How Do You Do Pony?

[Boarderguy]

@Jersey1971 I just reread your original post... when I travel with my pony I also take a transfer whip with me and use a rented tank to put some air in it if they give me trouble. Otherwise I take them the tank with valve ON and have them fill it from empty.

 

[Bigbella]

Loosenit2 said above: "2. mount is to your primary tank, this is a viable option I have dove with but is often derided on this board." Why? I've done it many times and it worked great.

I do a good deal of rougher surf entries, and carrying anything on a sling, can be a bit of a pain in the arse. I have always preferred to have my ponies (typically 19 c.f.) attached to my primary tank (a personal taste more than anything else) -- and have done so for decades without issue.

Why all the SB derision? Probably some recent "tech" course edict or just standard LDS propaganda. Wear the things however you wish; but I did manage to help out some poor guy in Carmel last week, sporting two side-slung 80s, who couldn't stand-up upon exiting the surf, and had flopped all over the place . . .

 

[scubadada]

I sling a 19 in SE FL. I have a transfill whip and my pony is out of hydro and vis. I only top it off occasionally while I am on a boat dive. To fill from empty would be quite a drag on the primary tank. I guess if I were somewhere like Bonaire, I could fill if from a full tank or 2 and return them to the used pile.

 

[PBcatfish]

...On an unrelated note, when my LDS requires a VIP if you bring an empty or valve out tank. When you travel with valve out, will the LDS just fill it, or do you pay for a VIP?

When I have flown with a small tank, it's generally been a Spare Air. I've always reassembled it myself & then filled it from a rented primary tank. I do carry spare O-rings. If I were to travel with a real pony, I would likely reassemble it myself, then just get it filled at a local shop. There may be the odd shop out there that would give you a hard time, but I think that these days, they are the exception more than the rule, as long as you have a valid Hydro date & a valid VIP on the tank from an actual shop & not from Leisure Pro.

While the valve is off, I always take advantage of the opportunity to take a look myself & be sure that nothing inside looks off spec.

 

[crofrog]

With a twinset

 

[Ayisha]

I did my second pony bottle dive this weekend, using the Shark mount, which seems to be the preferred technique here (New Jersey). I noticed I was a bit off balance, so shifted weights on my weight belt.

If you attach the pony as close as you can to the middle of your back, right beside the tank, it shouldn't roll you. If you place the pony to one side, even a little 19 cf can throw someone, especially a smaller person, off balance.

It depends what type of attachment you're using. The closer you can keep the pony to your spine (rather than sides), the better. Back in the day, I used this type before I switched to slinging it:

Trident Pony Mount

 

[SlugLife]

On an unrelated note, when my LDS requires a VIP if you bring an empty or valve out tank. When you travel with valve out, will the LDS just fill it, or do you pay for a VIP?

Shhhhhhhhhh!

Transfill adapter. If necessary, rent a tank, transfill, and then return the rented tank. I don't do the VIP/Hydro tax on any of my pony-bottles. I built a transfill-adapter using 2 parts from DE.AliExpress | aliexpress german - Kaufen Sie günstig qualitativ hochwertige Produkte aus China. - AliExpress

I think it was about $40 including shipping, and just waiting a month for the arrival.

edit: You could also use that tank you rented for a slightly-shorter shore dive, if your schedule allows for it. Generally speaking, transfilling from a full AL80 to an AL19 gets the AL19 full-enough. I'm generally not doing anything too extremely on vacation dives, so 2400 PSI in the AL19 is plenty for my redundant air supply.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Transfill adapter. If necessary, rent a tank, transfill, and then return the rented tank. I don't do the VIP/Hydro tax on any of my pony-bottles. I built a transfill-adapter using 2 parts from DE.AliExpress | aliexpress german - Kaufen Sie günstig qualitativ hochwertige Produkte aus China. - AliExpress

View attachment 752583

I think it was about $40 including shipping, and just waiting a month for the arrival.

edit: You could also use that tank you rented for a slightly-shorter shore dive, if your schedule allows for it. Generally speaking, transfilling from a full AL80 to an AL19 gets the AL19 full-enough. I'm generally not doing anything too extremely on vacation dives, so 2400 PSI in the AL19 is plenty for my redundant air supply.

Built my own whip. Connectors from two pressure checkers from DGX and a 5' hydraulic hose. Liked it so much did another with a 2 foot hose for travel ...

Filled tanks are free. Use a couple. Or 3. I figure that should get to almost 3000#. I should try that next time a few of my filled tanks are getting up on their VIP deadline rather than just venting them to the atmosphere. I think I have 4 80s coming up in January. Last trip to AKR I let the tank shack fill my pony, and they did a good job, it just meant I didn't have it for the morning swims first day as they shut down the fill shack on Saturday. But at AKR, you don't have access on to the nitrox tank room on Saturday either, and EANx 21 air just gets dropped at the boat so you don't really touch it until you load up and jump in the pool. IIRC.

Might work better some place with shore diving emphasis where you just drive through.

OMMOHY

 

[Dnaber]

I did my second pony bottle dive this weekend, using the Shark mount, which seems to be the preferred technique here (New Jersey). I noticed I was a bit off balance, so shifted weights on my weight belt. I saw a couple of mentions in this thread of a tank counterbalance. How do you attach to the tank? It seems a better and more repeatable solution than trying to place weights just right on my belt.

On an unrelated note, when my LDS requires a VIP if you bring an empty or valve out tank. When you travel with valve out, will the LDS just fill it, or do you pay for a VIP?

Hi, I do just what Boarderguy does. Get a counter weight pouch and add as much weight as you need. With my 19cf I use 4#. And yes I have to get my pony VIPed when required. There are ways around it like using a whip to refill. But it's not really a bad idea to get them inspected. I pay about $19.00 for a VIP. Hope this helps.

 

[AustinV]

I don't fly to dive generally, all my regular dive locations are within driving distance, so that may affect my input.

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.