Tech 40 with a Pony Bottle?

[GeoffreyD]

Thanks for the considered replies.

If one was to take the course with side-mount, wouldn't that mean slinging 3 tanks at some point. I am wondering what the qualitative difference is between diving with a single back-mount and 2 slung cylinders and diving with a side-mount configuration. This is a genuine question from someone who has not experienced either set-up. Its not rhetorical.

 

[raftingtigger]

Thanks for the considered replies.

If one was to take the course with side-mount, wouldn't that mean slinging 3 tanks at some point. I am wondering what the qualitative difference is between diving with a single back-mount and 2 slung cylinders and diving with a side-mount configuration. This is a genuine question from someone who has not experienced either set-up. Its not rhetorical.

Slinging a tank and sidemounting a tank is different. In my limited experience the SM tank is held in tighter trim and does not drop below the diver, whereas in slinging it is looser and often rides a little below the diver. It is possible to use multiple tanks (4-5) in sidemount as well as backmount. I have no experience with more than 2 tanks at a time Really it comes down to what you are comfortable with. Both methods work for Tec40.

 

[KevinNM]

Thanks for the considered replies.

If one was to take the course with side-mount, wouldn't that mean slinging 3 tanks at some point. I am wondering what the qualitative difference is between diving with a single back-mount and 2 slung cylinders and diving with a side-mount configuration. This is a genuine question from someone who has not experienced either set-up. Its not rhetorical.

Everything I've heard is that you really need to have someone who really knows what they are doing teach you sidemount. There are supposedly a lot of instructors who will teach sidemount who basically have no idea what they are doing.

 

[boulderjohn]

Sidemount tanks are--guess where?--at your side. I have seen some absolutely horrific videos of "sidemount" divers with their tanks attached at their sides but carried really in front of them. That is to be avoided. When you add a deco bottle to a sidemount system, there are a number of different theories on how best to do it. One is to sling it like any other deco bottle. It will work if you are not actually slinging your sidemount tanks as well.

 

[GeoffreyD]

My question relates to the fact that in Tech 40 you need to carry deco gas as well as whatever you are using for the rest of the dive. If you learn in SM you are already carrying 2 bottles. So for the deco dives you will have a the deco cylinder as well as the two you are side-mounting.

 

[boulderjohn]

My question relates to the fact that in Tech 40 you need to carry deco gas as well as whatever you are using for the rest of the dive. If you learn in SM you are already carrying 2 bottles. So for the deco dives you will have a the deco cylinder as well as the two you are side-mounting.

Here was your question: "If one was to take the course with side-mount, wouldn't that mean slinging 3 tanks at some point. I am wondering what the qualitative difference is between diving with a single back-mount and 2 slung cylinders and diving with a side-mount configuration. This is a genuine question from someone who has not experienced either set-up. Its not rhetorical."

I think you answered it yourself. You need to have what you are using for back gas, and you need a decompression gas. What you may be missing is that your back gas needs to be redundant. Sidemount doubles are redundant. If you have that, great. Now you need to have a deco bottle.

 

[raftingtigger]

One last thought. If you do decide to take Tec40 in SM then get comfortable in SM first before adding the task loading of Tec40 (or expect to take longer as you learn both). The same applies to BM doubles, get comfortable first then move on to Tec40.

 

[GeoffreyD]

This is getting confusing. If you look at my original post, what I'm exploring is not sidemount and not backmount doubles. I'm exploring the idea of using a backmount single with redundant gas and deco gas slung. That is, one bottle on the back, two on the front.

 

[elgoog]

I'm exploring the idea of using a backmount single with redundant gas and deco gas slung. That is, one bottle on the back, two on the front.

This sounds like a terrible idea - no technical diving instructor will teach you this or recommend you dive this way. If you want redundant gas and deco, you pretty much will have to go with doubles (BM or SM) and a slung deco bottle.

 

[divezonescuba]

Ok.

Option 1
Backmount one primary tank with a pony fixed to the backmounted tank. Sling the deco bottle. This is much less complicated.

Or

Option 2
Backmount the primary tank and sling both the pony and the deco tank. This is more complicated but would get you used to slinging two deco tanks as in tec 50. The use of the slung tanks is of course different.

In a tech course you should want to make have things as least complicated as possible, KISS is one of the principles of Padi TEC diving courses. That means on your requirement of only one backmount tank, option 1 would be preferred.

I believe if you mounted the pony bottle on the backmounted tank, it would also be easier to set up and use as a long hose and necklace configuration. That would translate closest to backmounted doubles at a later date.