Pony Attachment

[DaleC]

There are problems that require calling a dive and there are problems that don't. In the beginning most problems may require calling the dive but (hopefully) with experience, a diver becomes more capable of discerning between the two and dealing with each appropriately. If you have to call a dive because you unmounted your pony and now can't remount it you may want to reconsider your mounting options. Unmounting and remounting your pony should be an action, not a problem.

 

[Splash-X]

What is so hard to understand about the fact that NO TWO DIVERS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME? The type of diving you do and the type of diving I do are different, my choices in gear are different, my choices in dive location are different. Guess what, that means that the configuration of my gear can be ::gasp:: different than yours. None of that makes me, my gear or my configuration any better than any one elses.

Someone using a pony for comfort probably won't be mounting it in the same way that someone who is doing wreck penetration or even deco. Truth be told, you're probably going to have different sets of gear if you're wreck or deco diving to support all of the equipment that you'll need to be carrying.

The bottom line is there is no offical right or wrong way to mount something. Just make sure you know the pros and cons about the way you're going to mount it before you adopt someone elses "method" or you may not know what you're getting yourself in to.

 

[USFishin]

For all of you pony slingers... did you ever think that he wants it mounted to his back because he's spearfishing (as shown in his signature). Slinging a pony isn't an option when you are hunting. Everyone is so quick to tell him that he's wrong in wanting it mounted and that slinging it is the only proper way to go.

I spearfish with a pony, and I am doing it all wrong, because I mount it instead of sling it. I mount a 19cf pony with the valve down using the Zeagle pony mount straps. I pressurize the reg before I go in and then turn it off. I have a pony gauge mounted to the first stage of the pony reg. The only real purpose of the gauge is to see the pressure before I jump in for the dive. I don't really need to see the pressure while I am using it. If that is my last resort for air, it's out when it's out, a gauge won't help me. The pony is for me, not my buddy, so I have no need to hand it off. If my buddy is out of air I am not leaving him. So he can either use my octo or my pony, and the two of us are going up together.

 

[Splash-X]

Everyone is so quick to tell him that he's wrong in wanting it mounted and that slinging it is the only proper way to go.

I spearfish with a pony, and I am doing it all wrong, because I mount it instead of sling it.

This is almost exactly my point, there really is no "wrong" use of a pony. Just because a group of divers use it one way or a single diver another doesn't make either right or wrong it just means that the pony has different uses.

 

[matt t.]

Yes it can smack you in the face and not everybody puts it on once in the water. I'm not going to risk dropping my bottle when the captain misses, boats rolls etc... Once I'm in, I'm in. Current be damned!
My right hand hold my reg/mask on my face and my left drapes over the first stage of the pony bottle. It's no biggy but definately something to think about.

Good luck with that. I'd like to see you do a giant stride or back roll entry with 2 extra aluminum 80's and a 40. If you can't handle putting a bottle (or 3) on in the water you shouldn't be doing any dives that require them.

 

[DaleC]

Good luck with that. I'd like to see you do a giant stride or back roll entry with 2 extra aluminum 80's and a 40. If you can't handle putting a bottle (or 3) on in the water you shouldn't be doing any dives that require them.

How'd you go from slinging a pony to slinging two Al80's and a 40? I'll assume you are deco diving with that gear and so not using a pony anyways. If you can't figure out the difference between the two set ups then perhaps YOU shouldn't be doing those dives either

 

[matt t.]

How'd you go from slinging a pony to slinging two Al80's and a 40? I'll assume you are deco diving with that gear and so not using a pony anyways. If you can't figure out the difference between the two set ups then perhaps YOU shouldn't be doing those dives either

Nevermind .

 

[DaleC]

Ok

 

[Hatul]

I went through the process of selecting a mount for a pony bottle recently.
I tried three options: a 'pony tamer', pony bottle bag, and a diverite sling setup.

I really liked the idea of the pony tamer but...
I boat dive often. they provide the tanks. we switch tanks between dives.
this meant mounding and remounting the pony between dives. Also in kelp
the pony bottle got caught and was difficult to free.

So i went to an xtream scuba pony bag. This attached to my harness with velcro
tabs. it was not secure and i could not figure where to put it. It ended up on my
harness on the left, Velcroed to my d-rings. the tank just barely fit in the bag
and was a pain to get out.

So i switched to a stage rig setup. The handle is handy and the clips are secure. besides i already use stage bottles for some dives. Its easy to setup (just clip it on) and when i change tanks no problemo...

when i got the sling i got two of the elastic hose retainers and make a neat package.
its easy to turn on when needed and i can keep an eye on it. I brief my dive buddies to ignore it. if they need air they take my alternate (or primary if divining hose) and if needed i go to the pony (based on available gas).

Can I ask you where for a link where to find the sling?

Adam

 

[Md Spear]

Heres a nice super quick change pony bracket that uses BC tank strap. We use this type during a little deeper spearfishing. You can mount it valve up or down. Its made by a welding craftsman in Pa. I got it from my LDS Brass Anchor in Frederick Md