I'll make sure to be there for you, keep track of your gas usage, make sure you don't go too deep, and wait on you hand and foot. But no wiping rear ends, that's where I draw the line.
So now everybody's happy. And if worry wort is concerned about the quality of the redundant gear that is for them then they are always welcome to go buy the gear of their choice....that I will carry around for them.

Or, you could just hire a Divemaster.

 

[Nemrod]

Dumpster, I understand on the pony rig you have. I was just showing you the link. I cannot do without double cambands, neither of my plates are acceptable for use without a double camband. However, I could still rig something similar to yours, thanks. You have some good ideas there.

I like double cambands, especially solo, I have had to many cambands come loose and tanks slip away or twist. I do not need that while solo. It is good to have camband redundancy!

Dan, I understand on the big tanks but for myself, especially shore diving, it is a no go. If I could tote a 130 then I could tote small doubles and unfortunately the titanium rod, plate on my femur and the pins in my hip will not allow that. A steel 72 and a 19cf pony or an 80 sans pony, that is max allowable gross weight for me to walk any distance.

Several places I shore dive there is a soft ceiling. Either there is a channel with boat traffic to traverse or there are fisherman. Both can be hazardous. Therefore, it might not be possible to use the surface as my primary redundancy and if I were to have a main gas supply failure (free flow can dump even a 130 in a few minutes) I need some way to return through my soft ceiling, thus a pony. Yes, if all else fails, surface and hopefully my flag and float will keep me safe.

N