Tech 40 with a Pony Bottle?

[sea_otter]

That guy is a sidemount instructor.

I would not think he'd attract many students with that as marketing material... though I do LOVE the choice of music.

 

[barth]

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.

He does not. He is going to use a pony. A pony is not a bottom stage. A pony is only for use in the case of failure.

Maybe I’m wrong. But when there is a failure at his tank on his back he has to pick one of the tanks on the front. There is one stage filled with backgas and one stage filled with decogas in front of him. Maybe there would be stress in that situation.

I would have my buddy verify I will breath the right gas. Do you think there is enough time to follow the switch procedure? Or should he pick a regulator of his buddy?

 

[sea_otter]

As mentioned earlier, the students I've trained on Tec40 who will use that all set only for recreational dives don't often opt for an ascent/deco gas. They'll do their deep (or overhead) dives with a single and an adequately sized pony cylinder.

This makes it sound like the use of 50% is optional. If that's the case, why sling two bottles? Have one that's breathable at any time during the dive, and use it for emergency redundancy and to practice gas switches on the way up. That seems like the most practical answer to me, unless I'm misunderstanding the comment.

 

[uncfnp]

Maybe I’m wrong. But when there is a failure at his tank on his back he has to pick one of the tanks on the front. There is one stage filled with backgas and one stage filled with decogas in front of him. Maybe there would be stress in that situation.

I would have my buddy verify I will breath the right gas. Do you think there is enough time to follow the switch procedure? Or should he pick a regulator of his buddy?

Why not just handle it similarly to what you would with doubles or sidemount. If he ends up doing dives with deco, just put your backgas on a long hose, short hose (slung left) bottom gas on a necklace and the deco gas (slung right) still strapped to the tank until needed?

As to safety carrying and using deco gas, isn't that what the class is for? I wonder how many recreational divers try some like this without training?

 

[DevonDiver]

This makes it sound like the use of 50% is optional. If that's the case, why sling two bottles? Have one that's breathable at any time during the dive, and use it for emergency redundancy and to practice gas switches on the way up. That seems like the most practical answer to me, unless I'm misunderstanding the comment.

To clarify, the comment referred to their post-qualification diving preferences.

For the recreational diver, Tec40 gives a selection of tools that can be used to achieve varied goals. Nobody is suggesting that the entire toolset need to be utilised on every dive.

 

[DevonDiver]

I would have my buddy verify I will breath the right gas. Do you think there is enough time to follow the switch procedure? Or should he pick a regulator of his buddy?

Reaction to air depletion is something I monitor and assess on my courses. Some divers, even experienced ones, suffer stress very quickly when gas becomes unexpectedly available.

It can lead to improper responses, or even into active panic... causing numerous risks to diver safety.

Of course, it's a purely psychological-triggered stressor...because in reality we have ample time (1 min+) to resolve a gas supply.

When I see air-depletion induced stress in a student, we take some time to eliminate that stressor through some simple drills-based remedial training.

In reference to the OP.. this level of training is something you should expect on a Tec40 course, but would probably never encounter on a Deep Diver course.

Likewise, the development of team diving principles and protocols is also a benefit of Tec40. The buddy should have elevated situational awareness and be prepared and positioned to actively and immediately donate gas should the stressed diver experience difficult with their air supply management.

 

[kensuf]

I would not think he'd attract many students with that as marketing material... though I do LOVE the choice of music.

I've been told the really bad stuff was edited out..

 

[Jack Hammer]

I've been told the really bad stuff was edited out..

Wait... so your saying he actually put that video out of him widemounting his tanks into the rocks and grabbing everything in sight?!? Wow!

 

[kensuf]

Wait... so your saying he actually put that video out of him widemounting his tanks into the rocks and grabbing everything in sight?!? Wow!

He didn't, but he didn't really see anything wrong with it. Hey, he's a sidemount instructor that regularly teaches sidemount and cavern courses through a local site.

 

[Searcaigh]

That guy is a sidemount instructor

So is this guy