Best type of Pony Tank setup?

[Boogie711]

Which would you choose (and please be honest) and why?

I think the point of many people is that with a Pony Bottle, you don't have to be right beside your buddy - which is a philosophy I disagree with. Many people are claiming a status of 'self-sufficiency.'

You're assuming optimal conditions. On the other hand, that same diver has spent the last 3 years diving with a pony slung under his arm, had to compensate for the extra drag, has to pay for extra yearly VIP's and quint-ennial hydro's, and obviously thinks that having a pony is a good diving practice.

For that reason, I'm going to choose to dive on a permanent basis with the DIR diver. There's a reason he was right in contact with me (which doesn't necessarily mean swimming shoulder to shoulder, although it can) - it's because he believes in diving as a team.

Let me float a more realistic scenario. You're swimming along at 70 feet when you realize you're not moving forward anymore. You reach back, only to discover you've managed to drift into a gill net. Do you

a) want a pony bottle, assuming you can manage your way through the tangled mess to deploy it, or

b) want an attentive buddy who can cut you out, and if you STILL manage to run out of air, even then offer you his long hose?

I'll go with option b, thanks.

 

[rds4640]

The reason I asked the way I did is because it is the way I dive. I dive with a buddy that is in sync with me and definetly a team. We both sling a pony because if we run into a situation that requires the use of anothers reg I'd rather it be my own. Don't forget that I am strictly talking about recreational diving. I don't think it is an unrealistic question because if someone on a boat that I'm on finds themselves out of air and next to me or my buddy they will get my primary first but when they recompose they will have a pony clipped off to them and we'll all head up nice and slow. So which would you choose?

BTW if I were concerned with extra costs of the pony I would'nt be diving as the whole sport is big $$$$$, so to me this is a non issuse.

 

[Uncle Pug]

I agree that cost isn't an issue... particularly the cost of a pony.

To answer your question about the first stage failure at 70'... I would signal to both buddies my situation and begin an ascent using my own back gas. The DIR buddy would no doubt have already have noticed the situation and be on his necklaced backup with his long hose primary ready to hand off to me should I request it during the ascent.

 

[rds4640]

UP, back gas is a single for rec diving and is out of service due to neck oring rupture. That leaves your buddies long hose or the 30cft pony being handed to you. If you descide to take the long hose, why would you take it instead of the pony?

BTW the reason I am using the tank neck oring instead of the more realistic 1st stage malfunction is I wanted to eliminate people saying they would switch to their second reg on their y or h valve and keep this strictly a dependent situation.

 

[Snowbear]

UP, back gas is a single for rec diving and is out of service due to neck oring rupture. That leaves your buddies long hose or the 30cft pony being handed to you. If you descide to take the long hose, why would you take it instead of the pony?

Why is it out of service? Sure a bunch of gas is venting out the busted O-ring, but why should Pug just let ALL of it vent when he could use some of it?

I can't answer the 2nd question for UP, but in your scenario I would choose the long hose rather than the pony 'cause:
1 - I know it works (was just being used)
2 - It's right there in front of me, all I have to do is take it and breathe from it
3 - I don't know that the pony works, don't know if it's even turned on, don't know what's in it, have to hang the thing on me and deal with the trim and buoyancy issues that go with it.

 

[Snowbear]

It's making me think about some stuff

 

[rds4640]

1 - I know it works (was just being used)
2 - It's right there in front of me, all I have to do is take it and breathe from it
3 - I don't know that the pony works, don't know if it's even turned on, don't know what's in it, have to hang the thing on me and deal with the trim and buoyancy issues that go with it.

Fair enough, I like your answers, thanks.

 

[NEWreckDiver]

Which would you choose (and please be honest) and why?

I think the point of many people is that with a Pony Bottle, you don't have to be right beside your buddy - which is a philosophy I disagree with. Many people are claiming a status of 'self-sufficiency.'

You're assuming optimal conditions. On the other hand, that same diver has spent the last 3 years diving with a pony slung under his arm, had to compensate for the extra drag, has to pay for extra yearly VIP's and quint-ennial hydro's, and obviously thinks that having a pony is a good diving practice.

For that reason, I'm going to choose to dive on a permanent basis with the DIR diver. There's a reason he was right in contact with me (which doesn't necessarily mean swimming shoulder to shoulder, although it can) - it's because he believes in diving as a team.

Let me float a more realistic scenario. You're swimming along at 70 feet when you realize you're not moving forward anymore. You reach back, only to discover you've managed to drift into a gill net. Do you

a) want a pony bottle, assuming you can manage your way through the tangled mess to deploy it, or

b) want an attentive buddy who can cut you out, and if you STILL manage to run out of air, even then offer you his long hose?

I'll go with option b, thanks.

If you are carrying a Pony then you need to have it rigged so that you can get to it in case you need it. This is what should be stressed here.

Are you assuming that everyone here is diving with doubles? Most rec divers do not and would not normally have a long hose (7 foot).

 

[Boogie711]

If you are carrying a Pony then you need to have it rigged so that you can get to it in case you need it. This is what should be stressed here.

Are you assuming that everyone here is diving with doubles? Most rec divers do not and would not normally have a long hose (7 foot).

Who said anything about doubles? I dive a 7' foot hose with singles. Every dive.

And where exactly would you put it so you can get to it when you need it? That means having it always turned on and bungeeing the regulator under my neck - which is where my backup reg is already. Anything else requires some sort of hand movement - but remember, I'm all tangled up, and can't use my hands. But I can get to my backup hands free.

 

[NEWreckDiver]

Who said anything about doubles? I dive a 7' foot hose with singles. Every dive.

And where exactly would you put it so you can get to it when you need it? That means having it always turned on and bungeeing the regulator under my neck - which is where my backup reg is already. Anything else requires some sort of hand movement - but remember, I'm all tangled up, and can't use my hands. But I can get to my backup hands free.

OK, I just haven't seen anyone use a 7-foot hose with a Single tank configuration. It does make sense I guess. Where do you stow the extra hose? In a cave configuration? (around the neck)

Back to your original question, Entanglements? Why is it through out this entire thread, is the only time you would get entangled, is if you have a pony bottle with you. I am just posing this question to because we are talking.