How Do You Do Pony?

[happy-diver]

To whom are you passing your emergency gas off to easily if necessary and for what reason

 

[AustinV]

To whom are you passing your emergency gas off to easily if necessary and for what reason

I've never actually passed it to another diver at depth, I have passed it to someone back on the boat versus climbing a ladder with it depending on the boat.

 

[undrwater]

To whom are you passing your emergency gas off to easily if necessary and for what reason

To you! When you come swimming from out of nowhere with dilated pupils, signaling "out of gas!".

 

[Boarderguy]

To you! When you come swimming from out of nowhere with dilated pupils, signaling "out of gas!".

Their mask would be off and eyes bloodshot from the salt. Might be hard to see the dilated pupils... also, the OOA diver would be grabbing your primary reg since it's providing you air and not waiting to be given a pretty pony. This is why it's a good idea to have at least a 40"primary.

 

[undrwater]

Their mask would be off and eyes bloodshot from the salt. Might be hard to see the dilated pupils... also, the OOA diver would be grabbing your primary reg since it's providing you air and not waiting to be given a pretty pony. This is why it's a good idea to have at least a 40"primary.

My tongue was firmly planted in my cheek with that post.

I agree though, it would be quite a rare scenario where a pony is passed to another diver. I won't say zero, however.

 

[Boarderguy]

My tongue was firmly planted in my cheek with that post.

I agree though, it would be quite a rare scenario where a pony is passed to another diver. I won't say zero, however.

I figured as much... my pony is for me and me only. If you need air then you can have my primary and breathe off the 119 on my back. I won't even give the pony reg to my wife. She also can breathe my back gas.

 

[AustinV]

I can't think of a likely event where you would HAVE to give the pony to an OOA diver. Put them on your long hose and get them to the surface like that.

 

[SlugLife]

I sling an AL40 every dive, even on shallower dives. It doesnt feel any different than an AL19 in the water in my opinion, and it's plenty of gas to get me to surface if needed. Maybe every 20 dives I switch to it just for practice. I prefer slinging to tank mount as I can pass it off easily if necessary.

I haven't had the opportunity yet to try an AL40 or AL30. However:

• Carrying my AL19 seems little different from my AL6, or AL3. By the time you're carrying ANY bottle, the size doesn't seem to make a huge difference.
• I also bring redundant air on every dive. Sometimes that's the pony-bottle, sometimes it's SideMount.
• When slinging it, I have it attached SideMount style. That keeps it more streamlined. (That's optional of course, but I like doing that)

I'd be curious if after trying AL30 or 40, if I'd say the same thing about AL19 vs AL40.

 

[SlugLife]

I can't think of a likely event where you would HAVE to give the pony to an OOA diver. Put them on your long hose and get them to the surface like that.

A much more likely scenarios would be:

* Handing it up into a boat after a dive.
* Dropping it in the water before a dive, and clipping it on in the water. (more useful with full-sized tanks)
* Dealing with an entanglement, perhaps removing gear in the process, and using the pony to deal with the entanglement.

In a standard OOA situation, handing off the pony is probably not a good idea, agreed. The buddy who managed to run out of air somehow, should probably be "baby-sat" up to the surface, make sure they're ok, and don't encounter any further problems.

The situations where you'd hand it off are perhaps more "odd-ball" problems, like your buddy is trapped, you can't free them and need to surface for help. Alternatively, they're behaving erratically, and you need to get away from them ... although the 7ft hose to get some distance might be a better option here.

 

[Doc Harry]

When I solo at remote locations, I just rent a second AL80 and sling it on my left side. Easy, and I don't have to bring another tank in my luggage.