How many non-tech divers carry a pony bottle?

[texdiveguy]

I SLING a 19cf PONY bottle any darn time I want to when diving recreational!!! It cracks me up to read some of the posts here....for a recreational diver a PONY is a good thing for deeper / longer dives or when diving solo. Its really not rocket science,,,if some folks keep wanting to make it into that, than those folks probably need to consult with NASA.

 

[ShallowDiverDave]

Just to clarify, I'm a conservative diver and I watch my air, depth and dive time like a hawk. I'm not looking for a way of relaxing my current level of vigilance , I'm looking at increasing my margin of safety. I can't see any negatives in carrying an alternate air source.

This is also my philosophy, and I intend to purchase a pony as I begin to accumulate my own equiptment.

 

[Meng_Tze]

It is possible that there is not enough gas in an AL80 when calculating the rock bottom when you are at 100' going by the rule of thirds rule with a stressful OOA situation if it should occur towards the end of the dive.

?? That situation is what you have that 1/3 'in reserve'.

So you breathe 1/3 to go down and do what ever, turn the dive at 2/3's... OOA situation... you have 1/3 for yourself to get back up and 1/3 for your buddy.....

on a straight rule of 1/3's I dont see the issue. Cave divers have used it for years and do not have a direct exit to the surface.... in open water.... 2/3's is plenty of gas for both divers to get back up.

Of course you have to play by the rules and TURN at 1/3. If you go beyond 1/3 to go down ...... then you have an issue, but that is not a shortcoming of the gas plan, it is mismanagement of the diver.

 

[texdiveguy]

It is possible that there is not enough gas in an AL80 when calculating the rock bottom when you are at 100' going by the rule of thirds rule with a stressful OOA situation if it should occur towards the end of the dive.

It has been my experience in scuba diving ANYTHING is possible,,and sometimes at the worst time and place....sure it might occur under some circumstances,,,we try to prepare ourselves as best we can for the unknown contingency.

 

[Trwmodela]

I purchased a 19 cu ft Pony (sling to BCD) and a new SCUBAPro regulator for deep wreck dives. My instructor recommended it during my Deep Diver Class. The main reason for the purchase is not having a regular dive buddy. It seems the buddies I get don't take safety in mine as much as I do. So, if they want to be 20 or 30 feet alway from me that's going to be their problem more then mine!

On my second deep dive recently my buddy almost went into deco. He was not paying attention to his computer and he was diving too deep on the second dive. When he showed me his computer it was flashing O bottom time.

The pony bottle is easy to carry under my right side clipped to the BCD. Once I even thought it fell off because you basically forget it is even there until you exit the water.

Tim

 

[drbill]

I am not a technical diver, but I am pretty sure that they never use pony bottles. It is often for people to have pony bottles as a "bail out", which I believe is dangerous is it prevent people from having proper gas management. I think the main rule or piece of advice that I know is the following: always make sure to have enough gas in your main gas supply for you and your buddy to return to the surface safely following normal ascend procedures.

Have to disagree. I carry a pony on every single dive (as a solo diver). The only time I needed it was the one dive I didn't carry it on. It is with me not to make up for poor gas management (I'm actually pretty darned good at that). It is with me as a bailout in the event of primary gas supply failure (as when my primary tank valve debris tube clogged a few years ago at 70 ft... and I had left the pony behind).

 

[dtkachev]

8

Not to be too nit-pickey here, but the rule of 3rds is not always the most conservative gas management strategys and can in certain situations get you in trouble. A good example would be a dive to 100' on an AL80. Reserving 1/3 for emergency could lead you into trouble.

I am sorry, but I said that you should have 2/3 not 1/3 for return, as you need 1/3 for you and another 1/3 for your buddy to return.

 

[dbombtek]

I always have and always will carry 1.

 

[Jason Ooi]

Nope negative...recreational dive, I never carry pony bottle except solo dive

 

[Hoosier]

Why don't we dive with a double for the solo diving? Just use only one bottle and the other is always your pony...