Pony Bottle

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read again...
i said.. i do a 60-80 ft dive depth..
i said .... it's for others not mine
i said... some newer divers are not very good with air

im thinking of others on the boat.

No. I never needed a Pony for myself.. it's for others.. on the way up...

Yes I know. I got it the first time.
 
I use a 40 and sling it like a stage on the left side. Buoyancy wise...I don’t really notice it in the water most of the time. The only way I really notice it is when I use it as a bottom time extender (pre-planned to use it like that). When it gets a bit floaty, you just have to let out a bit of gas from your wing.

On the SPG...just orient it so that you can reach it/check it easily enough.

If you can...test it out in a pool or a calm spot before taking it on a “real” dive. I did a pool session the first time I used mine and took the opportunity to adjust the rigging and my D-ring locations.
 
sorry for the late reply!

I do mainly recreational diving... 60-80ft depth.

My air is good.. I can get at least 50minutes out of it with a ladder profile.
Im 5'6" 160 lbs. Fairly Athletic build. I swim bike and run. recreationally. although not that much anymore
about 100 + dives total.

I dive Aluminum Bpw with jetfins. No need for weights.. I dive tropical. Non Deco Dive.
24in SPG on my left hip. Main hose is 40cm hose goes thru under the armpit. I use an Air2 for an inflator/stage2 secondary
I dive with sharkskin. so neutral bouyancy wear. No neoprene.

Why do I need a pony? welll... i've never needed a pony after 100+ dives. My dive group has gone separate ways. Most of the Organizers have gone overseas. Leaving us more Sr. on the group. somehow the newer ones .. still lack experience... if I have to share air with them... both of us would be done for.

Ok so far...

1.) sling on the left? i have an spg on my left hip. can't i sling it on the right?
2.) ok... some says 16 some says 20 some says 30 and 40 lol...
I would prefer something that doesnt mess up my bouyancy much.
Ok. So as I understand your post, you are diving as a solo diver in that you do not keep a reserve to act as alternate air for your buddy. So you want to use a pony as your reserve, could be for you or your buddy.

Do you plan to keep the bottle in an air share or hand it off?
 
Ok. So as I understand your post, you are diving as a solo diver in that you do not keep a reserve to act as alternate air for your buddy. So you want to use a pony as your reserve, could be for you or your buddy.

Do you plan to keep the bottle in an air share or hand it off?

actually i never dive solo.

I want something for emergencies.

Although i've never needed one, I could use it for some extra time underwater. Although 90% of time to assist those newer buddies with high gas consumption.

Air Share or hand it off? hmm.. never thought of that... maybe airshare while i help him to the surface
 
I didn’t mean that you actually dive solo but that you are apparently diving your tank beyond the reserve where both you and your buddy can safely ascend on your tank in an OOG situation. Otherwise you would not need a pony tank for buddy diving. Its not a judgement but simply the reason that I understand that you feel the need for a pony with buddy diving.

So in this respect, you and your buddy (or at least your buddy) are solo in that apparently neither carries a gas reserve for the other.
 
I didn’t mean that you actually dive solo but that you are apparently diving your tank beyond the reserve where both you and your buddy can safely ascend on your tank in an OOG situation. Otherwise you would not need a pony tank for buddy diving. Its not a judgement but simply the reason that I understand that you feel the need for a pony with buddy diving.

Like i said.. after 100+ dives. I never needed a pony bottle.
I never said I need a pony bottle.
I merely WANT a pony bottle as an added security to others in my company.

I am always at my safety stop before i reach 50bar. yes i would ascend at 40-50 bar. but that is 3-5mins after my safety stop... dwindling near the boat at shallow depth.
 
lanceRiley. Another thought/idea for you. For any dives involving depth over 20m we as a matter of course have a tank/reg setup slung below the boat on a 5.0-6.0m line. That's as a backup to regular air checks of our customers to try to ensure no one ever needs to use it.
 
I use an AL30 slung on the left with I think a 26" octo hose and naked spg on 6" hose, as others have suggested. More than enough to safely terminate any dive with a safety stop in rec limits, which is where it's used. Hardly notice it in the water. I don't use it when I have a buddy.

But after reading your follow-up posts, I think better gas management/awareness or a more conservative dive plan would be more beneficial to you and your dive buddies than the pony. A pony should not be factored in to your dive plans, whether it's "extra time underwater" or "added security to others."
 
I’ve ventured off the standard path a bit by hanging my pony on the right, but my setup sounds similar to the OP’s so I thought I would chime in.

I have a Scubapro Classic BC with an air2 (on the left). My analog SPG is also on the left (the hose and console clip to a D-ring so they don’t dangle). My primary (on the right of course) has a 40” hose. I sling my 19 cf pony on my right side. That way I have easy access to my air2 and spg on the left. The pony does not interfere with my primary regulator and both the first and second stage regulators of my pony are just inches below my chin. It would only take 1-2 seconds to begin using my pony if ever needed.

I began using a pony last year when I went on vacation with my non-diving wife, and I was diving in the mornings. I did not want to count on an insta buddy for air if needed. Now I just like the security of having redundant air.

My 19 year old son is my dive buddy. I’ve told him if he ever needs air, to give me the OOA sign if he can, but get the regulator out of my mouth and don’t go chasing my air2 or the pony tank air. I’ll figure that out quick enough.
 
I’ve ventured off the standard path a bit by hanging my pony on the right, but my setup sounds similar to the OP’s so I thought I would chime in.

I have a Scubapro Classic BC with an air2 (on the left). My analog SPG is also on the left (the hose and console clip to a D-ring so they don’t dangle). My primary (on the right of course) has a 40” hose. I sling my 19 cf pony on my right side. That way I have easy access to my air2 and spg on the left. The pony does not interfere with my primary regulator and both the first and second stage regulators of my pony are just inches below my chin. It would only take 1-2 seconds to begin using my pony if ever needed.

I began using a pony last year when I went on vacation with my non-diving wife, and I was diving in the mornings. I did not want to count on an insta buddy for air if needed. Now I just like the security of having redundant air.

My 19 year old son is my dive buddy. I’ve told him if he ever needs air, to give me the OOA sign if he can, but get the regulator out of my mouth and don’t go chasing my air2 or the pony tank air. I’ll figure that out quick enough.
we do have a similar setup... home considering the right side for the pony..
 

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