Do you actually see people diving with pony bottles?

[ChristophScuba]

This day and age I would think everyone would want one at least as a precaution.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

The only person I've seen run out of air during a dive was a buddy with a pony. He's done it twice, therefore I don't allow pony bottle use from my boat. If someone can't watch their spg I don't want them relying on a security blanket.

 

[KeithG]

I thought I gave a response to this interesting @Marie13 thread a long time ago, but it appears after a few hours of reading the complete thread that I did not. So the world is currently moving on without the benefit of my grand insight. So here goes...

As a warm water vacation diver I have seen exactly 1 diver that used what I would call a pony bottle. I have never seen stage bottles stashed away somewhere. I only remember seeing a LOB hang bar bailout regulator once - not sure where, no tank, just the second stage. I have seen a sidemount diver twice - the same DM Chris on TCEX LOB, both times in 2017. My world is small.

The pony diver guy was on a Caribbean LOB (Belize or TC?) and he was a certified solo diver. The boat allowed solo divers. He brought his personal pony from home and dragged it around under water all week. I have no idea if he tagged along with the "group" or really did totally independent solo dives. We dove as our own buddy pair and avoided all other divers when ever possible. So I have no idea what he or the cluster did.

I have also seen vacation divers sporting spare airs. 2 pairs of divers twice. The first time the spare air was a new concept for me. I believe both of my spare air encounters were in Bonaire.

 

[lowviz]

Nope. Never saw anybody dive with a pony, but then I dive alone...


(OK, we all know he is a local (to me) **** head, but it really helps make my point)

 

[lermontov]

The only person I've seen run out of air during a dive was a buddy with a pony. He's done it twice, therefore I don't allow pony bottle use from my boat. If someone can't watch their spg I don't want them relying on a security blanket.

thats not the ponies fault - just ban the diver in question

 

[Lorenzoid]

This day and age I would think everyone would want one at least as a precaution.

This day and age, I would think everyone would be better trained in gas planning, situational awareness, etc., than divers were back in the day.

 

[mi000ke]

I'm reserving judgement until we post another 67 pages on this topic.

 

[ChristophScuba]

All the dive boats I know of require a diver have a pony bottle. I' not sure, but I'd imagine they require an spg be used with it.

 

[Gareth J]

The only person I've seen run out of air during a dive was a buddy with a pony. He's done it twice, therefore I don't allow pony bottle use from my boat. If someone can't watch their spg I don't want them relying on a security blanket.

Reminds me of when I started diving.
We used to smuggle O2 kits onto the charter boats because the skippers banned them - because they thought the boat would explode!
Later, when we started using Nitrox, none of the cylinders where marked - because the skippers banned Nitrox -because it was to dangerous for amateurs to use!

 

[gcarter]

All the dive boats I know of require a diver have a pony bottle. I' not sure, but I'd imagine they require an spg be used with it.

You must be joking