markmud
Self Reliant Diver--On All Dives.
Keep the AL13, and use it to soak your Regulator under pressure in a fresh water basin, post-dive.
And unless you plan on dive travel to other places in the world carrying your redundant pony bottle at all times, I would still recommend doing that modified CESA drill with valve manipulation (or better yet consider a sidemount course; there are always 11L/bar tanks for rent --for Primary & Redundant back-up-- at every dive destination around the world).
Hello Kevrumbo,
I think you have a good point about keeping the 13 ft3 pony. I always use one of my ponies to "soak" our regs after a dive trip. The regs are always soaked under pressure. When I inspect the returned parts after overhaul, there is never any sign of corrosion. Also, our first stage regs are rinsed with a cup of fresh water before tank changes during surface intervals. A small drop or two of water can enter the system when changing out tanks during a surface interval no matter how careful you are; if this happens, it is better for fresh water to enter your reg.
Another point about size of pony bottles. I will keep my 6 ft3 and 13 ft3 bottles after I am SDI Solo certified. On many dives, I am relatively close to other divers or a divemaster. A 6 ft3 bottle will give me 5.5 minutes at 50 fsw to get to my SOB buddy, or the divemaster (I have tested my 6 ft3 bottle at 50'). Or, I can make a controlled ascent to the surface. Will I have a reserve at the surface--hell no! Will I have made a controlled ascent with a safety stop--definately, unless I am tangled in a fishing net or eaten by a shark--life sucks man!
I owned a defective first stage regulator. I had to make two controlled emergency ascents to the surface because of it. I had my 6 ft3 pony bottle rig with me. I did not use the pony rig. I used the free flowing primary system to perform a slow ascent to 20' where I did a safety stop. I also did an additional one minute stop at 10' to 15'. I boarded the boat with a full pony and more than 1,000 psi in my primary system.
After taking the regulator in question to another service center, the problem was diagnosed as a casting flaw that allowed the intermediate pressure to increase while diving.
My point is this: Dependiing on your diving situation and location, travelling with your 13 ft3 bottle may be a safe alternative to slinging an 80 ft3 bottle if that is the only thing available in some far away spot.
Maybe my logic will be "brainwashed" away after I take the SDI Solo course, but until then, while diving in close proximity to other divers from the same boat, I will carry my 6 ft3 or 13 ft3 pony rig while practicing self-reliant techniques within "buddy-diving" protocals.
And yes, I have done pony bottle practice ascents from depth with the 6 ft3 rig. I do this on the last dive of every trip--better to use the air in the pony than waste it on the surface (I take the valve off the tank for TSA and airline regulations). My ponies have flown to the southern hemisphere and many places in the northern hemishere. (I did not contradict myself: I always have between 300 psi to 1000 psi left in my pony--enough to pressurize regs for soaking. Last trip, I pressure soaked 4 regs starting with 300 psi in my pony.)
markm
