What size pony does everybody use? I use a 30 cf and am begining to wonder if that size is really necessary.
Pony bottle
- Thread starter Tanked
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
teknitroxdiver
Contributor
Why are you wondering if it's necessary? What I mean is, do you find it bulky or in the way? Also, what mounting system are you using?
Doc Thomas
Registered
Tanked2.0:
Hey Tanked 2.0... The answer to your question is not as easy as simply giving you a cubic footage. It depends on what kind of diving you're doing, as to what your need may be. The 3 most common ponies are 13 CF, 19 CF, and 30 CF. If you go above 30 CF you might as well wear doubles. If you go below 13 CF, it's hardly worth the effort to carry it. I see you live in New Jersey, and are therefore probably diving a lot of the Jersey wrecks, like the Algol (at 130 feet). And maybe the Algol is the perfect example. If you try to dive it as a "no-deco" dive (and I realize that all dives are "deco dives" in a sense, but I think you know what I mean by "no-deco), you are on the wreck for just a few minutes before needing to return to the surface. So, let's say you have no decompression obligations other than a planned 2 min safety stop at 20 feet. A 19 CF tank is fine. You could make your whole ascent on that 19, and do a 2 minute hang. And if need be, your buddy could use that 19 for his ascent. For that matter you could make that ascent on 13 CF as well. But, if you go into deco, and end up with manditory stops at 20 and 10 feet, then neither the 13 or the 19 would be a safe margin in an emergency. Shallower dives than the Algol at 130 feet, provided you're not into deco, could easily be done with a 95 or 100 CF primary and a 13 CF pony. So, if the weight of your primary + your pony is too cumbersome, go to a 13 or a 19, and use the 30 CF pony when your dive is going to be deeper or longer. As for how to carry a pony, I use the Pony Tamer and have been pleased with it. However, several friends of mine use the 13 CF pony bottle, bungee the reg to the tank, and hang it in front on the waist level rings of their BC's. When the need arises they simply unclip it and hand it off to their troubled buddy. Lastly, in order not to roll from the uneven weight of the pony, I have to move 3 pounds to the opposite side of my weight pockets, so that I have 3 more pounds on the left than I do on the right. I've taught a lot of students over the years and I keep reminding them, "air is good -- more air is better." Doc
As a fellow Jersey diver I also dive with a 30 CF pony and have it mounted to my HP 120 with a pony tamer. I find I hardly know it's there. I have to agree with the Doc, you can never have to much air. I also find it great for those 130' dives when you want to use it as a deco-bottle. Un-less your having difficulty luggin' around leave it alone.
OP
Thanks for the advice, I guess I thought a 30 was just over kill but you're right, you can never have too much air.
Ive been reading the various pony threads. I am posting here because it seems to be the most recent thread. I dive frequently in the red sea. Its warm here and you dont have to go deep at all to get to most of the action. Everyone dives with 80cf LP tanks and there are very few people around to get advice from about setting up ponies.
Occasionally I have the time to make trips up to more isolated areas good for big Hammerhead sightings. The water is so warm however that you have to get under the thermocline (which can be pretty deep here) in order to see them. I am concerned about running into an OOA situation since we usually make our way to the boat with about 700 PSI which is more than enough for the safety stop.
Most of the time I dont need the added air, so it would be a hassle to set up doubles. Ive shopped around here and the only options I have are 3cf spare air (forget it) and a Catalina 40cf. A tank is too big to mail order so the 40 is basically my only option if I want a pony.
I was thinking of mail ordering one of those quick draw pony brackets from the US and mounting the 40cf inverted. The logic is that I will have the better of the two pony options (if you call the spare an option), and enough backup air to make it to the surface in an OOA situation.
My question is as follows:
If the pony is the same length as the main tank (80cf main and 40cf pony), is it possible to mount the pony inverted? Will I just end up banging the hell out of the pony first stage and valve?
The other option is just to mount the 40 right side up, but then I will not have access to the valve.
Can anyone offer advice on the subject?
Thanks
Occasionally I have the time to make trips up to more isolated areas good for big Hammerhead sightings. The water is so warm however that you have to get under the thermocline (which can be pretty deep here) in order to see them. I am concerned about running into an OOA situation since we usually make our way to the boat with about 700 PSI which is more than enough for the safety stop.
Most of the time I dont need the added air, so it would be a hassle to set up doubles. Ive shopped around here and the only options I have are 3cf spare air (forget it) and a Catalina 40cf. A tank is too big to mail order so the 40 is basically my only option if I want a pony.
I was thinking of mail ordering one of those quick draw pony brackets from the US and mounting the 40cf inverted. The logic is that I will have the better of the two pony options (if you call the spare an option), and enough backup air to make it to the surface in an OOA situation.
My question is as follows:
If the pony is the same length as the main tank (80cf main and 40cf pony), is it possible to mount the pony inverted? Will I just end up banging the hell out of the pony first stage and valve?
The other option is just to mount the 40 right side up, but then I will not have access to the valve.
Can anyone offer advice on the subject?
Thanks
teknitroxdiver
Contributor
A pony bottle should be a backup incase you inadvertantly run out of air. They are NOT used to extend dive time.
As for the 40, I wouldn't even try mounting it to the main tank. It's far to large for that, and there's a better way. Sling it under your left arm, valve forward. The butt of it will ride up out of the way, it will be protected, and this way it doesn't add drag or entanglement hazard.
As for shipping tanks, you can definitley do this if you want to, they aren't too big (usually at least).
As for the 40, I wouldn't even try mounting it to the main tank. It's far to large for that, and there's a better way. Sling it under your left arm, valve forward. The butt of it will ride up out of the way, it will be protected, and this way it doesn't add drag or entanglement hazard.
As for shipping tanks, you can definitley do this if you want to, they aren't too big (usually at least).
I use a 13 cu ft pony. The only time I've ever had to use it, I hadn't attached it to my tank! So far I've never needed it while it is attached (just about every dive since that incident). A 13 will get me up from 100 ft and that's the limit of almost all my diving.
DaFireMedic
Contributor
teknitroxdiver:
Yeah, order a 13 cf through the mail. You can do an ascent from 100' with safety stop, or a direct ascent (if you really had to) at a "safe" rate from 130'.
I usually fill one of my 30 cu ft deco bottles with Nitrox 32 for use by my spouse as a pony for deeper dives. The first time she tried slinging it she was very dubious that it was going to be comfortable in the water, but after one dive she admitted it more or less disappeared in the water.
I think tank mounting makes sense for smaller ponies, but for 30 or 40 cu ft tanks, slinging makes a lot more sense. It can be taken on deep dives and left on the boat for shallower dives if a pony is not desired or needed. Given the growing number of rec BC's with suitably located and suitably strong D-rings, slinging a pony is becoming a much more viable option for rec divers.
I think tank mounting makes sense for smaller ponies, but for 30 or 40 cu ft tanks, slinging makes a lot more sense. It can be taken on deep dives and left on the boat for shallower dives if a pony is not desired or needed. Given the growing number of rec BC's with suitably located and suitably strong D-rings, slinging a pony is becoming a much more viable option for rec divers.
Similar threads
- Question
