Reduntant air supply? on stoney dive!

For a basic dive in stoney (say 22m no deco) is there a valid reason why a
pony should be used, or does the buddy provide suffiencent capability
(assuming you dont lose him!)

For this type of dive what is the ideal setup (two seconds off your main
tank to allow to share) and a single first/second on the pony for your own
use?

John" <john@telenetel.co.uk> wrote in message
news:SfLrb.818$xt2.6058109@news-text.cableinet.net...
> For a basic dive in stoney (say 22m no deco) is there a valid reason why a
> pony should be used, or does the buddy provide suffiencent capability
> (assuming you dont lose him!)


Been diving since 95 ( max depth 45M) and have only ever used a 12L plus
octo on O/C never have understood why there has been so much the fuss about
pony cylinder's but I guess if it makes you feel safer then get one. SCR/CCR
well that's a different story.

MarkW
(who now hides in fear from the pro pony camp)

nospam to scuba to reply

> Been diving since 95 ( max depth 45M) and have only ever used a 12L plus
> octo on O/C never have understood why there has been so much the fuss
about
> pony cylinder's

Depends if you can trust your buddy to lend you some gas at exactally the
time you want it!

Cheers
Matt.

> For a basic dive in stoney (say 22m no deco) is there a valid reason why a
> pony should be used, or does the buddy provide suffiencent capability
> (assuming you dont lose him!)

Good for instructors, or just diving with people you don't know so well, or
who aren't very experienced, who you might not be able to rely on to help
you if there's a problem. Possibly you being out of air and using their
octo would make them panic too - with your own pony they hardly even need to
know, and you don't have to rely on them.

> For this type of dive what is the ideal setup (two seconds off your main
> tank to allow to share) and a single first/second on the pony for your own
> use?

Yeah, thats what i'm getting (should be delivered in a couple of days!) :O)

David

"Imorital" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:boohef$1g3f2d$1@ID-203763.news.uni-berlin.de...

Depends if you can trust your buddy to lend you some gas at exactally the
> time you want it!
>
> Cheers
> Matt.
>

Good point but yes I could..Well most of the time.

MarkW
nospam to scuba to reply

>Been diving since 95 ( max depth 45M) and have only ever used a 12L plus
>octo on O/C never have understood why there has been so much the fuss about
>pony cylinder's

>MarkW
>(who now hides in fear from the pro pony camp)
>
Pro Pony camp!

During my 1st yesr of diving, in Stoney I had a 1st stage freeflow at 22m, My
buddy was last seen swimming into the distance! I had been down for very little
time so my swimming ascent didn't do me any harm. My next purchase was a pony
and good regulator.

I was alone down there, we should all assume we're diving alone and be self
sufficient. An octopus is no use if a 1st stage blows all your air out!

What redundancy stays close at all times and you can rely on to have enough air
and to work when needed? Not a buddy!

"Mark Williams" <mark.nospam.williams@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:booj4k$1g9n6e$1@ID-169335.news.uni-berlin.de...
> "Imorital" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
> news:boohef$1g3f2d$1@ID-203763.news.uni-berlin.de...
>
> Depends if you can trust your buddy to lend you some gas at exactally the
> > time you want it!
> >
> > Cheers
> > Matt.
> >
>
> Good point but yes I could..Well most of the time.

Most?! Personally I'd never trust my life to a support mechanism that I know
is only going to be there *most* of the time...

"Rob Hampton" <rhamp3601@aol.comnojunk> wrote in message
news:20031110125425.16519.00000272@mb-m27.aol.com...
> During my 1st yesr of diving, in Stoney I had a 1st stage freeflow at 22m,
My
> buddy was last seen swimming into the distance! I had been down for very
little
> time so my swimming ascent didn't do me any harm. My next purchase was a
pony
> and good regulator.
>
> I was alone down there, we should all assume we're diving alone and be
self
> sufficient. An octopus is no use if a 1st stage blows all your air out!
>
> What redundancy stays close at all times and you can rely on to have
enough air
> and to work when needed? Not a buddy!

Arrrgghh!! Rob - Noooo!

Each diver should be capable of self rescue.

That's not the same as assuming you're diving alone, nor an excuse or
encouragement for poor - read same ocean buddy skills (you know who you
are), nor should you let a bad buddy off the hook following such a poor show
of said skills - your buddy is the most important part of your dive
equipment.

Just as a guide, you might consider defining and limiting your diving depths
to those that you can rescue yourself and your buddy from, then if you think
about it - you've answered your own question.

The 3l steel pony cylinder has had it's day - there are better ways of
dealing with redundancy - I'd investigate those before you make your
purchase; else I've a 2nd hand metal sub bracket and a 3l steel cylinder
that I no longer use to prove this point.

Best

/FAB

"John" <john@telenetel.co.uk> wrote in message
news:SfLrb.818$xt2.6058109@news-text.cableinet.net...
> For a basic dive in stoney (say 22m no deco) is there a valid reason why a
> pony should be used, or does the buddy provide suffiencent capability
> (assuming you dont lose him!)

Personally, I never get into open water without two air supplies.

> For this type of dive what is the ideal setup...

Unless you're going to vary your setup every time depending on where and
when you're diving, what you're diving into, who you're diving with and what
you're going to do when you get down there, I'd have to say twins, and a
buddy with the same.

R.

"Rob Hampton" <rhamp3601@aol.comnojunk> wrote in message
news:20031110125425.16519.00000272@mb-m27.aol.com...

> During my 1st yesr of diving, in Stoney I had a 1st stage freeflow at 22m,
My
> buddy was last seen swimming into the distance! I had been down for very
little
> time so my swimming ascent didn't do me any harm. My next purchase was a
pony
> and good regulator.
>

Dived Stoney many times and never had a free flow I was lucky enough to get
a good regulator from the word go.

nospam to scuba to reply