Pony bottle/alternate air

[RonFrank]

Where do you mount these things? Is it OK to hand one off to your buddy, if he needs it?

There are basically a few ways to mount/sling a pony bottle, depending upon the size, and the octo setup. If you use a small pony (under 19 CF) they make holders that attach to BC's, CAM bands, and holders that just clip off to the BC. If the Octo setup does not involve a hose, then you need to be able to grab the pony, and hand it off, or use it yourself by getting it close enough to the mouth to breath off of without a hose.

A popular way to use them with or without a hose is to sling them. This requires bolt snaps generally attached in two spots on the tank, and a way to clip it off to the BC, or BP Harness. People sling stage bottles that range in size from 19~80CF. Technical divers sling stage bottles generally containing different gas, but sometimes just air for deco, and they may have two or three stage bottles on top of doubles!

My plans for a pony include a 19CF tank, and I plan on attaching it to my primary tank, and use a more conventional primary and octo setup. So my octo will be attached to my Pony. If I dive my Zeagle setup, I have an Octo+, so I actually would have two seconds attached to the primary air source, and my octo would be attached to the pony. If I dive my BP/W, my plan is to use the octo on the pony, so sharing air would involve the pony. I may get another octo at some point, but my main reason for the pony is when I travel, so I kinda like the idea of three 2nd's, one on the pony.

There are all sorts of ways to deal with rigging these things. I've been researching this over the weekend, and my conclusion is that for travel 19CF is enough to be a safe backup while traveling at a reasonable size and weight. IMO anything smaller is pushing the air limits, and IMO Spare Air is almost as expensive, and just not worth the potential hassle vs. a fully functioning Reg and tank.

 

[Nemrod]

Yes, I have and use a bite valve. The Air Buddy is what I believe your asking about--lol. Yes, that is a way under-rated device. I am crazy over the thing. The first time I used it in a pool I nearly drowned---lol--but with hardly any practice I was able to use it easily. I have completed an entire dive using the crazy thing. I love it--totally simple---totally Zen ( I love that word and have adopted it). After all, if I am solo it is for me and if I am buddy diving then I would just hand off my primary and I would switch to the Air Buddy. Yes, I have rigged it on my pony. It also makes a wonderful inflator for my sausage. I have the Nitrox and high performance version--lol.

Here is the Air Buddy on my superb, hot rod, DA Aqua Master.

I must admit the first time I saw one of these I was floored, it was so neat and simple and so non-(three letter inflamatory acronym) and so totally versitile I could not resist getting one. They are real nice people too.

A pic of my 19cf pony for slinging. I use the button SPG, turrent MkV first and either Tekna, or Voit second--usually--but on any given time I might do anything weird and wonderful--just because I can.

Pic of DA with Air Buddy and banjo SPG adapter on Thermo valve.

N

PS, Joy Roy, go trip over your tongue ring.

 

[joetex0777]

whatever dude..Fill your boots...I know one thing..If i'm on a dive boat and I see a guy with doubles and a pony bottle, I'm going to laugh my *** off...
For now, I'm done with this thread...

So much for you moving on.....:light:

 

[Ice9]

Thanks for your help. Have you met Jay Roy? I hear he needs a buddy.

Bahaha! Thats awesome!

 

[grassyknoll]

Yes, I have and use a bite valve. The Air Buddy is what I believe your asking about--lol. Yes, that is a way under-rated device. I am crazy over the thing. The first time I used it in a pool I nearly drowned---lol--but with hardly any practice I was able to use it easily. I have completed an entire dive using the crazy thing. I love it--totally simple---totally Zen ( I love that word and have adopted it). After all, if I am solo it is for me and if I am buddy diving then I would just hand off my primary and I would switch to the Air Buddy. Yes, I have rigged it on my pony. It also makes a wonderful inflator for my sausage. I have the Nitrox and high performance version--lol.

Thanks Nemrod, thats the same basic device, except mine is a straight, round tube. I'll have to give it a try but it sure seems slick and about foolproof (though I don't know if I could do a whole dive on it)
Nice rig in picture three, with that shiny double hose banjo setup you can probably ditch your signaling mirror .

 

[Nailer99]

whatever dude..Fill your boots...I know one thing..If i'm on a dive boat and I see a guy with doubles and a pony bottle, I'm going to laugh my *** off...
For now, I'm done with this thread...

I just finished Advanced Nitrox/ Decompression training through TDI. Doubles and a 40 cf pony with 100% 02 for deco above 20 feet was SOP throughout the class. Except we call them "stage bottles."

 

[Nemrod]

The Air Buddy people make several versions including one that can be directly screwed intothe first stage and another that is mounted to the BC power inflator. Actually, with adapters you can configure the standard one I have pictured for those purposes as well since that is what they actually do. They have a standard version and a high performance version that supposedly can supply enough air for a diver at 130 feet working into a current. That is the one I have.

http://www.airbuddy.com/index.htm

There is a spring in Florida I used to dive when I was a teen that is closed for scuba now--it is a park. I have been thinking I could use a little 3cf bottle and the Air Buddy, stick it in my pocket and make a Air Buddy assisted free dive into the spring. Yeah, yeah, that is OK, I have been banned from Florida several times, and to think, some people are proud of getting kicked out of Applebees, I been banned from an entire state!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now, that is an accomplishmnent of which few can brag.

N <---what good are rules if there were nobody to break them? Besides, I was always under the impression they was just sorta guidelines you know.

 

[shoredivr]

Nailer99, I was going to post something similar but you beat me to it.

 

[letterboy]

A deco bottle is a completely different thing.....I think the other guy was talking doubles, with a pony bottle as another redundant air source not a deco bottle.....

So if I called it a stage bottle you would be ok with it? :shakehead

Weren't you done with this thread?

 

[Divin'Papaw]

We might disagree with each other at times, sometimes vehemently. It always works best if we state our opinions politely and civilly. IMHO … It certainly doesn’t help your point to be a horses *****. It certainly makes me less willing to give your advice a fair hearing.