Pony Bottle: Type and Usage discussion

[triton94949]

This is a 3 year old dredged up thread. Where did you find it?

 

[matt_unique]

A few divers I know of personally employ the use of pony tanks in their diving style, especially when diving in salt water.

For those of you that use ponies on a regular basis, I'd like to know the following information:

1. Describe your pony setup. Include details such as size/type of cylinder, type of regulator, SPG, rigging to your BC, etc.
   
2. Are there specific profiles where you will carry the pony bottle? Which ones? When will you leave it on the shore/boat?
   
3. What is your logic/thoughts/reasoning for carrying a pony?

Thanks in advance for your answers!

--TM

I dive a pony when doing winter shore dives or on vacation. Otherwise I am always diving in manifolded doubles.

When diving with a pony, I use a 13CF cylinder with spg and of course a reg hard mounted upside down with Higland Mills SS bands to the right side of my primary tank. I route the spg around my back and connect it just under my primary console which contains my primary tank spg, computer, and compass. I have the reg attached in the triangle.

I was sold on the concept of redundancy before I ever started diving. I don't like having just 1 of anything critical in boats, airplanes, etc. Buddies can be great dive partners but they cannot offer what a pony can offer. A pony reg is never more than 1' from your mouth and can be reached without sight, signal, or hesitation. A buddy could never offer the exact same unless they were clipped to one of your d-rings

Anytime the mouth is submerged below the water you can drown - whether it's 10' or 130' - so I believe you should carry a backup breathing system on every dive.

--Matt

 

[MikeFerrara]

I'm going to send Heather a copy of Jeffs post. LOL

 

[diverden]

This is a 3 year old dredged up thread. Where did you find it?

lol...I have no idea...lol
I found the web site, was following a thread on ponies, and ended up here after setting up an account. Go figure. Thanks for respodning.
I see you're a Bay Area guy...where I grew up...certified in Monterey at 15. Still dive there several times a year.

 

[Rick Murchison]

I'm going to send Heather a copy of Jeffs post. LOL

Do it, do it.
Rick
----
Whenever I see one of these old threads I say a little prayer "Lord please don't let there be something stupid from me in there."

 

[montyb]

13 cu ft Aluminum, conshelf XIV regulator and 2nd stage, button spg. straped on left side between d rings. I strap it on when I solo.
montyb

 

[RLarsen]

The H2Odyssey EAS tank caught my attention, and after doing a number of deep dives in Cozumel for the first time two months ago I've been thinking about a backup air supply for future use.
I'm curious how it feels to have it clipped onto the BC during a dive and how you deal with it after a dive when you're handing up weights, and BC with tank to the boat crew. I didn't see any divers using bailout bottles, or any style of pony tank when I was in Mexico so I'm curious about the fine points of their use.
Sometimes I wonder why backup air isn't carried by everyone for every dive.
Rex

 

[hecker-the-wrecker]

I carry a 19cf if i'm not going much below 45ft. If i'm going below that, on a recovery, bad vis, or under ice, I carry my 40cf pony. I took my octo off my 1st stage and put it on my pony 1st stage.I also bought a small spg & hooked my drysuit to my pony. That way I know the first stage gets used. I have a mares v32 on my main tank with a proton ice second,full spg console with computer and compass. My pony has a mares abyss,with a proton ice octo (yellow) small spg set with compass, and my drysuit is hooked to my pony. I use the Quick change bracket so I can easily switch between the 2 sizes.It works great for me, I can't even notice it's back there.

 

[lamont]

I'm going to send Heather a copy of Jeffs post. LOL

I almost skipped this thread -- bad case of pony thread fatigue -- but that post was so worth it...