Redundant Air Supply - Scuba Tech Tips: S04E10
Вставка
- Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
- Safe divers regularly check their air supply and surface before it gets low. However, if you want the extra safety of a fully redundant air supply, Alec shows popular redundant air options along with the pros and cons of each.
**** Alec Peirce Scuba ****
SCUBA TECH TIPS playlists
▶︎ Series 6: • Scuba Tech Tips - Seri...
▶︎ Series 5: • Scuba Tech Tips - Seri...
▶︎ Series 4: • Scuba Tech Tips - Seri...
▶︎ Series 1, 2 & 3: • Scuba Tech Tips - Seri...
VINTAGE SCUBA playlists
▶︎ Series 3: • Vintage Scuba - Series 3
▶︎ Series 2: • Vintage Scuba - Series 2
▶︎ Series 1: • Vintage Scuba - Series 1
SEA HUNT REMEMBERED playlists
▶︎ Series 2: • Sea Hunt Remembered - ...
▶︎ Series 1: • Sea Hunt Remembered - ...
SCUBA 2000
▶︎ Website: www.scuba2000.com
▶︎ Facebook: / scuba2000
▶︎ SEA HUNT COLLECTOR website: seahuntcollecto...
Thunderf00t brought me here.
Edit: i don´t even swim but its interesting!
Brought me here too, and I'm amazed. Amazed at how people moan about maintenance costs and cost of equipment for something that you require to live. No money issues when you're dead.
The cost of servicing scuba gear is amazingly cheap when compared to other service costs.
I just had my brakes done on a 10 year-old F150. It cost $1500. More than 1/2 o that was labor.
I've done many brake jobs over the years and it might take a competent mechanic 2 hours to do all 4 brakes. They just replace the rotors and pads, clean and lube. The hardest part is taking off the wheels.
So $100 plus parts ($50) is pretty cheap every 2 years or so.
Take care.
Alec
Was brought here from this video by Thunderf00t: ua-cam.com/video/pZYWO0ylFoQ/v-deo.html
Thanks for the info, man.
Hope you enjoyed it.
Alec
Thumderf00t brought me here, and I’m so glad. I’m not a SCUBA diver, but you’re so entertaining to watch and so informative, it’s a bit like watching a documentary. Also, even though I know absolutely nothing, there was no point in this video where I was confused or didn’t know what you were talking about, that shows what a great teacher you are.
I don't dive.
I can't swim.
I hate the water.
But damn if I'm not sold on that pony tank.
Well thanks Lee.
I suppose that's the ultimate compliment for a speaker, when the audience has no idea what he's talking about but they enjoy it anyway.
Wow!
Alec
Alec Peirce Scuba you really do have a gift, you should be so proud of yourself! Keep up the great work!
Alec Peirce Scuba I should also say, that at no point did I feel like you were ‘dumbing anything down’ or anything like that, you just explain things really really well, and in an entertaining way too, I chuckled along a few times watching this. I would imagine that whether you know a lot about SCUBA or like me you know nothing, you’d come away from this video knowing more than you did at the start.
I aim to achieve 2 things from my videos - knowledge and entertainment. I'm not sure which is more important to me.
So, if you learned something and if you laughed, you've made me a happy man.
Thanks.
Alec
Thumderf00t brought you quite some traffic whilst debunking scamcl. Have a lovely day.
I will return the favor.
Clearly a man of good taste.
Aec
I was just going thru withdrawals and now I'm good for the rest of the week. Awesome video on phone bottles. Thanks Alec. Montana Mike.
ThunderfOOt brought me here. I like the way you explain this stuff, down to earth and with experience. I just noticed the license plate-the Aqua Lung, that's pretty funny.
Thanks for watching Charles.
I hope you enjoy our channel and it helps you be a better diver too.
Alec
That this channel doesn't have 1M subs is criminal.
That would be nice but I'm happy to educate and entertain my diver viewers.
A
@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter Well you're saving lives. Scuba is still very much the wild west. I definitely appreciate ya.
I like this old coot, he's the right amount of funny and condescending.
I kinda' like this old coot too.
Thanks.
Alec
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter Dude, you are a riot. Keep being awesome!
When it comes to all things in life “Old Coots” can show you the way......thank God for those with experience and willingness to show the way! Thank you Alec Peirce
Hi Alec, great video. I have been diving with pony bottles over 10 years. Just a few items to mention. I don't do back mount pony anymore as it tips you to the side. If you clip it to your front and bungie it like a sidemount, you are far more balanced. On back mount I have sometimes forgot to turn tank on. The back mount clamp you show was the best I had used, but the rubber parts came off and the strap did not like big pony bottles. There is a nice way to streamline the hose/second stage as well as have it bungeed to your side nicely, but this is all in an online course at sidemounting.com which I really liked encourage all to view. I sidemount dive more now as many dive shops do not rent pony bottles and tanking one with you is a pain if you fly as it has to be depressurized and weighs a lot in a suitcase. I encourage people to have a pony as 1) who knows how reliable your dive buddy is, 2) my first dive (rental gear) I had a hose rupture, I also had 3 free flows (one due to first stage issues, 2 to second stage). Fortunately I did not need a pony in those cases but these are the reasons I always carry one on dives now.
I don't even scuba dive but subscribed for this dude's personality !
I aim to educate and/or amuse.
Looks like it's working.
Thanks for watching.
Alec
LOL, Spare Air just makes sure you run out air twice on the same dive! I sling a 30cf bailout when I dive a single, not because I'm worried about running out, but in case of equipment failure.
In my early days when i was doing a lot of SCUBA diving mostly wrecks, i always used a double 10 l with AGA mask, a 4 l pony and a extra mask in the vest . It was attached with a slipknot and Velcro and could be given to a buddy in one move . Thinking back now after 25 years and 5000-6000 commercial dives i still find it a good system, and would use the same today if i went SCUBA, but i prefer my surface air and the hot water;). Thx for the video, it should be illegal to sell that crab . Many young divers have big egos , that and bad fast SCUBA schools like PADI and so are together with panic the worse killers , we dont need more of them. Take care down there and remember the most life and beauty is at the first 10-15 m. ;)
Don’t know about other groups in the uk. But my club call these bailout bottles. Great video as always!
Yep. Bailout bottles is what they're called over 'ome.
We tote them in the boot with the rest of our kit.
Didn't know I was British did you??
Take care.
Alec
In commercial/military diving, a "bailout bottle" is what one shifts to if one needs to disconnect from the surface air supply. See, for example: upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/US_Navy_060329-F-3759D-001_U.S._Navy_divers_assigned_to_the_rescue_and_salvage_ship_USS_Safeguard_(ARS_50)_prepare_to_dive.jpg
Thunderf00t
brought me here
He's obviously a good friend.
Alec
Same lol
Great information Alec. This coming weekend I'm going to be looking for a redundant air supply for wreck diving.
Wreck and deep diving are probably the only good reasons to go to the expense and trouble of setting up a redundant air supply.
75% of divers simply don't need it - assuming they follow good diving rules!!!
Thanks for watching.
Alec
my favourite scuba channel on youtube❤👌
Thanks very much Asger. Lots more to share.
Alec
Love what you talk about Alec
Thanks Dean. Lots more interesting topics coming.
Alec
I was getting so many recommended videos I figured I was subscribed.
Subscriber
Hi Alec: thanks for another great video! What ever happened to "J" valves? I used it regularly back in the 70's and thought it was a great idea. For your readers that don't know what that is, it's a reserve lever with a long rod attached to your first stage and when pulled in the down position, can deliver another 600psi of reserve air from your main tank.
Jim - He has some excellent videos that cover many details regarding J valves. I never knew what they were before his videos. They may be under his vintage scuba series where he goes through the history of tank valves. It was very cool to see. They even had an audible function in some regs that would indicate low air and you would then switch to "reserve." Alec covered it all in that episode.
@jim been 40y since I used J valves, correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't you gage show 600psi whether you pull the rod or not ? you should be looking at your air at all times so you know to go up with you hit that last bit! if you don't look at your air supply (or when I started we didn't have any) then yes a j-valve 'reserve' will save your behind (if rod didn't get pulled by mistake). relying on that reserve and with balanced reg (can't tell until very last breath or so) is asking for trouble...
But wouldn't a redundant air system be a good backup for some type of equipment malfunction if a person is solo diving or if their buddy is out of reach? I would be more worried about either of those scenarios than simply me "messing up" by running out of air because I wasn't paying attention. I've been thinking about adding a pony bottle system, but I really don't see anyone in my dive circles using them. Why are they not more commonly used? They seem like a really wise idea as long as they are ONLY used in an emergency and not relied upon as part of a dive plan.
Solo diving requires more training and gear that buddy but a redundant air supply is something anyone who wants one can use. Simple, not expensive and reliable (key point) and for emergencies only is totally true. I dove with many who carried a SpareAir system and several with pony's like this, its what makes you comfortable. If you were paired up with a stranger 500 miles from shore, better trust them to be nearby or carry your own piece of mind like these.
A.
I thought an octopus hose was for in case an octopus swims by and wants a little air. ;)
Could be I suppose. Ever tried it?
Alec
Found you from the ThunderFoot episode on Scorkl where he used clips of this video to demonstrate the absurdity of their product.
I've only ever had a passing, vague interest in snorkling but after learning about some of the complexities involved in it from this video I started watching a lot of your other videos and now I'm absolutely fascinated by it. I don't know if I will ever take the plunge (being as I am a coward and I get painful sunburns easier and quicker than newborn albino babies) but either way I'm grateful for your videos. I reckon this video in particular has probably saved lives. Great work. From an Aussie. Oh and you remind me a bit of Johnny Carson, your voice and intonation mainly.
Wow! Good to hear from you.
I was a big fan of Johnny too so that's a compliment.
I'd like to talk to you privately if you can contact me at seahunter@vintagescuba.com .
Take care.
Alec
I Dove at Night for Flounder for Yrs. I have 13 Qubic Ft Pony Redundant Supply for I have Dove at Night Alone in 55' & 70 ft & 122 ft deep alone. But the Night I Ran Out of Air I didn't have it On Me.
I was 105 ft deep & 20-25 ft back under Liberty Ship Edwards.
If my Dive Bud had not seen me Bolt for the Surface & Caught me at 70 FT as I had stopped kicking & could only focus on pulling gas from my Reg I wouldn't be telling my story. 13 Qubic Ft Pony is not really enough I believe 19 should be minimum. Because when you PANIC you can't control your Breathing... I have many years Experience Commercial Fishing Diving ECT ECT.
I can tell you about Running out at 105 under The Edwards
Whent Right back Next Night
Most experienced divers have horror stories.
It's an indication of how safe scuba diving is that they get to re-tell those stories.
Whether they do or not is a personal choice. I don't.
I do agree that, if you're going to use a pony, you might as well make it worthwhile and I like 19 cf tanks for that purpose.
take care.
Alec
Brought here by Thunderf00t's "Scorkl: busted"
His was a good video, hope this was interesting also.
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter yours is more interesting as you talk from experience. As others try to get clicks.
Same here. I didn't think Thunderf00t gave proper credit. Took me a lot of effort to find it. I love this guy though, I can't imagine having 100 feet of water above me, but nice to hear a bona fide expert explain some of the nuances of diving.
It`s not just for running out of air it`s also for regulator failure. That`s why I`ve got one.
Hey, if you feel better, go for it.
Running out of air is invariably the diver's fault.
Regulator failure is virtually non-existent (I'm assuming you have your own and get it serviced).
But I would never suggest a diver not use back-ups if he wants to.
Take care Katelyn.
Alec
not everyone is necessary on top of their service or want the yearly expense/hassle (you can get new regs every couple years for less than an annual service) or you may rent stuff that might be questionable, so having a compact backup for travel might make sense.
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter.. Perfect for cold whether diving... when your regulator freezes.. for ice diving think i use a dekomp bottle little more volume.. Enjoy your channel and your expertise... Greetings from Sweden....
@@kennethmikaelsson7990 , when you go ice diving the reg will freeze on the surface when the first stage is out of the water. Once you`re under it`s fine. Like Alec said regulator failure is very, very rare. Use your octopus reg and ascend, in case the hose pops ore the membrane of the second stage falls out (yes it happens, I have seen it first hand)! If one is aware of his gauge and you do an annual service to your kit, backups are really not needed for recreational scuba diving.
Don't most divers have two regulators ? Not that someone would remember the extra regulator in a panic . My last dive I panicked a little when I got caught in fishing net my instructor had to cut me out . Oddly I haven't been diving since . Not for getting tangled in fishing net but for not having time , money , and expired license .
This guy has a little bit of Walter White ( without the Meth chemistry ) and "Red" Foreman in him . I like that !
Thanks Airon.
The many subscribers/viewers that I've met soon realize that it's just me, just the way I am.
I'm too old to change now so I'm glad you like it.
Take care.
Alec
Spare air should be called the “forgive me” bottle. You get to ask god for forgiveness for your sins before you run out of air TWICE, then pass out. Maybe shoot a quick text or selfie to your loved ones. YES my phone can text under water what if it! ;) no spare are is better than nothing. My thinking is being tangled so bad you have to ditch your whole tank. I’d sure be happy I had that if I was 50 feet down and for whatever reason had to swim up naked.
I like the idea of a 20 pony though. Seems enough to get out of almost any bind. In open water that is. In a wreck or a cave I’d want two full tanks and a pony, and a knife and a mask screw it a gun too! No crazy underwater cave spider is gonna tangle me up or take me out. Shoooooot....
All done :)
Be safe all.
But also live like a rock star!
SpareAir can be a life saver in shallow conditions and cheaper than a typical pony setup (with no annual VIS or hydro testing).
I don't want texts while diving, just to enjoy the moment.
Alec
Hi Alec, still loving all your videos. Great advice as usual.
I've been diving in the UK for over 15 years, always in a dry suit and always with a twin set. I use 2 x 12l (sorry we're metric over here) I think they are your 80's. One cylinder can inflate my drysuit, the other my bcd therefore I've got redundancy. I always leave at least 50bar (700 psi) in the empty one which my buddy could use to get safely to the surface. Normally I get back on the boat with 100 - 150 bar over the 2 cylinders. I do not have an octopus or safe 2nd, I just have 1 reg, SPG and inflator from each cylinder. If I do light weight diving, I'll either keep with the 12's and not have to mess about swapping cylinders between dives or use twin 7's. Same setup but with more gas and safety then a single 12.
Keep safe.
An interesting setup but not having a safe 2nd makes your reg a fail point. Maybe not a concern in warm water but as a Brit in the lovely chilly waters of the UK, a freeze up is possible. If you buddy is well versed in your gear setup and safety procedures, have fun and dive safe. Can you dive in the UK now?
I am 13 years old and I'm going to be a scuba diver
Wow! That's when I started too.
Put your mind to it and go. Don't let anyone discourage you - friends, siblings and especially parents.
They love you and are compelled by nature to protect you but educate them about how safe scuba is - safer than many other sports that they wouldn't worry about - skiing, surfing, motocross, etc. Tell your dad it's safer than being in the car when he's driving. That'll shake him! And it's true.
Good luck. If I can help reach out anytime.
Alec
I don't think these are just for running out of air from being stupid. There are for equipment failures. I had a high pressure hose blow on me once. I lost about a 1/3 of my air before I realized what happened. I would never trust my life to a dive buddy, especially since most of the time it is someone you just meet on the boat. I want to be able to take care of myself.
I personally carry a 30 tank, and I carry it in the front instead of on my tank. I'm moving to doubles soon, so I won't need it after that.
Redundant air systems have multiple purposes like the ones you mentioned. Some like the 'no buddy' dependancy, others do higher risk diving like caves/caverns. There are as many options for these systems as for regular tanks and regs. Pick the one that works best for your diving.
Thank you Alec.... excellent info as always
Thanks. Alec
Excellent video, Alec. Thanks for sharing!
I hope it gave you some useful info Mike.
Thanks for watching. Alec
I don’t know why people get things like spare air for $400 if your a diver like me you can get a pony bottle £200-250 and a reg on eBay for about £100-150
But £400 is more than $400 and other than that I personally don't trust a Site like ebay to have goods in an acceptable condition especially when your life depends on it but that's just me.
If you're in cold water, inside a wreck at that depth and you're someone prone to "running out of air", you'd be well advised to either give up diving, or run twins.
Came across this topic while doing the self reliant course and chose sidemount as the best redundant air supply system for me.
Sidemount is doubtless the best set-up for redundant air - if you've been trained to use it!!
Of course, that much redundant air is for specific dives. I get a kick out of watching divers struggle to gear up and enter with a sidemount before a 25' dive on a warm reef. Ah well. Good practice I suppose.
Alec
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter how do you feel about freediving as a part of scuba self-reliant training?
I mean 25 feet / 10 meters is like a joke for acsend - just 3 kicks of fans (without a gear).
I love how he educates in his videos. He adds humor to it. He says in the case u MESS UP DUMMIE. Lmao. On the screen flash at you.. Dummie dummie dummie go up stupid, go up stupid. Lmao. I am dying
Thanks for the good video. I've got a 6cuft pony for when I go solo diving. I bungee its reg to the bottle, house it in a mesh holder with clips and sling it out of the way on my right side. Now thinking of going to maybe a 13cuft.
6 is a bit small. It would give you enough air that you'd have time to realize you screwed up and were going to die!
Try at least 13.
Take care.
Alec
Why would you give your buddy your spare reg before passing him the pony?
I'd rather have him use the pony than have us both sharing from the same tank.
Either is fine. If you have the pony rigged so it's easy to deploy and has a longer hose, then it can be the "Safe Second" rather than your standard Safe Second or octo. The pony can essentially act as an octo too. So you have 2 octo options.
Which you use is a moot point. He's going to use your air whether from your main tank or your pony.
Just work it out with your buddy first and maybe even practice it in shallow water to be sure it works and that he knows what to do.
Take care.
Alec
I think what he means is why have an octo if you have a pony ? use it as you second option instead.
Hey Alec, I started using 13 CF pony bottles over 20 years ago, when cave diving in Ginnie Springs, and I got disoriented and started climbing toward the roof of the cave, w/o realizing it, and my Calypso VI, that has a solid yoke, kit the roof of the cave, with such a force, that I tough I was going out like a rocket. Luckily, my Calypso VI held like a champ, and nothing happened, but I learned to use the pony, since you never know, that a hose, HP seat, O-Ring my fail, specially diving at 130' here in Boynton Beach, Florida or cave diving in Silver or Ginnie Springs. Cheap insurance, I call it. Thanks for your great videos.
Redundant Air Supply, because it made my Mum happy :D
A great reason to have it.
The day after I got certified 10 years ago I purchased a 19. I now own a 30 as well. 0-60 I backmount a 19. 60+ I backmount the 30. Never looked back. I feel naked without it. And I have never dove without one. Every dive. Every time. Take control of your own safety. Nice video Alec. Also check out the Pony Bracket as a mounting system. I have used all of the ones on the market and it keeps the pony closer to the main tank. Thanks Alec for this video. Hopefully more divers start using them.
You are the first channel I have ever subscribed to "and" actually hit notify me with each new video. Thank you for the great videos and explaining everything so well.
That's a real compliment Josh. I hope you're learning something or at least that I'm making you think.
Take care.
Alec
During some of the dicier dives I have had not only an auxiliary tank, but I also had a spare air 3 breaths to death filled with almost pure oxygen, not for long term breathing, but specifically to breathe right below the surface during an emergency ascent and for emergency medical aid
That's an interesting idea for the S.A. Label it well.
A
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter it was bright neon green and pretty hard to mistake, but even visual labels aren't always enough; I do cave and wreck dives as well as other sketchy stuff that results in no visibility at all, so I added a couple of rings of skateboard tape around my spare air, so I could very easily recognize and orient it by feel, even thru gloves (also makes it a lot harder to drop). I used more and bigger rings of skateboard tape around my ti pony tank
Carry a completely redundant, air supply system, just in case there may be buddy separation; when diving in low visibility, when diving in a current or when diving deep (below 100 ft.). When solo diving or technical diving, carrying a redundant air supply system is mandatory.
On a dive down to 60 ft. - you could carry, “Spare Air.”
On a dive down to 100 ft. - carry a 19 cu. ft. bottle.
On a dive between 100 ft. - 130 ft. - carry a 30 cu. ft. bottle.
On a technical dive, below 130 ft. - carry at least a 40 cu. ft. bottle. Careful planning and air consumption calculations are needed for these types of dives.
Always set a, “minimum ascent pressure.” The pressure gauge point at which “bottom time” ends and “ascent time” begins.
Leave 60 ft. - and start heading to the surface when you’re at 800 psi.
Leave 100 ft. - and start heading to the surface when you’re at 1,200 psi.
Leave 130 ft. - and start heading to the surface when you’re at 1,600 psi.
Agreed. Also where does the idea that a Spare Air will last two minutes at 100ft come from? Now I'm going to work this in metric if no one minds. The Spare Air shown carries 85 liters at 200 bar. Lets start with a common breathing rate of 15l per minute at the surface. Brilliant the Spare Air will last you just over 5 1/2 minutes lying on a lido catching a tan. However sink the lido and at 30m that's cut down to 85 seconds.. If you're calm. But you're not calm because your out of air and the surface is 30m away. So...your consumption shoots up. It can readily more than quadruple and suddenly that 85 seconds is closer to twenty or less.
In fact I recommend reading the article at www.ukdiving.co.uk/technical/articles/alternative_air.htm, I quote "Although claims of up to 48 breaths on the surface are made, we found our testers got between 17 and 32. An ascent begun at 40m emptied the cylinder by the time 30m was reached. It provided just five breaths. However, we were surprised at how well the unit breathed at depth. " So yes they breathe well but would you want to rely on one. Not me for sure.
SomaliCoastguard -- I agree 100%. The Spare Air system is too small to be practical for anything but shallow diving. In fact, unless I'm mistaken it originally wasn't intended for diving at all, but as an emergency egress aid for downed aircraft that had hit water.
@@seikibrian8641 correct the initial development of it was aimed at helicopter crew they could just have it in a thigh pocket of their flight suit and in the event of going down over the water they didn't need to hold their breath to get out of the helicopter which would frequently role upside down in the meantime. Personally have never even considered one for diving. Though most of the time I dive twins now and frequently carry a full stage bottle as well so dont need anything more.
Awesome tips 👏
Thanks for watching.
Alec
love your video's and I love sea hunt
Alec, GREAT videos - Thank you. A few years back, I started diving with a redundant 19CF pony... now a days I try not to dive deeper than 60FT without it - personal preference. Again great info - keep them coming.
Thanks for watching Ignacio. Alec
This is a very interesting segment I would like to see something on breathing techniques to help dive longer. I know there is no gear involved but it would be very beneficial to every diver.
Best advice slow down... it is not a race. Oh and I was told a pair of running shoes was the best scuba gear to increase dive time a long time ago. It is true. Get out and walk/run above water equals more air under water. Ha.
YOU'RE SO ENTERTAINING AND INFORMATIVE.
Could you send that comment again please. - in Caps and underlined in Red.
Sometimes my kids read this stuff.
Thanks.
Alec
Hi Alec, can you do a video for divers who are considering a redundant air supply, explaining how to select the right size for different type/depths of diving. For example if a had a 6.0cu air supply, and I am diving 80 ft depth, will that realistically allow me to ascend safely to the surface ?(considering stress breathing). Or will I need a 13cu or 19 cu?
What if I am at 100ft or 130ft depths?
I think it would be great to know how to do the math so each diver can come up with the right size pony tank for their situations. Thanks. Love your videos. I have learned a great deal from you.
One can easily calculate the amount of air required to reach the surface from any depth with reasonable accuracy and then get the appropriate Bailout Bottle.
But why??
A 19cf pony bottle is light, compact, shorter than a scuba tank and holds plenty of air for any reasonable emergency.
And pony bottles are all about the same price. That is, the cost of a 19cf is not much more than a 6cf.
Simple get the largest, convenient bottle and go diving. Getting the smallest you might need for a specific dive is being a bit shortsighted.
Alec
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter Thanks Alec. You make a good point. I Was just thinking of buying the new Spare Air 6.0cu unit. I am only certified to 60ft, I wanted something simple and not too big to carry. But I do want something that would provide additional insurance in case of equipment failure. and/or buddy not close to me. Is that false insurance I wonder?
A thought… I think it’s important to remember that running out of air by a diver’s mismanagement at depth is not the only reason you would want to have something like this. If you had a catastrophic failure of your regulator, such as a seal leaking in your first stage, just wasting air, running your tank dry, then a redundant air supply would be vital for your survival. Mechanical systems can and do fail.
Great video and explanation of the size of a pony that you really would need.
Thank you very much.
A
2 common misconceptions regarding spare airs:
1) 1-2 minutes of air is what you might have at 100ft (lets use 1 minute as you describe someone panick-breathing.) You won't be staying at 100ft. You will be ascending. As you ascend you will be pulling lower volumes of air the higher you are in the water column. Meaning you will get more than 1 minute of air, and should be enough for a safd emergency ascent.
2) more importantly, that is not the proper use of a spare air. The most effective way of using a spare air is to take a full breath, then slowly bubble it all out as you ascend (like an emergency swimmer ascent) until you have to take another full breath of air. Using this method you can get much, much more time out of 3 cubic feet. Enough to make a safety stop from a 100ft ascent.
All valid points except missing the panic factor that sucks air much faster than a calm, under control experienced diver may breath. Still each diver needs to take their safety into account with redundant systems and regular test them to be sure its 100% working. You may only need it once in 1,000 dives but if it or you screw up, may be the last dive. Thanks for the feedback Cole.
@Cole Lawton 100 feet you need 3-5 minutes safety stop. Unless if you like getting DCS and risk of death. Your argument is invalid.
@@zakaria600 I dont know who certified you sir but that is not correct protocol. In an out of air scenario, you do not do any safety stops.
If you are within No Decompression Limits then you are not going to get Decompression Sickness ("statistically" possible but astronomically improbable.) Divers do a safety stop in order to add extra precaution and be especially safe because there is no reason not to be extra safe if you have the time for a safety stop.
6cu ft aren’t even that much bigger and they double that. Use up 3cuft in a panic and then 3cuft to do what you just said.
Lol I used to do saturation diving, doesn't matter how big of a reserve tank you have, your umbilical gets severed at like 500 feet and they'll be fishing your coprse up on a trebble hook if you are very lucky
Ha very true.
A
Can you do a video on used regulators..what to look for and what to stay clear of thnx
Sure. That's easy. I just need to Kevin add it to the list. Kevin??
Alec
Petra... if I can help here. Alec feel free to say I’m wrong but this is just my two cents.
With used gear most people want too much money for it. When as Alec pointed out you can get good reg for $300 or with a great Black Friday deal maybe $199. Used most of the time is just not worth it. If you pay for servicing it when you buy it your looking about $25+ per reg. If you have 1st stage 2nd stage and safe second that is $75. Plus you may need parts $25 per reg. So if you get NEW reg for $300 that you may save $150. But you have a used reg. It may be different if you find a used $1000 reg set etc but most used gear you will find has not been used in 10+ years and not been serviced.
Tanks are similar but I buy a LOT of used tanks. But it comes down to price.
New 80cf tanks is about $260-$290 depending on valve, shipping and where you live. But if it out of service you will spend $50 on hydro test and $15-20 on visual inspection. You may need a new valve ($70) or valve parts, so maybe $150 tops but if you pay $100 for tank, and a new tank is $260 for $10 you can have new tank. So I only offer $30 for an 80cf aluminum tank.
I bought a set of used LP112cf for $100 each,$400 new and my 19, 30, 40 cf tanks were all used and I payed $30 each put new convertible valves on them hydro and vis and they are great. Tanks are about the only thing I buy used but like Alec says a good reg or bc should get you 10,20,30 years of diving.
@@chrishiggins8875 god your local prices are cheap. At least double that where I am, with exchange rate even more.
I'll second Chris - I have bought my entire gear (many HP tanks, drysuit, bunch of BCD for family) all used for very little, but only buy new regulators - because it cost $150-180 to full service a 3 piece regulator and you still left with an old reg. you can find online some brand new reg (fist+second only) for under $200, even ones that used to cost $400+. I don't see the need to get a $1000 reg (used or new). It's probably cheaper to replace it every couple years (and get newer tech/parts) than service them annually too.
Great review! I didn't even know such systems as Spare Air existed (I knew about pony bottles). For true redundancy, I would personally prefer side-mount setup though :)
Hi Alec, loved the video. Can you make tech tip on dual tanks, maybe dual with pony. Thank you
Alec--I love your videos. I'm an old guy like you (74) returning to diving after a 30 layoff. I was the only person I knew who used Spare Air back when I was actively diving. My question is: using your scenario of 100' as an example, what do you think about having the redundant source be Nitrox (I understand tech divers use it for decompression) in a 13 cf tank (less weight)?
A key purpose of the pony is to provide air in any situation. Using Nitrox puts a limit on the depth that must match your tank. Using regular air a 21% gives a max depth of 132' and never worry about it. There are different believe's about O2 percentages but as a mature diver you need to consider how you dive, pony training and emergency ascent practice. If you really want others opinions, post this question on www.scubaboard.com for the tech and rec divers input. Final decision is yours alone but dive safe. Not may "mature divers" of our youth still diving.
A
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter thanks very much for your thoughtful reply.
Looking for something for solo diving. Lake Erie is my backyard and i cant wait for a buddy to be free every time want to dive. Depth charts show about a max of 36 ft. I sneak out now in the semi shallow of about 12-15 feet.
There are lots of options and even more opinions. You should take a solo diving course to know the gear and precautions for this type of diving. Lake Erie is cold and can be very rough so depending on depth and time, a 19 cu/ft with own reg is a good starting point. If you want to discuss with other solo divers, read the posts on www.scubaboard.com.
A
if someone is that bad with checking their SPG, I wonder if they'll be consistent in refilling the spareAir bottle after using it?
If they don't fill and check it, it may only happen once...
A
When I made the decision to invest in a 19CF Pony it was not ever for a thought of "what if I run out of air". If that was the only scenario to be worried about I would not have bought the RAS. I never have come close to running out of air 'unintentionally'. However, there are other scenarios. I have personally seen a Cressi First stage "blow up". I have seen a LP hose, albeit on rental equipment, catastrophically fail. I am often the one to tie off the boat on a wreck, so I have to be self reliant. This is cheap insurance for those occasions when I can't count on a buddy to be there.
I'm a very recent diver and in my short stint so far with the sport I've had already a first stage "blow up" and enter an unstoppable free flow and since all the air is flowing out of it no air reaches the octopus, luckily I was only 3-5m below the surface and was able to ascend safely but stuff like that does happen. I've recently taken the sidemount course and I'll most likely become a sidemount diver exclusively because of that, sure the steamline u get from it is great and the modularity etc etc but for me personally the redundancy is what I value the most. PS: I actually always finished my dives with more air than my buddy, running out of air wasn't at all a problem for me.
I don't see any issue with a 40 cubic foot pony for redundant air. A quick look at a chart says it's like 0.7 lbs negative in seawater including the valve, so it's not going to impact your trim or buoyancy noticeably. I know some people who strap it to their main tank like the system you show from XS Scuba, but I think just slinging it like you would a stage bottle is the easiest. Of course that's probably harder if you're in a jacket style BCD instead of a backplate and wing setup. But once you have it mounted somehow and are in the water, the extra length of a 40 cubic foot pony isn't really a problem.
Also, I looked into that XS Scuba system a while back, but I don't think I'd be comfortable relying on it for cold water diving. I put the same regulator set on my pony as I use on my main tank.
The good and bad thing about scuba gear is the many options we have to carry a pony. Depending on your training (ie GUI or Hogartian, etc), they each have different setups. As long as its fully functional and accessible, mounting is your preference. Thanks for watching Lee.
The problem isn't running out of air (only a newb would do this), it's a valve or 1st/2nd stage failure where an independent air supply would be needed.
Divers still run out of air. Kevin told me his buddy (800+ dives) once came up to him 5 minutes into a dive, grabbed his arm, gave the low air signal. Back on the boat, his buddy didn't change his tank to a full one, or check his pressure before jumping in. Thats why big dive knives are needed.
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter That diver never had any air...didn't run out. Again, I would put that in the equipment failure category, which having an independent air supply would have solved (allow safe surface).
We use them as an emergency back up incase of equipment failure such as a free flow.
speaking as someone who has no idea what they are talking about, would it be a reasonable idea to have BOTH the pony system and spare air? Keep the smaller, lighter, easier one within easy grabbing range at all times, and the bigger, slightly more complex one on your back or with any gear you might have, so you have an intermediate air source that will never leave your side to keep you good til you get your pony ready, or to get to your buddy to use their safe second.
no, if you have a pony you would have it's safe second up front just like your octo today, so very easy to grab and breath from. no need to 2 backup systems....
Alec, wonder if you can do a video about producing Nitrox, mixing, trimixes, etc. I have a set up at home, where I bought from Ebay, one of those Oxygen producing machines for old people, they call it Oxygen Concentrators, where makes O2 at 95% purity, then I have a compressor to pump it to a tank to 2,000#, then I have a regular compressor, an AIRMAX 35, where I premixed with a PVC tube at the inlet, and I have been making my own Nitrox, for the last 10 years, no problem, between 32% at 36%. Also,. the extra O2, I can use it for welding with Acetylene/Oxygen, and in airplanes if you wish. Can send you pictures of the set up if you want. Thanks again for your videos.
I'm not even interested in diving, but I really love the way you talk. It's so interesting to listen.
Lmao
I have a weird question, and I've asked friends that are divers, and they respond with "Why?"
The question is, is it required for the octopus to be on the right side? can it be hooked up on the left? My logic is, the air hose comes out of the regulator on right hand side, so, if you hooked it up on your left side, #1 I would think it would be more comfortable for your dive buddy. #2 I am thinking safety, you can interlock arms, or "hug" if it's that much of an emergency. there would be no need for the "roman hand shake".
Please be gentle with the replies, I am new to diving, and no one could answer that question
First off the right hand setup is standard for all new o/w divers. The octo can be on the left for those with handicap's. Also the LP ports on the 1st stage are generally right sided. The handshake is very important for close contact and you need you left hand to vent the BC when surfacing. Good questions Jack and there are lots of vides to watch to pickup more that the basics from an o/w course. Keep on learning.
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter thank you so much for the clarification. :)
I didn't even think about the bc operation
@@jackgrant4795 have you looked up doing primary donate? In which you take your octo and have your main second stage on a long hose?
is it just me or does Alec look like Red from that 70s show?
While diving in 6 knots of muddy current, a SAR friend of mine didn't realize that his octo had been free flowing because of the large current pressure held the reg open. he was out of air in a very short time. Thanks for the videos! You are a great resource!
Thats an interesting story. Thanks for sharing and glad you picked up something new sir.
Eventually, life is priceless
But, the usefulness of spare air is that in an event your buddy are out of hand reach, you could use it as temporary solution to get to your buddy safe second
Hey Alec, your videos are awesome I really appreciate the extra time you put in to explain things so well! It's really helping me through my divemaster training. I was wondering if you could do a video on guesstimating how much weight to give a diver and how different gear (wetsuite thicknesses) etc effects it. Thanks a lot for the videos!
Yes, this is perfect for people that don’t check their air. I was thinking of having one of these systems because I have a friend that was diving in Cozumel with a brand new regulator and it stopped working at 60’. Come to find out his problem obviously wasn’t him, it was a dirty tank. His regulator got plugged up with aluminum dust from tanks not properly maintained by the company we were diving with. Also, this would be a great redundant back up not because of stupidity, but because man made mechanical devises will break at the worst times. Hence, be self reliant, and don’t be in the habit on depending on others (like most people are). As a aviator I believe in redundancy. Airplanes are built with many redundancies for the same purposes as we need under the water. Thanks for the great info Alec.
While not a big fan of redundant air supplies generally (I believe in NOT running out of air!), I have used them and will do again when their need is apparent.
Years ago I used to dive alone a lot (they call it 'solo diving' now - back then it was just alone) and often to some depths (100'+). I always had an extra tank with regulator. I'm not sure what the tekkies call that system but essentially I wore twin 72's with a regulator on each. When the first tank got down to 1000psi, I checked to be sure the second tank and reg was ready and working. At 500psi I switched and headed for the surface. It might not have been the best system but, I'm still here.
Take care.
Alec
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter "I'm not sure what the tekkies call that system but essentially I wore twin 72's with a regulator on each."
I'd call that a "Hogarthian rig" or "Hogarthian configuration," named for cave diving pioneer William Hogarth Main, although there are other aspects besides twin tanks and twin regulators in a true Hogarthian setup.
I dive sidemount. And i like it to have 2 air tanks who works separately. Sometimes i use it as a stage with my backmount system in the cold water.
My buddys dives with cc systems they carry all her bail-out gasses in stages.
I don't dive but you're a good man. These videos and good and honest
Well thanks but, why aren't you a diver? It's safe and a lot of fun.
Alec
Great subject.
I just set up a pony last month for deeper solo diving...find pony a minor PIA .
I sure like the set up Alec shows.7 My concern is reg / o ring or other failure at depth...I am very strict re. watching my air supply and it always amazes me people forget to check. !!! I have to say I have never had such a system failure in 4 decades...just being prudent. Will look into XS set up. Links to the products would help. I know its not an endorsement per se just an eye-opener.
I'm reluctant to use links. Some of my suppliers want me to put ads or banners on the playlists but I've said no. Google will find anything you want or anything I hint about.
I like a Pony for dives to 100' or less. More than that and I want doubles with 2 regulators.
Thanks for watching. Alec
In the future i would like to request your great opinion on the NEW IMPROVEMENTS & UPDATES ON RE-BREATHERS i have been working on for years...... i think i have almost solved the problems on the re-breather issues . [ more to come ] .
Rebreathers or CCR's, have come a very long way from my home made attempt. Would like to do an introduction for viewers but don't have access to them. The stores I visit are rec and tech but no CCR's in stock due to costs. Have added it to my idea's list when ever I can get one Larry. Thanks for the feedback.
they are realatively inexpensive...$300-$400 will get you a good one.
me- 😣😵
"This is for you, dummy" I almost spit out my coffee.
Ha sorry Dan.
Hi Alec, You explain @ 100 ft depth, the 19 cu ft pony will give about 5-10 minutes of air to get to the surface. So would a 6 cu ft pony give you about half that air time to get to surface? Thanks
You need a pony that works from your maximum depth upwards with enough for a slow ascent + safety stop (3 minute minimum for 5 minutes for a faster ascent). Anything smaller means your max depth has to match your tank size and never exceed depth. Does not happen in the real world so forget a 6 cu/ft and be safe at any recreational depth.
A
first of you should have a good gaspaln for your dive and your body should not be to far away and when you do dives where you ned more gas you should dive dubles and maybe even a stage and a stage in most often is a 40 or a 80 cf tank and your dubels a double 80 ore 12l steel
I really appreciate these scuba tips! Infos coming from experience! Your sharing of thoughts is great and welcome.
Taking pony... It is then planned to run out of air, like when taking a "normal" O2 pony for deco :p
Idea, new tech tip: I would need to know a bit more about what you think of different kinds of regulators (compensated or not, balanced or unbalanced, piston or membrane/diaphragm, O2 specific, ...).
No! Using a pony is NOT so you can use up all the air in your main tank. It's there for emergency. Think 'Fire Extinguisher" - you don't use it unless you're in trouble. The other way is playing with fire (pardon the silly pun). Alec
Great video Alec. They are useful as an emergency air supply on decompression dives as well. Question. Can you convert a Dr's office oxygen bottle that is normally filled to between 1700-2300 PSI (but could probably be a higher pressure) to a pony system? I haven't tried it yet, but it looks like you could mount a K valve to it. Do you know of anyone trying this? Thanks.
It's quite common to use high-pressure tanks from different applications for scuba. One of my nicest setups was a steel 72 with a pony bottle on the side. It was all chrome. I made quite a splash (pun intended) when I showed up at a dive site.
The pony was an old fire extinguisher.
Getting a scuba valve to fit is the only consideration but many tanks now use a standard threaded neck.
Alec
I tell you what, redundant air supply is not just in out of air scenario, but useful for lone diving as alternative to twinset (not everyone is capable of reaching manifold valves, unless tanks on your back are up side down:) which means two independent scuba systems. "pony" can be used as side mount configuration in case of main system malfunction. A smart diver always have a plan B, in case of something. This applies to anything you use, including dive computer.
Thanks for reading, safe diving !
Thanks for the feedback my friend.
A.
Interesting video. I'm constantly in two minds about spare air, as I am both a diver and a sailor.
The diver side of me agrees fervently with all the points in this video, however the sailor side of me sees some definite use cases for a system in that form factor.
Case in point, look at Americas Cup sailors, who now have a very similar system tucked under there boyency aids. No doubt inspired by the tragic death of Andrew 'bart' Simpson, who drowned after getting trapped under a capsized boat in 2013.
Given the nature of sailing at that level, size is a driving factor, and sailors tend to think that carying any system at all is overkill, increasing the need for a system that is 'invisible' untill truly needed.
Yes, spare air will only give a couple of minutes, but I fear those minutes may have been enough to bring a farther home to his kids that day. Just one mans opinion.
I guess its a horses for courses situation, just thought I'd put a different viewpoint across.
It is a conflict others have James, small/light/short time or big/heavier/longer air. All comes down to your diving needs, training and environment: Cozumel vs cave diving.
So I carry a 40 pony bottle. Yes it’s big. I always dive with it so it’s become second nature.
The thing is from 100 feet I had to do a 5 min safety stop. Not sure the 20 would give me the time needed if my main setup let go at 100 feet.
I know the safety stop is not mandatory but at least I can complete the dive properly.
A 40 is large for a redundant tank but if your balanced and comfortable they carry on.
A
Alex thank you for clearing up the amount of air it takes to get to the surface from a certain size tank. I always wondered. I carried a 19 as a redundant air supply for years and (thank goodness) I never used it....finally sold it. Your tech tip are so great.....you help make better informed and safer divers. Thank you!
Your very welcome Steve. Glad you could benefit from them.
Hi, We have just purchased new Commando BCD's from AP Diving in the UK (fully British Made and military spec (always good to have)). Anyway they come with the option of a .4 litre bailout cylinder, what are your thoughts on these Alec, not sure if they market in North America. Thanks, Peter
I'd love to hear Alec's opinion too, but mine is: I call them Suicide Cylinders! Fully inflating your BC at depth is going to send you up like a Trident missile. Obviously the cylinder is only meant for an out of air situation, but a cylinder almost perfectly designed to give you DCI scares me. I still love my Commando, I just keep that slot very very empty
iVlog Those .4 litre bottles are designed as a back up safety measure if you roll off the boat without turning on your tank. Once you open the valve it dumps the air into the BCD and brings you back to the surface that is all it does. Its not for breathing. Hope that helps answer your question.
+Adam Moore I read on the AP website that you're meant to blip tiny amounts of air and breather through the Bcd. Kinda makes sense. I was also thinking of putting a proper pony reg on it, as inflation of the Bcd could be done orally even at depth.
Both my old day-glow commando and her new ap explorer don't have bailout cylinders. It's interesting to hear people's view.
The BCDs with their own air tanks are not new by any means. We've seem them come and go more than once. For some reason they're popular in the UK (Fenzy) but never caught on here. Expensive, heavy, not enough air to be really useful, hard to service and the benefit ...? For military purposes they may be useful but they don't use scuba! Many a diver has bought gear based on it's use in the military only to find out it doesn't do the job the diver wants it to do. Alec
A little late to the party, but recently researched this topic. I like the air consumption analysis from "Staying Alive: Risk Management Techniques for Advanced Scuba Diving" in chapter "USING ADDITIONAL REDUNDANCY: the maligned and misunderstood pony bottle". The author works an example that starts with a primary gas failure at 100ft, and assumes a controlled ascent that includes: 1min of air consumption at depth to stop/think/act, a normal ascent rate (30ft/min), and a safety stop. His model also factors in increased air consumption rate due to depth and stress that the diver is likely experiencing. His "worst case" assumptions show a 25 cu-ft air consumption (13 cu-ft without a safety stop). Check out the book for full details on his model.
I think it's worth running personalized calculations similar to the ones in this book before committing to a tank. I found that my calcs resulted in higher air consumption than I originally imagined; they lead me to purchase a larger tank.
Love this channel, Alec!
Planning is important but all of the detailed calculations and assumptions go out the window in an emergency. In my experience (I've had a couple of close calls at depth), a well-trained diver wouldn't need a full minute to prepare for the ascent, the rate of ascent will be closer to 60'/minute (1' per second) and any safety stop will depend on the remaining air.
Having decided to use a pony bottle. my favorite is the 19cf size. It shouldn't take 5 minutes to ascend from 100' and the 19 will do that.
Alec
Hi Alec. My husband & I are in the beginning stages of shopping for pony systems. What length hose do you recommend for a pony set up? Thanks! We love all of your tech tip videos!
The pony can be used for whatever you need it for at the time but, it's really a redundant air supply which means extra air supply in the event your main supply runs out. That suggests a hose length that will reach and replace your primary reg only.
However, since it might be used for your buddy, it ought to be a bit longer.
A standard reg hose is 27". An octo hose is usually 40".
I'd suggest a 36 - 40" hose on a pony bottle. It will reach your mouth OR your buddy with no aggravation.
Good luck.
Alec
Alec Peirce Scuba thank you!
I was wondering, Alec, if you've seen the back-up system by Zeagle. It's even more compact than the XS Scuba system, because it combines the 1st stage and the valve into one unit.
See: www.zeagle.com/products-repository/redundant-air/products/20-cu-ft-pony-bottle.
I know the Zeagle system. It's a Spare Air with a big tank. The only benefit is a bit of compactness - like a couple of inches on the top of the tank. The practical problem is that it cannot be used for any other purpose. With pony or the XS system, the tank is available for other jobs and the regulator can also be used on any tank. Not a big deal but versatility is a good thing. Also, the tank and reg do not require special parts or service. Both the Spare Air and the Zeagle are proprietary - you must have Spare Air or Zeagle parts and service.
Quite useful ,thanks . My baby likes you ,even she can not understand english ,but she says dummy dummy when she hear you say it . not sure if it is the right spelling.
Nice Ada. You're telling me that your baby says "Dummy, Dummy" when she sees me!!!
Well, others might agree I suppose.
At least I'm entertaining to her.
Thanks for watching. Alec
I dive with a 40 for redundancy for solo diving if I don’t want to go full sidemount. It made more sense for me to use a 40 as I’m also starting technical training and the 40 tends to be the size they use for staging or gas switching. A 40 isn’t bad to carry, takes some practice for the clipping and getting it streamlined but I’d rather have as much air as possible in an emergency situation.
For most, you’re right a 19 simply strapped to the primary cylinder is gold. Good vid.
Thank you for the feedback and appreciate your comments.
A
Alec,
Thank you for the thought provoking content.
If I were to buy one, I’d go with the larger pony system for deeper dives. Your BCD is worthless in true out of air situations. Ascending without the assistance of your BCD is pretty strenuous. You could drop your rig, but most people would panic and bolt for the surface knowing they only have a couple breathes more and they are 100’ plus down. I like to think I wouldn’t panic, but until you’re in that situation you’ll never know. One of the few things I actually remember from first ow dive course was that you can never check that SPG to much!
Monitoring air is a key teaching point in today's O/W course and for good reason. It's amazing to me that divers still run low/out of air today. Some dive computers will actually sound an alarm at a pre-set pressure but still divers ignore or think its some else. Thanks for watching and the feedback.
Hello Alec,
your videos givs a lot to a new diver like me,
fore some cold reasons here in sweden i started to use a full face mask, "interspiro"
and had a little argument with my self it sounded like this.
Q: What do you do stupid if you run out of air, or malfunction on the mask.
A: hum, i need som new gear.
Q:what gear is the safest aprotch
A: bubbel bottels, 2 first stages.
spg, octopus, suite hose, bcd hose on my primery firststage, and
spg, spare second and one inflations hose on the spare first.off course i have a spare cyklop in my right leg pocket.
is this the right way to go? or am i to Safe? is there another way?
Can I get your opinion on solo diving?
Slick85 I don't know what Alec will say but I have always had better dives with buddies who are regular solo divers.
They take responsibility for looking after their own safety and equipment. It can get scary when two people go diving both thinking the "buddy" is looking after the situitation. You then have two people in trouble or one person risking their life to save the other. As you might guess, I've had a few buddies that I am definitely never going to dive with again....
As far as solo diving goes, it takes some risk management, maturity, diving planning, common sense. My first solo dive was the week after my open water certification. My dive buddy didn't show up so I jumped in the water anyway, stayed around six meters down, very close to shore and had a ball of a time. Saw heaps of fish and sting rays and got an hour out of it. So what if it was shallow, I could still stay down longer than snorkelling.
I don't do it by myself slick!
Kidding of course. Solo diving is a weird subject for me as I dove by myself (without a buddy) for over 10 years when I first started diving in the late 50's. There simply were no other scuba divers in the small town where I grew up. My mother went with me of course since I was only 12 years old and she'd sit and knit while I went diving. I have a picture from 1965 that she took of me diving in Fenelon Falls in Ontario. Anyway, diving without without a buddy wasn't really known as diving solo then. That's a new term and it applies to divers who have the training necessary to dive safely without a buddy.
Obviously I personally have no problem diving solo. Some of my best dives occurred while I was alone. If a diver has the training and attitude and gear so that he is able to dive safely on his own, go for it. I will add that sharing your diving experiences with a buddy is wonderful. I don't look at my buddy as being there for my safety but to enhance my enjoyment of the experience. If I need him to help me at any time, that's a bonus. Thanks for watching. Alec
TheOldManEric, Thank you for your comments and experience. I recently saw that PADI has a solo diver course which requires 100 dives and redundant equipment for every scenario. I'm currently a Rescue diver and need to get some more dives logged before i can think about enrolling into it.
The diving I've done so far has been great, I really liked my buddie(s) but Im more of a stop and smell the roses type of guy, while they are swim around see this and that, they see everything they want to see and safely surface at the end. I want to take my time, explore a small clump or coral, see the tiny ecosystem that thrives there, find tiny shrimp or fish that rely these corals for a living.
I think macro photography looks so cool on nature shows, and its hard to even see that type of thing when you scan the area and move on so quickly.
Alec, thank you for your reply. Ive watched all your tech tips, Seahunt, and Vintage scuba videos.
Ive heard you mention diving by yourself as a kid with your little safety signal that you could deploy if you got into trouble. Buddies are fun and its wonderful to talk to them about what you've seen and experienced, but sometimes I feel like they are a distraction under the water. Im happy youve given me the blessing that solo diving is a worthwhile pursuit. Once I've acquired more redundant scuba equipment I will get the proper training and give it a shot.
Thank you.
I'm the same now. Years ago, like all young divers, I wanted to see it all in one dive. I sure wasted a lot of air. Now I can have a great dive and never fin more than 50 yards. But you do need a buddy who feels the same - or no buddy. Alec
What inspired you to go underwater with a scuba tank?❤️
Hi Alec,
Another great video show! Have you already done a show on scooters/DPVs?
Not yet Russell.
We'll see. There's lots of service/repair stuff that I'd like to do first.
Maybe in Vintage Scuba playlist I'll do a vid on the homemade DPVs that we built in the 70's.
Im not a certified diver yet.... i bought a scuba compressor for myself...can i fill other divers tanks without any liability?
I'm not certain so to be safe, I say no. Has the compressor air been sent for analysis? If not you're open to bad air and lawsuits (friends or not). Having certified safe air would be a start but it depends on the laws where you are. Shops have liability insurance to cover tank/filling lawsuits so think about that when filling others.
Great question. Curious as well. Thanks for the reply Alec.
Hi Alec,
please guide us how to take good care of our BCDs and how to wash them after each dive.
If you search back you'll find a good vid on that with some nice ideas Kamran. Alec
If you dont know that then you should go back to your instructor and ask for your money back. That should be covered in the open water course
Thanks so much for the tech tip! Is there any malfunctions worth considering where someone who is keeping close attention to their air supply could suddenly run out of air?
Not that I know of Mike. Youhave an alternate reg and a redundant system, that’s a lot of backup protection for rec diving.
Thanks so much Alec, you guys are the best!