What's your pony setup?

[happy-diver]

That's because you have more crap than NASA and no control of your valve

 

[loosenit2]

That's because you have more crap than NASA and no control of your valve

An interesting assertion, what evidence do you have to support it?

I to have dove a similar setup, albiet transmitting to one computer, and been able to reach and manipulate the valves on both tanks. Took a little adjusting to get the tanks in the right place but it is possible.

Or this this just another of your non-sensical posts?

 

[Rollin Bonz]

You dive you!

But....

1) keep in mind their have been divers splash with what the THOUGHT were open valves, only to suddenly realize slightly later that they were in fact NOT open or not open completely (that's a fun thing to find out as you are rapidly descending to the bottom, been there, done that, don't recommend - glad I was competent in my valve drills)

2) sometimes things happen that may require you shut off or feather a valve during a dive (free flow, leaky hose or connection)

In these or similar situations, being able to reach/control your valves is very helpful.

Also, if your pony bottle valve is open during the dive and you have a leak that goes unnoticed, you may have significantly less gas than you expect, should you need to go to your pony.
Maybe not if you have a transmitter on your pony...but possibly...

Just a few things to consider.

 

[happy-diver]

 

[happy-diver]

get a metre long hose and invert your pony think about it man

 

[Rollin Bonz]

How many recreational single tank divers can reach their valves without taking off their rig? My guess is close to zero.

Maybe you should start a poll. Maybe a 2 parter.

1) Can you reach your tank valve?
2) Do you think being able to reach your tank valve could prove to be a beneficial skill to have?

You might be surprised.

Speaking of being surprised...

Might want to be careful limiting your training and preparedness to only what you consider to be possible.

But you dive you!

 

[-JD-]

How many recreational single tank divers can reach their valves without taking off their rig? My guess is close to zero.

Sometimes requires a tad of a lift from the bottom of the cylinder, but not a huge deal. My shoulder flexibility is sub-optimal.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

How many recreational single tank divers can reach their valves without taking off their rig? My guess is close to zero.

Not sure why you think that. I can reach mine just fine and I’m not that flexible. It just takes a bit of practice and the proper technique. You just need to go slightly heads down in trim and the valve is very reachable. I would think the percentage of those that can (or at least should be able to) reach their valve is 80%+.

In a BP/W you can reach them even standing on a boat deck (not so easy in a floppy jacket BCD) but underwater anyone should be able to reach the valve apart from someone with serious right shoulder mobility issues.

I frequently reach back and grasp my valve during a dive just for practice and to reinforce my muscle memory where the valve is.

 

[-JD-]

It's difficult to reach my tank valve when practicing, let alone at depth in an emergency. To reach back, find it, grasp it and turn it a dozen or so times is, at least to me, a herculean task which I would not realistically attempt since there are better options for me.

Those include a) carrying a second fully redundant gas source in the form of a pony bottle with valve open, transmitter and wrist mounted receiver for constant readout of tank pressure, and b) planned strategy of removing my rig should I need to turn off my main tank valve or address another issue with my gear that I cannot easily handle while wearing my rig.

I periodically remove my rig at depth for practice. I use the overhead technique to don it, rather than reaching through the shoulder straps which can be problematic.

Agree: I also now dive with with a "hot" (valve-open) fully redundant source - doubles or slung pony. Switching to that is step 1. Step 2 is sorting out a problem with the primary and/or heading up, depending on circumstances.

@gamon Can you reach your valve by loosening/releasing the waist-belt (& crotch-strap if applicable) and shifting the plate or BC up, but without full removal?


@nobodyinparticular I see a lot of folks walking around with the valves halfway down their back with a single BC-camstrap barely below the tank shoulder. No way they could reach over the shoulder to access the valve. Makes me shiver a bit wondering if the tank is just going to slip out on the way to/from the water.

 

[Rollin Bonz]

Might want to be careful limiting your training and preparedness to only what you consider to be possible.

This was meant to point out specifically to your blanket statement that ANY particular issue is

Not possible

rather than any comment to your specific diving habits/style. Again, you dive you.

I firmly believe the minute you declare something impossible, you actually make it more likely. Maybe that's just my luck. Me "Ah, that'll never happen". Also me "Oh $#!+, how the hell did that happen"

Also "reaching" your valve is "accessing" your valve in the sense of "getting to it" to manipulate it if needed. If removing your rig is your way of reaching your valve, so be it, just not my preferred method. So you actually are able to reach your valve