How should I mount my pony to my main tank?

[birdwrasse]

and very secure!

--c

tanks can stand up on their own, too, and are balanced on my back, not on one side or the other... 13 cu ft redundant air source!

 

[taymere]

I am wondering how a slung pony would interfere with BCD removal and replacement both underwater and on the surface. I am considering buying a 19cf pony and the x-bracket. My reasoning is that with the x-bracket it would be very easy to remove and replace my BCD. I am an instructor and when I am not teaching I often dive solo to 40 m max. I would like to keep the same rig for teaching, including confined water demonstrations, as I use for my solo dives. I also think my students would be less confused and distracted by a tank mounted pony. I also think it will get in the way less from hands on teaching like grasping both the descent line and the D ring of the students BCD during CESA training. Have any of you tried teaching OW courses with a pony in either configuration? Also, has anyone tried using 2 x-brackets, one on each tank band, with a 19cf pony on a Halcyon doulble banded BCD for super secure rig?

 

[Soggy]

A slung bottle is attached by two bolt snaps, on on the shoulder, and one on the hip. Very easy to remove and replace. Much easier than trying to reach behind you.

Here's a stage rigged deco bottle, but this would work just as well for a pony:

Here is an article on how to rig the bottle:
http://dir-diver.com/en/equipment/stagebottle_rigging.html

 

[Scuba_Steve]

I am wondering how a slung pony would interfere with BCD removal and replacement both underwater and on the surface. I am considering buying a 19cf pony and the x-bracket. My reasoning is that with the x-bracket it would be very easy to remove and replace my BCD. I am an instructor and when I am not teaching I often dive solo to 40 m max. I would like to keep the same rig for teaching, including confined water demonstrations, as I use for my solo dives. I also think my students would be less confused and distracted by a tank mounted pony. I also think it will get in the way less from hands on teaching like grasping both the descent line and the D ring of the students BCD during CESA training. Have any of you tried teaching OW courses with a pony in either configuration? Also, has anyone tried using 2 x-brackets, one on each tank band, with a 19cf pony on a Halcyon doulble banded BCD for super secure rig?

OK Dr. Bill, now you're just bating me here and I don't think sock puppets are all that funny

 

[TheRedHead]

I have a hilarious mental image of a guy wearing a crossed ammo belt on his chest loaded with Spare Airs.

 

[taymere]

Thanks Soggy, that makes sense. Easy to unclip it when slung so I'll only bring it along when I dive solo, and leave it at home when teaching. Nevermind my original idea of always diving the same rig, the interference of the estra gear isn't justified when clearly unneeded for teaching because i have an octo. Where did you find the short hose for your SPG?

 

[taymere]

Stuneap, thanks for your post. Where did you find that tiny screw in SPG shown in the top photo and how much was it? Are you happy with that SPG, is it stll fairly easy to read in that size? It looks like the way to go for the pony instead of a full sized SPG.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Oceanic offers a screw-in SPG for around $50. They work well for what they were intended for. I have one on my argon regulator. There are better options for sling tanks, though - see Soggy's deco bottle for an illustration.

(Hint - Soggy also sells those gauges, which are very nice - I bought two of them off him! PM him for more details...)

Remember that even if you have younger eyes than I do, occasionally vis goes to crap and ambient light fades to black, and a larger gauge face can be nice under those conditions.....

FWIW. YMMV.

 

[birdwrasse]

Stuneap, thanks for your post. Where did you find that tiny screw in SPG shown in the top photo and how much was it? Are you happy with that SPG, is it stll fairly easy to read in that size? It looks like the way to go for the pony instead of a full sized SPG.

found it at scubatoys.com


i only check it before i first get in the water... just to make sure the tank is still full! refill the tank at the same time i bring in my regular diving al 80's... it works... not sure how accurate, but as long as it points near the 3000 mark, that's good for me!




p.s. oh, if you put vinyl hose around the steel, it will look pretty, too...!

 

[paulwlee]

Don't buy an X-bracket.
Get a Tigermount bracket if you want a tank-mount.
Infinitely better, albeit quite pricey.