Pony: Catalina or Luxfer? Din or Yoke?

[Uncle Pug]

Good ideas -- I will do that. One question -- I'm still going to have the pony's second stage in front of me (either in the traditional triangle or possibly on a necklace). How would I not notice a free flow?

Thanks to everyone for the advice!

If you are going to necklace the pony reg then you won't be handing it off. In that case you will need to be able to donate your primary regulator to an OOA diver and then go to your necklaced pony. Practice this. With the standard length primary regulator hose it might be interesting to see how theoretical things work out in real life. If you plan on carrying an octopus regulator as well practice donating it and then going to your pony regulator to see how handling three second stage regulators and hoses works out. Practice with a theatrically inclined buddy who is willing to play an paniced OOA diver... and have another buddy standing by as a safety diver for the both of you. Practice in shallow water.

If you mount the pony regulator in the standard octo position then practice not only using it yourself but donating it to an OOA diver. Practice with a pony that only has a partial fill... it happens.

If you have a freeflow from a bungeed back up regulator there is a good chance you will notice it. If the backup regulator is mounted in the golden triangle and you swim with horizontal trim you may not notice a free flow. Practice learning what a free flowing regulator sounds like by lighly pressing the purge button on the back up regulator while swimming.

As Spectre said, a leak (not free flow) at the regulator/pony tank o-ring will probably not be detected by you if it is back mounted. Practice going to a pony regulator (bungeed or in the triangle) that has the pony valve turned off. This will give you experience in how to deal with a pony that has leaked down. Do this with a buddy standing by and without going back to your primary regulator to simulate that it has failed and forced you to your pony regulator. Do this after having exhaled to make it more realistic.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

It's hard not to notice a full-on freeflow, but if you had a thick hood or if it was a slower freeflow it's possible. Better to know what to do than not.

 

[padiscubapro]

I'm just about to buy a pony (30CF). (Yes, I know they're not DIR.) Could anyone tell me whether there is a difference between Catalina and Luxfer bottles? Seems like the buoyancy characteristics are pretty similar. I saw one post on another board that suggested that Luxfer's float bottom up and Caralina's float valve up, which makes a difference if you're staging it. Is this true?

Also, I prefer DIN. Is there any reason I should go yoke instead? (About to order a new first stage, too).

Thanks in advance!

The two tanks characteristics by themselves are very similiar. the way the tank "floats" is dependent on the valve, reg and guage used..

I suggest you get a convertable din valve so that either din or yoke regs can be used.. The valves come with inserts so there is nothing extra to buy..

I'd buy a 40 cuft tank, especuially if you use it as a sling, the 30s are a bit too short and they tend to move around too much.. There are times to mount the tank to your back but you are much better off using it as a sling bottle..

The Only times I would recommend mounting the pony to the tank is if you are doing sometype of working dive like digging, or trying to remove some type of artifact where it is beneficial to have your chest area as clear as possible, otheriwse sling the bottle.

 

[ClassAction]

If you are going to necklace the pony reg then you won't be handing it off. In that case you will need to be able to donate your primary regulator to an OOA diver and then go to your necklaced pony. Practice this. With the standard length primary regulator hose it might be interesting to see how theoretical things work out in real life. If you plan on carrying an octopus regulator as well practice donating it and then going to your pony regulator to see how handling three second stage regulators and hoses works out. .

Good point! Guess I won't be using a necklace... I didn't plan on having an octo off my backgas. I know some people don't like this idea (seen some posts on this already), but I think it makes sense. If something happens to me (or I hand the pony off to a buddy), the dive is over. We each have enough air to get to the surface.... (i.e. I wouldn't ever hand a backgas octo and keep a pony)...

I'm looking into the convertible valve. Thanks, padis, for the idea.

 

[Spectre]

Good point! Guess I won't be using a necklace... I didn't plan on having an octo off my backgas. I know some people don't like this idea (seen some posts on this already), but I think it makes sense. If something happens to me (or I hand the pony off to a buddy), the dive is over. We each have enough air to get to the surface.... (i.e. I wouldn't ever hand a backgas octo and keep a pony)...

No offense... But.

I've seen a lot of folks with this setup. A primary coming off their backgas, and their octo coming off a pony. Actually, most of the time, that octo off the pony is a 7 ft reg.

I will -never- dive with someone with that setup. I know when I dove a pony bottle; I rarely checked to make sure the reg worked, and rarely changed the gas in the pony. It was just something I forgot to do all the time; and that was a pony that I had for -me- to use; I had a backgas octo for donating. And besides, how do we know that bottle is on when you hand me the reg? Do I have time to wait for you to -turn- it on when I'm out of gas?

Now what happens if it -is- off, and so they go for the reg in your mouth. Now the pony bottle is your problem, and everyone is paniced.

You're much better having an alternate off a known gas, and leave the pony bottle for your own bailout; this at least gives you encouragement to make sure it's on and in proper working order [not that I took that encouragement myself].

Just an FYI... seriously not meaning to be offensive.

 

[ClassAction]

No offense taken, hope you don't either: I will never dive with someone who has those habits! My octo (ATX 50) is a good regulator and I make sure it's in perfect working condition. In fact, it's the first thing I check before a dive. I usually switch over to it during a dive just to practice finding it without looking. It gets the same attention post dive (soaking, etc.). Why would you ignore it?

As for the pony, I plan to take good care of it. It only costs a few bucks to fill, so I plan to purge it regularly.

How will my buddy know whether it's on or off? Well, we won't get in the water until we go over that issue! I still do a full buddy/gear check before each dive.

As for whether a buddy would have time to wait for me to turn it on: I'm inclined to keep it always on (until someone convinces me not to). I just can't see why it should free flow that easily. It's a good reg and I plan to have it detuned. If the event that I leave it off, I will "charge" it so there's a least a breath of air or two waiting for my buddy...

I don't mean to be offensive either, but it sounds like it's the poor habits that could make this unsafe, not the setup...

 

[ScubaMarc]

rarely checked to make sure the reg worked, and rarely changed the gas in the pony. It was just something I forgot to do all the time; and that was a pony that I had for -me- to use;

On the last dive of the day and when I hit the anchor line to go up, I always switch to my pony bottle reg. I think it should be standard practice in using a pony. This ensure that the pony is working and I will get fresh gas into the bottle. Not testing the reg is crazy. Taking 2 breaths from the pony on the boat will not always work at depth.

Also, if I was not using a pony you still need to check your backup reg.