DevonDiver
N/A
A thought experiment concerning “team bailout” when diving CCR in a cave…
(sharing just to play Devil's Advocate)
Open or closed valve on pony bottle?
- Thread starter Bert van den Berg
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
A thought experiment concerning “team bailout” when diving CCR in a cave…
(sharing just to play Devil's Advocate)
I read the article, and I believe we all were taught to carry our Gas plus half the quantity more, our the rule of x1.5, our double the quantity x2, more of what I like to be.
Aldo The author of the article is creating a scenario, it is very valid, it is kind of insane that some divers think in that approach of bailout, of just enough for one individual to make it out.
Aldo The author of the article is creating a scenario, it is very valid, it is kind of insane that some divers think in that approach of bailout, of just enough for one individual to make it out.
- Messages
- 16,401
- Reaction score
- 5,218
- # of dives
- 1000 - 2499
I guess as long as you have a routine and know what you're doing it doesn't much matter whether your pony valve is open or not. Unless as stated, it is attached to your tank and difficult to easily reach in an emergency. I understand the possibility of pony reg free flow in a stiff current, so that may be a concern. As far as free flowing for other reasons, seems highly unlikely. Your octo is exposed to water all the time--occasionally mine will free flow upon entering cold water, so of course I flip it over and it's good to go. It's never free flowed during a dive. There can't be a concern of water getting into the pony first stage if the valve is open, or else you'd have to worry about that with the octo as well. Thus I keep my pony valve open (not to mention all those OW course reg retrieval drills).
kafkaland
Contributor
As long as the gas is breathable at every depth, I keep the valve open. That way, I don't have to worry about opening it in an emergency when I might be stressed out already. And should it free flow, I can always shut it off. A free flow is hard to miss, and it takes only a few seconds to shut it down.
Octopusprime
Contributor
Do what is comfortable for you, but if you dive with your pony a lot and you practice it will become muscle memory to open the valve with one hand and pull out the stage with the other.
Would anyone dive doubles with one post turned off? If not, then why dive a pony that is turned off?
CptTightPants21
Contributor
barth
Contributor
I think this really comes down to diver experience, practice = proficiency.. If someone is a new "solo" diver, etc. (let's face it, "buddy's" often disappear and you essentially are solo), I say charge it and leave it on for the obvious reasons.. That being said, I think anyone who slings a pony should practice.. practice.. practice.. That added bit of life insurance will be a cruel joke if you don't know how to use it, should the time ever come, without freaking out..
As someone who's done the tech & cave dance with one instructor who liked to shut down valves while I was focused on other things, not to mention having a 1st stage slam-closed in open water, I know how I handle OOG situations.. Most divers that are slinging pony's may not have experienced this, or maybe they have and that is why they are now? Regardless, I always charge any addition bottle I sling and then shut it down. If for any reason I can't breath off my primary reg, my first stop is my backup 2nd on my necklace, followed a spit second later by me re-opening my pony valve with my left hand, while at the same time yanking its reg free for use. Easy as pie.. If you have practiced and are proficient..
Outside of deco tank habit, my main reason for shutting a pony down is scootering at higher speeds.. I think that is the only time I'd miss a reg free-flowing..
As someone who's done the tech & cave dance with one instructor who liked to shut down valves while I was focused on other things, not to mention having a 1st stage slam-closed in open water, I know how I handle OOG situations.. Most divers that are slinging pony's may not have experienced this, or maybe they have and that is why they are now? Regardless, I always charge any addition bottle I sling and then shut it down. If for any reason I can't breath off my primary reg, my first stop is my backup 2nd on my necklace, followed a spit second later by me re-opening my pony valve with my left hand, while at the same time yanking its reg free for use. Easy as pie.. If you have practiced and are proficient..
Outside of deco tank habit, my main reason for shutting a pony down is scootering at higher speeds.. I think that is the only time I'd miss a reg free-flowing..
Last edited:
Not a good analogy, IMO... You are talking tech vs. rec, right?
Only by mistake would someone 'trained' to dive doubles (tech) do so with a post (and/or isolator) closed.. If / when they ended up becoming aware of the situation, they would most likely be able to remedy it. IF someone is diving a pony and is not capable of turning that tank back on in an OOG situation, while at the same time putting the reg in their mouth.. Well, they shouldn't be diving with a pony anyway.. Maybe that is the issue?
Similar threads
