Extending bottom time with stage question

[Tunicates]

It depends on your redundancy plan.

If your going to leave gas in your stage for redundancy it has to be enough gas to get you to the surface from what ever point in the dive. Now your stage isnt a stage its a bailout bottle.

The other way of looking at it is that ALL redundent gas in in back gas.

So empty the stage down to 10/20bar then go on to back gas. Now your stage is a stage and its only purpose is to extend the dive.


ATB

Mark

There's another way I can extend the dive and still keep it as bailout though. I can use it as same mix 'deco/travel' gas. I might not even be doing any deco on it.
I can use breath backgas down to 70 bar, switch to the stage and use that down to 150bar before the ascent still having plenty left for the ascent. This extends the dive and also keeps the maximum possible gas in either tank - which has to be a 'good thing'.

I dont think I'm being a numpty, bubt I cant see any major downside to this - is there one?

[Tunicates]

Well, I agree with Mark. It depends on the gas plan, and how you view the stage. If it's for redundancy, then leave it alone. If it's for extending the dive, then extend the dive with it, but keep your reserve sharable.

Others have said, though, what you really want is a twin set. Then you have more gas along with flexible redundancy.

Rich

It doesnt have to be strictly FOR redundancy, but its an added benefit.....
Though I can see what your saying.

What your saying is my little stagey pony isnt big enough to use in a flaxible way like I'm suggesting. Gottit.

Thanks both.

[Kev]

There's another way I can extend the dive and still keep it as bailout though. I can use it as same mix 'deco/travel' gas. I might not even be doing any deco on it.
I can use breath backgas down to 70 bar, switch to the stage and use that down to 150bar before the ascent still having plenty left for the ascent. This extends the dive and also keeps the maximum possible gas in either tank - which has to be a 'good thing'.

I dont think I'm being a numpty, bubt I cant see any major downside to this - is there one?

You need to buddy breathe to share a stage. You need to take a long hose to share a twinset.

Best

Kev

[Tunicates]

You need to buddy breathe to share a stage. You need to take a long hose to share a twinset.

Best

Kev

Yeah, I think I've got that now.

Cheers
Oliver

[Mark Chase]

Which ever way you decide there is no wrong way.

It can never be wrong to have spare gas and its not wrong to keep all reserves in one tank asuming your buddy diving.

If i am diving solo id keep gas in both tanks if i was diving buddy with the right buddy id consider all reserves in back gas.

My rule of thumb with buddies is if they dont ask you what your SAC is and discuss bailout pre dive then they will probably fail you in the event its needed.

Again which ever way you chose to dive it managing the gas volumes and planning the dive will be good experiance for the future.

ATB

Mark

[ibbo]

i always found a stage plus 15 a very flexible system for minimal deco dives.

use one 15, and most of the stage on the first dive, and have just a 15 for the 2nd.

you only need buy one tank, reg etc, so its a cheapskate way to move deeper/longer.

it's just a lopsided indy twinset!

twins are heavy and awkward, often need some decanting in for the 2nd dive.

plenty of divers only use them as a 24litre single anyway.

the balance thing you get used to, first dive feels awkward but then on it's ok.

as others have said, there is not anything wrong with it, it just doesnt follow the crowd.

have fun.

[TerryH]

Nowt wrong with having a single and a stage, that's almost twindies ,
but i'd question the logic of breathing the whole stage and
then shifting to backgas.

Breath stage down to say eg: 80 bar and then switch to backgas. Ignoring
the very slight weight advantage over an empty alli cylinder, if the main
has a problem (you sure its gonna work?) then you can go back on that
80 and go home.

If main is ok even if you suck it down to 50 bar, you still have another 80
in your stage as a bailout.

Depending what reserve you want, this boosts your dive by just over
1000lts or almost half as much again as what's in your 15lt.

[Kev]

Nowt wrong with having a single and a stage, that's almost twindies ,
but i'd question the logic of breathing the whole stage and
then shifting to backgas.

Breath stage down to say eg: 80 bar and then switch to backgas. Ignoring
the very slight weight advantage over an empty alli cylinder, if the main
has a problem (you sure its gonna work?) then you can go back on that
80 and go home.

If main is ok even if you suck it down to 50 bar, you still have another 80
in your stage as a bailout.

Depending what reserve you want, this boosts your dive by just over
1000lts or almost half as much again as what's in your 15lt.

What he said I suppose. I have dived like this on holiday when I cannot get a twinset. To be honest though they are not that hard to get hold of in the UK...

[Captain Calamity]

So, how much did you pay to have your own icon?

CC