MANIFOLDS: WHY USE THEM

Feb
20

The following discussion is only relevant to diving with a twin-set.
Having two first stages means that you have a back up should one of the 1st stages fail. If one regulator fails you can simply “shut down” that side by turning off the pillar valve of the relevant side and switch to breathing off the other regulator.  By having your dry-suit inflator coming off one side and your wing inflator off the other you also achieve redundancy (i.e. back-up) of buoyancy control.

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“STAGE versus PONY'': HOW TO MOUNT THEM PROPERLY and WHERE

Dec
12

Many people start off with a 15L or 12L cylinder and then, as they venture deeper/longer, they realise the need for either more gas or a back-up gas supply.  Most therefore opt for a “pony”.  A “pony” is a small (usually 3L) cylinder that one fits a second regulator and contents gauge to.  I have nothing against “ponies” per se but I do have some comments on how they are set-up and where they are put.

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AND THE WORD WAS HOGARTH

Nov
14

Divers belonging to a Florida based organisation called the Wakulla Karst  Plains Project
(WKPP) hold most of the world's cave diving depth/distance records, including one
awesome three kilometers penetration at an average depth of 87 meters.
Now you might think that the life support equipment needed to survive these record breaking
exposures would be like something from NASA - big, complex and expensive. Wrong.

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HOGARTHIAN / DIR Back plate & Harness configuration

Sep
26

The backplate is metal, generally made from stainless steel, some divers use aluminium. If you don't need the extra weight then you can use aluminum. The harness is made from one continuous piece of webbing with no clips or joints in the shoulder sections.No quick releases - quick releases are week points and will fail.

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DIVE LIGHTS

Sep
12

The light below is designed as a back-up light and is made from a single, milled piece of a very tough plastic called Delrin.  Note that there is no switch as this is a common failure point.  The light is switched on by turning the bezel.
The backup light is neatly clipped to the shoulder D-ring and lies in line with the webbing.
For open water dives is using two of them.  For cave diving and wreck penetration I would use two of them as the consequences of a light failure are much more serious and one more backup in the dry suit pocket.

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