Your big fat pony Bottle

[Heavy water]

This is split from another thread. In your words what makes a bail out bottle. what is a pony bottle and what should you fill it with. Its amazing the different points of view of the same subject...

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I view an aux bottle as a bailout, pony or stage depending on your gas plan. The same physical bottle could be all 3 on different dives. Knowing you own plan though is critical as on-the-fly planning in an OOG situation is really stupid.
- Bailout plans for an immediate ascent at 30FPM with an optional s/s
- Pony plans for a normal ascent (deep stops, safety) with some extra time to work things out on the bottom
- Stage plans allow for use in the dive (deco or bottom time extension)

As for contents, I use air cause I am cheap and my LDS fills bailouts/pony bottles for free with air, which encourages regular practice. I don't really think it matter much for bailouts or pony bottles. With stages used for deco, that may not be true but then you are going beyond basic scuba.

 

[String]

If its bailout its breathable at all depths encountered on the dive.

To work out if its sufficient you need to factor in your own SAC and how much gas you'll need to get to the surface at a sensible speed.

Most people dont bother, strap a bottle on, jump in feeling invincible without realising that the gas they have wont actually get them safely to the surface.

 

[bamamedic]

To me, a "pony bottle" is a small cylinder of gas that you take with you in addition to your main gas supply, with it's own separate regulator and (maybe) an SPG. It is used ONLY as a emergency gas source, for either you or another diver. If anyone has to use the pony, the dive is OVER. It is not factored into your gas planning calculations.

...or maybe a bottle full of ponies? Really small ponies or really large bottle

To me, a "bail out" bottle is something rebreather divers carry in case their rebreather quits working and they have to bail out to open circuit to get home.

A "stage" bottle is a bottle carried specifically in order to extend one's dive time, and is factored into the gas management plan.

A "deco" bottle is filled with hyperoxic gas and is used to shorten one's deco obligation

 

[sean_nc]

I view an aux bottle as a bailout, pony or stage depending on your gas plan. The same physical bottle could be all 3 on different dives. Knowing you own plan though is critical as on-the-fly planning in an OOG situation is really stupid.
- Bailout plans for an immediate ascent at 30FPM with an optional s/s
- Pony plans for a normal ascent (deep stops, safety) with some extra time to work things out on the bottom
- Stage plans allow for use in the dive (deco or bottom time extension)

As for contents, I use air cause I am cheap and my LDS fills bailouts/pony bottles for free with air, which encourages regular practice. I don't really think it matter much for bailouts or pony bottles. With stages used for deco, that may not be true but then you are going beyond basic scuba.

Everybody seems to have thier own defenition but I'd change your's just a little...

-Bailout = gas to come off a rebreather if there's a problem ...or maybe a breathable gas where you'd have to come off something like trimix (not trained for any of that yet)

-Pony = backup ..seperate system breathable at any time during the dive if there's a problem. Enough to get you to the surface safely. Arguably alternate to doubles.

-Stage = planned gas for some point in the dive. maybe a different mix based on depth maybe just to extend bottome time with other gas availible if there's a problem

-deco = bottle reserved for decompression stops. usually with a higher percentage of oxygen to reduce deco time.

I'm sure other people will correct me but I would like to see standard terms to save some of the same old arguments.

 

[Heavy water]

i view an aux bottle as a bailout, pony or stage depending on your gas plan. The same physical bottle could be all 3 on different dives. Knowing you own plan though is critical as on-the-fly planning in an oog situation is really stupid.
- bailout plans for an immediate ascent at 30fpm with an optional s/s
- pony plans for a normal ascent (deep stops, safety) with some extra time to work things out on the bottom
- stage plans allow for use in the dive (deco or bottom time extension)

as for contents, i use air cause i am cheap and my lds fills bailouts/pony bottles for free with air, which encourages regular practice. I don't really think it matter much for bailouts or pony bottles. With stages used for deco, that may not be true but then you are going beyond basic scuba.

i agree im cheap to, or just set in my ways. Air is my gas of choice, its worked for 20 plus years it will last another 20 years.

 

[Kern]

To me, a "pony bottle" is a small cylinder of gas that you take with you in addition to your main gas supply, with it's own separate regulator and (maybe) an SPG. It is used ONLY as a emergency gas source, for either you or another diver. If anyone has to use the pony, the dive is OVER. It is not factored into your gas planning calculations.

...or maybe a bottle full of ponies? Really small ponies or really large bottle

To me, a "bail out" bottle is something rebreather divers carry in case their rebreather quits working and they have to bail out to open circuit to get home.

A "stage" bottle is a bottle carried specifically in order to extend one's dive time, and is factored into the gas management plan.

A "deco" bottle is filled with hyperoxic gas and is used to shorten one's deco obligation

In casual conversation I would use the same conventions as bama. If someone wanted to go pedantic on me & point out that a deco bottle was also a stage I wouldn't argue. Just a horse of a different colour really.

 

[Wookie]

Everybody seems to have thier own defenition but I'd change your's just a little...



-Pony = backup ..seperate system breathable at any time during the dive if there's a problem. Enough to get you to the surface safely. Arguably alternate to doubles.

I'm sure other people will correct me but I would like to see standard terms to save some of the same old arguments.

I'd like to argue that a pony "should" be detachable to your main rig, so you can hand it off to someone who plans more poorly than you, therefore a pony is not doubles.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

If someone wanted to go pedantic on me & point out that a deco bottle was also a stage I wouldn't argue. Just a horse of a different colour really.

More like a horse of a different ingredient.

A stage bottle will generally contain the same gas as your primary gas supply ... because you're using it to extend your dive.

A deco bottle will contain a gas with a higher O2 content than your primary gas supply ... because you're using it to accelerate decompression.

Now, one can argue that a stage bottle and a pony bottle can be the same thing ... because they will usually contain the same gas as your primary gas supply. The difference there would be that a stage bottle is one that you plan to use during the dive, while a pony bottle is there strictly for emergencies, and does not factor into your planned gas supply.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[tomboyy]

More like a horse of a different ingredient.

A stage bottle will generally contain the same gas as your primary gas supply ... because you're using it to extend your dive.

A deco bottle will contain a gas with a higher O2 content than your primary gas supply ... because you're using it to accelerate decompression.

Now, one can argue that a stage bottle and a pony bottle can be the same thing ... because they will usually contain the same gas as your primary gas supply. The difference there would be that a stage bottle is one that you plan to use during the dive, while a pony bottle is there strictly for emergencies, and does not factor into your planned gas supply.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

No .. you can't argue it.. they ARE the same THING. The uses might be different.

I can have 2 glasses of water both are the same THING.. but
I use 1 to drink and the other to put out a fire.

Just playing.. not meaning to pick, but thats what happens sometimes