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A correction for my previous post. In the list of failures point I wrote "vlave" instead of "gauge". Two threads have been mentioned regarding pony usage and having the valve turned off. On the regulator flooding issue. You should always pressurize the regulator prior to the dive to limit this potential. Second stage regulators have down stream valves in them so theoretically the water should not flood back into the regulator unless the purge valve is depressed. However we have all probably experienced some flooding in these situations. In fresh water this does not present a significant, but with salt water flooding you would need to clean the regulator for salt deposits. My reason for recommending that the valve be turned off comes from analysis of several dive accidents involving ponys. A common thread has been an unobserved free flow or slow leak that decreased the gas supply such that it was insufficient to handle the emergency. I personally do not believe that a pony bottle should be part of the managed gas supply and therefore considered in gas manangement decisions. All calculation of 1/3 etc. should be based on the actively managed gas supply in your main tanks. I use pony type bottles for deco gas or added safety in solo diving (not part of my main redundancy). Also, when using ponys for deco supply, they are my backup supply for all deco above 120'. I surface supply nitrox and O2 as my primary deco supply. Curt Curt W. Smitka Phone: (313) 747-0252 Administrative Manager Fax: (313) 936-8620 Reproductive Sciences Program Email: cwsmitka@um*.ed* University of Michigan 1109 300 North Ingalls Bldg Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0404
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