The Mad Penguin

The “Hang-Tank” is also known as a “stage” or “deco” “tank”, “cylinder” or “bottle” and is a self-contained cylinder and regulator configuration that is placed on the anchor line, or below the boat in some way at a depth that allows divers to complete their safety stop. This piece of equipment has been around for a long time and so is nothing new. However when I’ve seen it in use, it’s often ad-hoc using someone’s 2nd cylinder and spare set of regs as opposed to a specialized set of equipment. This isn’t in itself wrong, but I think there are opportunities for improvement over that system.

I originally wrote this as an article in August 2004 for Etobicoke Underwater Club’s newsletter Fins Below.  This was just after finding the club and realizing what it could do to improve my (to date) failing scuba diving career.  I thought this might be a fun first post, though the writing style feels a little immature to look back on it, I decided to preserve it more or less for posterity.

Pausing at a safety stop on the Niagara II
– Photo Gillian Ord