An Idea Taken From DIR

[Dive-aholic]

Yes, it was on, and always will be during a dive. I dont think solo divers should have their redundant gas turned off. This seems ridiculous to me.

And if the reg starts to free flow, how much air will you lose before you can shut down the valve? Most divers keep their stage and deco bottles off until they need them. It only takes a second to crank the valve enough to get some air from the tank. Leaving the valve on is "ridiculous".

 

[Nemrod]

I don't do that. The pony, when used and if slung, as has been described by numerous people rides along your left side with the valve forward. I think the hose I have on my pony regulator, an Oceanic Omega II, is 36 inches. It is bundled under several pieces of elastic tubing with the regulator stowed adjacent to the valve---not dragging behind and below as in that picture you posted. This set up places the pony regulator in actual use hardly any distance from the intended recipient--me! I can grab the regulator with my left hand and turn the valve on with the right--quickly. NO, I don't really like the idea of wrapping the pony hose around yourself and necklacing it.

One problem with it is that some solo divers do not always remove their standard octapus and it of course would be the one necklaced.

I don't see any real problem off hand with what your doing other than it complicates the pony set up and simpler is better usually.

I pressurize the pony regulator but close the valve.

I don't understand the AIRII.

N

 

[Nemrod]

Forget the double hose Phoenix Aqua Master in the picture, whether it were my Tekna T2100s or my Voit MR12IIs or my (wife's) new Aqua Legend or any of others I have--for SOLO diving---I generaly remove the octapus. I rely upon the pony as my redundancy because an octapus is not redundant--it is nothing but a failure point for the solo diver! The AIRII is a failure point for the solo diver. The octapus or an AIRII offers no redundancy to the pony equipped solo diver (single tank) and provides no single positive element and only an important negative--it could fail (free flow, cut hose, etc). The fewer failure points on your main back gas rig the better. Removing the octapus/AIRII removes a known failure mode from your system. The pony is REAL redundancy--and introduces NO falure mode into your main rig.

Note position of the pony second stage.

Not saying any of this is right or wrong or best, just my opinion of what is currently best for me and that has changed (and not) over some 40 years of diving.

Next time I am back home I may dig back through the crates stored in my old place, W-----s Aircraft, Lawnmower and Tool, dig out some of my doubles cave rigs from 1974 with twin regulators on independent LP tanks with seven foot hoses, homemade lights with NiCad batteris from 24Volt jet aircraft batteries and 100W landing light bulbs and homemade reels. One of the rigs has twin LP 100s, one with a Y valve, two regs, one with a K valve and one regulator and a 40 cf center pony with yet another--some were long hoses and were bundled. We did all sorts of strange stuff back then--there were no commonly available isolation manifolds for poor college kids--which is a far more elegant solution eliminating so much of the weird stuff--that did work.

N

 

[Blitz]

Secondary around your neck and stage reg on the bottle. The extra hoses can always cause trouble, whether they are in the way or you get all snaggled up. It doesn't take much time to deploy a stage reg if you need it.

 

[ShallowDiverDave]

not dragging behind and below as in that picture you posted.
N

I did not end up diving as shown in the picture, I dived with the standard slung stage bottle placement (chest to hip). Same as your bottle is rigged.

The next time I'm home I need to post a picture...the hose doesnt wrap around myself, it runs down the bottle slightly, then over to the center of my body, then up my chest to my neck.

 

[ShallowDiverDave]

And if the reg starts to free flow, how much air will you lose before you can shut down the valve?

I found the best place for my left arm was around the bottle (hugging it almost), so my left hand is practically fondling the valve...not long, is the answer.

Most divers keep their stage and deco bottles off until they need them.

It's not a stage bottle, it's a redundant air source, and I'm not most divers.

It only takes a second to crank the valve enough to get some air from the tank. Leaving the valve on is "ridiculous".

That's fine for other people, but I want that second . Quite simply, I disagree, in terms of a solo diver at least.

 

[Blitz]

That's fine for other people, but I want that second . Quite simply, I disagree, in terms of a solo diver at least.

Couldn't you argue that you need to be comfortable enough in the water as a solo diver not to need that second?


Marc

 

[ianr33]

If you are that bothered about needing instant access to the air in both tanks a better method of doing so would be to use back mounted independant doubles.Functionally it will be the same as what you are now doing (2 tanks,always on,second stage of one tank necklaced) but would be a lot less strokey.

 

[ShallowDiverDave]

If you are that bothered about needing instant access to the air in both tanks a better method of doing so would be to use back mounted independant doubles.Functionally it will be the same as what you are now doing (2 tanks,always on,second stage of one tank necklaced) but would be a lot less strokey.

I like the idea of being able to see my entire redundant air system at all times during a dive (So I'm sticking with the slung pony). Me needing those precious seconds, was somewhat of a joke, so I'm not that bothered by it really. Yes, I am being moderately stubborn now that I have found something that works well for me.

The real deal is, I have found a setup that I'm very comfortable with, and it makes sense to me. Bottom line is, no setup is bullet proof, so find something that makes sense for you and what you are doing, and continue optimizing it. I hypothesize: There exists,for any setup, a scenario where another setup would have been better.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Is there an obvious problem with it? How about they put their 2nd air supply reg around their ankles instead?J/K Ya know, something constructive would be nice Doc, instead of what seems to be a snide remark.

In an OOA, I want my "buddy" (my redundant air, in this case) very close.

Fndmylove,

My remark was not intended to be snide. You asked whether other solo divers would do as you do. I answered that they would probably not.

This is because for many reasons, which have all been set forth in this thread by guys who solo dive, what you have chosen to do does not make sense when "thought through thoroughly".

If it makes sense to you personally, and you intend to dive this way regardless of what others might suggest, then fine. Have at it.

But what you suggest would not make sense to me, or to the others who have responded to your post, for the reasons they posted, and this explains perfectly why I answered your question by indicating that other solo divers would probably not choose to dive with the configuration you've selected.

Ask a question, get an answer. The fact that you do not like my answer does not make it inaccurate.

Dive safe,

Doc