Why Don't you Have a Pony yet?...or ever

[do it easy]

I've been thinking of getting yet another set of doubles- maybe AL40s or LP45s- Something tiny just for open water so that I don't have to change anything but the size of the tanks. Yes they would look silly, but I sometimes get skeered diving a single tank and a single reg.

 

[waterpirate]

The more i dive the more i seem to evolve. i am currently inthe process of setting up a set of independant doubles with slung pony bottle. the thought process on the independants is that you are not relying on the o ring manifold for your safety. three sets of independant gas supply that are ALL ditchable/removeable in overhead or entangle enviroment.
The task loading arguement for the independants does not work for me verses the manifold failure. KISS!! {keep it simple stupid}
If i am diving solo i want to reduce the points of failure while increasing flexibility of a ever changing dive plan/profile.

as to the slung verses bracketed pony, it boils down to what you prefer. i prefer the pony upside down in the bracket with valve off, right hand easily goes to waist to turn it on. or slung on right side still valve off.

The thing that differs for me from most is that i want to have standard pressure gauge and reg on pony bottle so that if you have to, you can manage at least an abbriviated deco schedule in regard to gas management, not just the best you can do at 1 shallow stop.

Eric

 

[Cacia]

guys, how often does an o-ring blow in a DIN compared to yoke? anybody know?

and, if you are squeezing through a wreck, and thump the first stage, is this associated in any way with the o-ring failure?

 

[TheRedHead]

I think diving independents introduces more task loading because you have to switch regs to breathe your tanks down evenly. With deco bottles, it introduces the potential to breathe the wrong gas.

 

[grazie42]

catherine...I think everyone who teaches overhead courses recommends DIN.

I can´t give you statistics (don´t know if anyone can...) but the main argument against yoke is that it "sticks out" and bumping into something could jeopardize the seal...I propably wouldn´t sit out a great wreckdive because all I could dive with was a yoke but I would think about it and wouldn´t do it without someone I could trust to give me air if I needed it. Also, if you´re into streamlining, eliminating danglies and what-not, why are you diving yoke? Doesen´t make sense to me (except for financial and logistical reasons)...

My regular buddy dives both, yoke for single-tank rec dives and DIN for anything else...

As always YMMV

 

[Diver0001]

guys, how often does an o-ring blow in a DIN compared to yoke? anybody know?

I've seen DIN fittings bubble but I've never seen an o-ring extrude like they do with int. I've seen dozens of o-rings go from int couplings.

and, if you are squeezing through a wreck, and thump the first stage, is this associated in any way with the o-ring failure?

I'm not sure which o-ring failure you mean (i'll have to read back a couple of pages since I missed part of this discussion in my "cow in cannabis field" state). Nevertheless, I would think that you'd have to give it a right mighty thump to dislodge it.

R..

edit: incidentally, the single worst thing about a yoke fitting is that they are net magnets. They get tangled in everything.

R..

 

[Cacia]

thanks. Grazie, I agree with all you have said. yes, logistics is the reason. getting tanks, fills. Problem is, Sea Tiger is a recreational dive for me since all my dives are recreational since ...well since I am a recreator and all.

DIN has exactly what biggest logistical problem?

 

[TheRedHead]

I was diving recently with a DM whose DIN connection was leaking. He just took his rig off under water and beat it with his fist. It worked.

Memo Mendoza of Aldora Divers had his arm broken by a ruptured DIN connection which caused his second stage to whip around with such force that it broke bones. Of course, he works in a dive shop and handles gear much more often than the average diver.

 

[grazie42]

the biggest problem with DIN would be fills, parts and servicing if you live in a part of the world where that is the case, you´d know better than me if that applies to you or not...

What you call it doesen´t really change the nature of the dive catherine...also, if you do get the pony, technically it won´t be a "single tank recdive" anymore, now will it?

 

[Cacia]

that's what I am hoping. Just want to conform a wee bit. (now that I am getting to be an old wreck)