Mounting plate for tank and pony bottle

[SlugLife]

Sure, if you have steel tanks, you're pinned to the ceiling!

This is completely manageable. The context of this thread is a pony-bottle, but I have done this with a Steel 100 once late last year.

Funny story: I'll try to keep this brief as to avoid this thread going off-topic. While on vacation, I had the opportunity to rent a Steel 100, and figured "why not!" It was a casual shore-dive with no objectives. So, there I was diving Sidemount-style with a Steel 100 on one side, and an AL6 pony on the other (it's my travel-pony). I was swimming like a fish with half it's fins chewed off, tilted about 35-40 degrees to the left.

I did remove my left (Steel 100) tank at one point in the dive, and I didn't rocket to the surface, despite being at about 10ft deep. I also didn't just let go of the tank. I did release some air from my BCD, and then when I was neutral tried (unsuccessfully) to move around weights and make some adjustments to be more balanced. I had no relevant training or previous experience, and handled the situation just fine, and think most other experienced divers should be able to do the same.

 

[billgraham]

This is completely manageable. The context of this thread is a pony-bottle, but I have done this with a Steel 100 once late last year.

Funny story: I'll try to keep this brief as to avoid this thread going off-topic. While on vacation, I had the opportunity to rent a Steel 100, and figured "why not!" It was a casual shore-dive with no objectives. So, there I was diving Sidemount-style with a Steel 100 on one side, and an AL6 pony on the other (it's my travel-pony). I was swimming like a fish with half it's fins chewed off, tilted about 35-40 degrees to the left.

I did remove my left (Steel 100) tank at one point in the dive, and I didn't rocket to the surface, despite being at about 10ft deep. I also didn't just let go of the tank. I did release some air from my BCD, and then when I was neutral tried (unsuccessfully) to move around weights and make some adjustments to be more balanced. I had no relevant training or previous experience, and handled the situation just fine, and think most other experienced divers should be able to do the same.

The thought back in the dark ages of sidemount was you didn't need a long hose because you'd just swap tanks. Well, we tried it and I got a long hose before the next dive!

 

[PBcatfish]

Since I acquired an AL19, I haven't gone a dive without redundant air. The few times I haven't had the AL19, were when traveling (I acquired a 6cu dirt-cheap) or doing sidemount (2x AL80s). The AL19 is lightweight, convenient, easy to lug around on land and ladders, and doesn't get in the way.

I have never tried diving with an AL30 or AL40 as a slung-pony and I'd like to try it. However, I've noticed all of my dive buddies who own AL30/AL40 tanks and rigging, leave their pony at home.


When I started sidemount, the first time I detached a tank, and breathed from the unequipped tank was a little wild.

I used a 40 slung as a spare during lobster mini season to stretch my bottom time in shallow water. If I were to do it again, I would opt to go back to the boat & change to a new main tank rather than drag around a 40 again. I would need a very good reason to drag along a 40 again. I used the 30s back when my largest main tank was an 80 & I was diving with a buddy that was on a 100. If I didn't now have larger main tanks, I would do that again.

Some of my dives are in VERY easy places, where a free ascent is easy. If I'm in less than 20 feet of water with no entanglements in the area, I don't tend to bother with a pony. (gasp) I may not even bother with an octopus.

After ditching the main rig, a little pony, like a 19 can be tucked into my weight belt. That actually works fairly well.

 

[PBcatfish]

Not being negative, but if you've gotten your rig tangled a few times, maybe you need to address the entanglement?

The structure in the areas where I go to grab lobsters & stone crab claws, sometimes has fishing line snagged on it. I don't always see it before it gets wrapped around my gear. I've gotten caught in a cast net too.

 

[PBcatfish]

Well right, if you have steel tanks you'll be pinned to the ceiling.

I think that depends on your rig. I still use a weight belt. I weight myself to be pretty close to neutral with the rig off & then trim the rig with pocket weights if needed.

 

[SlugLife]

I used a 40 slung as a spare during lobster mini season to stretch my bottom time in shallow water. If I were to do it again, I would opt to go back to the boat & change to a new main tank rather than drag around a 40 again. I would need a very good reason to drag along a 40 again. I used the 30s back when my largest main tank was an 80 & I was diving with a buddy that was on a 100. If I didn't now have larger main tanks, I would do that again.

Some of my dives are in VERY easy places, where a free ascent is easy. If I'm in less than 20 feet of water with no entanglements in the area, I don't tend to bother with a pony. (gasp) I may not even bother with an octopus.

After ditching the main rig, a little pony, like a 19 can be tucked into my weight belt. That actually works fairly well.

Sidemount divers practically never have an octo. Assuming I have two tanks, and 2-regs, I see the octo as little more than an entanglement-hazard and hose to manage. (Some disagree, but I suppose people can make up their own mind)

My 19cu is purely redundancy, not a dive-extender, and it's so easy to sling! I wouldn't even bother with smaller, except for travel; my 6cu is as much of a hassle as my 19cu. I suppose I'm more curious about the AL30. Like you mentioned, AL40 is starting to get to the size, where you might consider just using a full-sized 80cu+ tank and I do sidemount.

The structure in the areas where I go to grab lobsters & stone crab claws, sometimes has fishing line snagged on it. I don't always see it before it gets wrapped around my gear. I've gotten caught in a cast net too.

Fishing line ... been there done that. I usually just cut it, until it's no longer bothering me, and then clean up whatever's left after I surface.

Cast-net is frightening!

I think that depends on your rig. I still use a weight belt. I weight myself to be pretty close to neutral with the rig off & then trim the rig with pocket weights if needed.

That too. My BCD is neutral at approximately 2x AL80s, 5mm wetsuit, 700psi, 15ft deep. That's barely negative without tanks. I don't adjust weight when switching to steel, no wetsuit, etc.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

I currently use an old faithful Pony Tamer system. One pin pull and the entire pony set-up can be removed without touching or affecting the main tank........but you do need to have the female "receiver" bands installed on all primary tanks for this system to work...

I actually like the Trident Quick Draw and am considering swapping to that since the connection lives with the BC strap which makes it much "friendlier" and convenient if hauling a 19 or 13cf to the tropics...or anywhere where I am not bringing my own main tanks.

PS...... Slightly off topic, but I also have a small 2in SPG that lives with my Pony reg so that I can easily verify status prior to and during any dive.

 

[PBcatfish]

...Fishing line ... been there done that. I usually just cut it, until it's no longer bothering me, and then clean up whatever's left after I surface.... ...I suppose I'm more curious about the AL30. Like you mentioned...

When the line gets wrapped around your first stage, it's kind of hard, & a little risky, to go poking around back there blindly with a knife. That's why I preferred to ditch the rig & then cut it loose when I could see what I was doing.

I was using the 30 as an extender. I would only want it as an actual pony for a very deep dive or a penetration dive. Otherwise, smaller ones make more sense to me. I have 30, 19, 13 & 6 cf to choose from. The 19 gets the most use. For 60' & less, I like the 13. The 6 really only gets used as a dunk tank when soaking my regulators in fresh water after a salt dive. I still have working regulators that I bought new in the 1980s because I take VERY good care of them.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

When the line gets wrapped around your first stage, it's kind of hard, & a little risky, to go poking around back there blindly with a knife. That's why I preferred to ditch the rig & then cut it loose when I could see what I was doing.

That can be problematic for cold water divers in dry suits where all of their needed weight may be in the form of integrated BC's, Steel tanks or heavy back plates. If you get fouled in fishing line or netting you better take a moment to thingk about weighting status before you remove your rig at depth......

For cold water here in the PNW diving a steel 102 or 120 with a 19 pony, I use 34lbs of lead. I keep 10 of those lbs on a good ole fashion weight belt.... and then 10 in each of my ditchable integrated pockets and the other 4 in by back non-ditchable trim pockets. I also dive a shell suit so I can remove most of the buoyancy factor and put up with some squeeze if I ever needed to remove my rig..... and still have 10lbs on my actual person.

 

[PBcatfish]

That can be problematic for cold water divers in dry suits where all of their needed weight may be in the form of integrated BC's, Steel tanks or heavy back plates. If you get fouled in fishing line or netting you better take a moment to thing about weighting status before you remove your rig at depth......

For cold water here in the PNW diving a steel 102 or 120 with a 19 pony, I use 34lbs of lead. I keep 10 of those lbs on a good ole fashion weight belt.... and then 10 in each of my ditchable integrated pockets and the other 4 in by back non-ditchable trim pockets. I also dive a shell suit so I can remove most of the buoyancy factor and put up with some squeeze if I ever needed to remove my rig..... and still have 10lbs on my actual person.

As I said in post #25, it depends on your rig.

I haven’t dove in cold enough water to need 30+# in a long time & I don’t miss it. I do remember those days though, & I strongly agree with your strategy of carrying your weight in a few different places. If you do need to ditch weight for some reason, loosing that much all at once creates some very serious new issues.