Pony Bottle Philosophy

[Cheekymonkey]

Adobo, in this case it is by far the easiest way out, as well as probably the safest for myself. The 40cuft is more than enough in shallow ocean dives shallower than 100ft, and no deco for me. Like I said I havent had to use it for myself once yet. Although I have given it to another out of air diver at a FL spring, another wonderful dive club winner i'm afraid.

 

[Adobo]

Adobo, in this case it is by far the easiest way out, as well as probably the safest for myself. The 40cuft is more than enough in shallow ocean dives shallower than 100ft, and no deco for me. Like I said I havent had to use it for myself once yet. Although I have given it to another out of air diver at a FL spring, another wonderful dive club winner i'm afraid.

I'm not passing judgment. All I'm saying is that there is more than one way to skin the cat. Being a completely self sufficient diver (AKA solo diver) is one way. A dive team that has done correct gas planning and adheres to strict buddy procedures is another way. You might not like option 2 but it does work great for a lot of accomplished divers.

Oh yeah, a pony bottle does not in of itself make a competent solo diver, right?

 

[Cheekymonkey]

I'm not talking about with divers I know, whenever the situation with a buddy that I trust is available thats what I go with. I don't dive on my own for fun. And never said a pony bottle makes a competent solo diver, there are many other aspects of solo diving, but redundancy in air is one of the many.

 

[Bosch]

Thanks for all the input, very helpful.

But a recreational diver who just goes out and buys a pony and tosses it on, and suddenly has the feeling that they are now safer and less dependent on their buddy, might not be diving with the mindset I'd appreciate from a buddy. That additional confidence in a magic piece of gear could be counterproductive to good situational awareness.


That's probably the best philosophy I've ever seen.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

I think we can all agree with that.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

But a recreational diver who just goes out and buys a pony and tosses it on, and suddenly has the feeling that they are now safer and less dependent on their buddy, might not be diving with the mindset I'd appreciate from a buddy. That additional confidence in a magic piece of gear could be counterproductive to good situational awareness.

I feel the same way about the clowns who take a tech course or two and then throw together a set of doubles. They seem to have way too much confidence in their "magic" manifold and other pieces of redundant gear and this severely reduces their situational awareness and I'm not sure I would want one of these people as a buddy....

 

[Bosch]

Well as luck would have it, I did a tune up tonight in the pool with my old instructor. Turns out he now makes it mandatory for himself and his staff to carry a Spare Air, and he does an excercise with it and let me use it.

I think that's convinced me. :14:

 

[Cacia]

uh oh.

I don't pony cause I don't want the drag and the weight.

I dive with a buddy below 90 ft.

Dennis, you bought a pony, have you ever set it up?

people are always telling me to dive with two lights, strobes, two sausages, pony, doubles, all kinds of a load. I could not do the dives I like with all that stuff.--okay, in a way that I enjoy. I carry a SMB and that's it. Oh, the camera, which is all I can handle. I think I would be more likely to get in trouble with all the weight. heck, I don't think I could get on the boat in rough seas. Current is tough enough, add all that, and I feel like an anchor.

So...you did ask, and those are the reasons. Traveling with it would be a pain too.
But, my opinion is not popular.

We know when people run out of air and die. Who knows how many die of heart attacks or drown hauling all that stuff around in the ocean?

 

[Bill51]

We know when people run out of air and die. Who knows how many die of heart attacks or drown hauling all that stuff around in the ocean?

Bingo! Welcome to the law of dimensioning return for safety and risk management. We could stay home and avoid more risks – but we’d probably die of carbon monoxide poisoning because we were afraid to the drive to the store for new batteries for the detector.

I miss diving in the 60s when we were less encumbered (and enamored) with our equipment and more in touch with the sea.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

haha catherine, good stuff, glad someone said it. Last I checked that was the biggest killer of divers.