19cuft Catalina Pony Question

[mikecotrone]

I have some questions regarding my pony setup

1. Should I mount pony valve facing up or down? (I saw somewhere that it was easier to reach the valve in a down position)..

2. Route the miflex hose under my right arm -- Or left arm? (I am using a Zeagle Ranger with an Octo Z on my power inflator)

3. How can I clip my Pony Reg (Apeks XTX20)? I was thinking about using an SS Bolt snap to clip it off of my lower D ring.

If I am missing something or if there are better routing techniques please let me know.

Thank you in advance!!

 

[halocline]

Have you considered slinging the bottle? There are lots of advantages; maybe the most important is that it gives you total control over it, including the ability to pass it off or drop it if necessary.

 

[Crush]

I sling mine like this: DIR-diver.com - Stagebottle rigging

 

[mikecotrone]

Yes I had thought about slinging it, but I thought that the 19cuft tanks were too small to sling. ??

 

[mikecotrone]

Also which two D rings do you clip off to on your BP/W or BC?

THanks!

 

[halocline]

It's a piece of cake, you just rig it like a stage, it clips to a chest and hip D ring. You'll hardly notice it under water.

Now, go over to the advanced diving forum and read the 20 page thread on pony use in recreational diving....or any of the other 999,999 threads.

 

[mikecotrone]

Thanks! Yeah I saw many of those posts and that was the reason I decided to post in here

 

[Crush]

Yes I had thought about slinging it, but I thought that the 19cuft tanks were too small to sling. ??

Also which two D rings do you clip off to on your BP/W or BC?

THanks!

I sling my 19 cu ft pony - no problem. It is a nice, manageable size.

For my first 65 (?) dives or so I used a BC - a Zeagle Scout. During the pony dives I clipped off the pony on the left chest D-ring and left belt D-ring. From about dive 65 (?) onwards I am trying a BP/w as I have done my cavern cert (in the BC) and might try Intro Cave one day. The pony was as easy to clip off on my BP/w as it was on my Scout (still on the left side).

 

[Crush]

Have you considered slinging the bottle? There are lots of advantages; maybe the most important is that it gives you total control over it, including the ability to pass it off or drop it if necessary.

The only objection that I have read to slinging a pony bottle is that it can interfere with bug (lobster) hunting. I don't hunt for bugs (they don't live withing 1000 miles of me, but they still taste great). There may be other reasonable issues, but I have not read about them.

 

[mikecotrone]

Thanks Crush! Your info was very helpful especially since you dove a similar BC to mine with your 19.

I am also looking at a BP/W at this point also as I inch closer towards basic tec. Thank you again.

BTW I used to live in Olds, AB and Lloydminster, AB back when I was in my late teens (played Junior A hockey).

Cheers!
- Mike