Pony Tips

[Mike McG]

Hey,

Doing a Solo diver course soon so I imagine I will learn most of this but i'm just curious about the following regarding a pony set up:

1. If i'm going to sling an AL40 how do you suggest routing the hose?
2. On a long hose set up, if you have a pony could you do away with the short hose from your main tank or do you keep all three second stages?
3. If the answer to 2 is to remove the short hose then surely you would have to have the pony hose on a necklace?
4. How could a slung AL40 affect my buoyancy and subsequent weighting?

Cheers

 

[inquis]

My preference is to necklace the pony reg:

• Easiest/quickest possible access
• Less confusion with only 2 second stages around
• Most likely to detect a free flow (I believe a pony should always be on)

However, I suspect your instructor will want you to have it stowed on the bottle and keep your normal 2x regs for back-gas (3 total), at least for the class.

No adjustment in total weight. An AL40+reg+rigging will be nearly neutral if you have to use that gas. ETA: having your right side about 3 lbs heavier than your left will balance out the gas weight. No sense in fighting that unnecessarily.

Down the road, consider sidemounting the pony (just requires a bungee loop) to streamline and reduce the swinging.

 

[Searcaigh]

I ditched my octopus and use a long hose for primary donate if required.

I prefer to keep my pony on a standard octo length hose and keep it secured on the pony tank. I think you'll find this easier when handing the pony up onto a boat at the end of the dive.

My pony (/stage/deco bottle) is just slung as I would for a tech dive.

 

[inquis]

I think you'll find this easier when handing the pony up onto a boat at the end of the dive.

Certainly a consideration. If your pony is necklaced, you can remove/stow it at the end of the safety stop. That won't be as seamless as leaving it on the bottle though.

 

[cgblake]

I ditched my octopus and use a long hose for primary donate if required.

I prefer to keep my pony on a standard octo length hose and keep it secured on the pony tank. I think you'll find this easier when handing the pony up onto a boat at the end of the dive.

My pony (/stage/deco bottle) is just slung as I would for a tech dive.

This is exactly what I do.
When diving it the bottle is pressurized but shut off and I can turn it on and switch quickly. For the buoyancy question you will feel a pull to one side, but it’s not bad to balance out.

 

[Wants2divemore]

I use a standard length octo hose secured to the pony bottle.

Dive Gear Express makes a great kit to secure the strap to the bottle. The small size fits an AL40

DGX Premium Webbing Stage Strap Kit

DGX Premium Webbing Stage Strap Kit is made from nylon webbing straps that resist breakage and splitting, plus this kit includes our better quality Aero style industrial grade cylinder clamp.

www.divegearexpress.com

I like to keep all 3 stages. I don't use a pony bottle all the time, so it's just easier to always leave my necklaced bungeed 2nd attached to my 1st stage.

 

[davehicks]

This is exactly what I do.
When diving it the bottle is pressurized but shut off and I can turn it on and switch quickly. For the buoyancy question you will feel a pull to one side, but it’s not bad to balance out.

Keep the pony pressurized and turned on when diving. Two reasons: 1) A shut off tank is not helpful in an emergency. 2) If not on+pressurized your 1st stage will very likely flood at some point.

Some will tell you simply pressurizing the regs and turning off the bottle is ok, but I can guarantee that at some point you unintentionally depressurize the reg when diving or forget to pressurize it. Just make it a habit to do it all the time. If your 1st stage floods it can make it unreliable and might damage it if not addressed quickly.

 

[Nemrod]

Hey,

Doing a Solo diver course soon so I imagine I will learn most of this but i'm just curious about the following regarding a pony set up:

1. If i'm going to sling an AL40 how do you suggest routing the hose?
2. On a long hose set up, if you have a pony could you do away with the short hose from your main tank or do you keep all three second stages?
3. If the answer to 2 is to remove the short hose then surely you would have to have the pony hose on a necklace?
4. How could a slung AL40 affect my buoyancy and subsequent weighting?

Cheers

1. I have and do sometimes bungee the pony reg 40 inches hose and use a snorkel keeper at the valve to further secure the second stage. This is compact, fast into action and if actually group diving with no assigned buddy allows a complete pass off of the unit. However, in dark water or actual solo I will generally necklace my pony second stage and I think I still use a 40 inches hose and it comes around behind my neck and then to the front.



(Kraken DH, Faber LP 84, Freedom Plate, 30# Mack V wing, 19cf pony, SP dual port Mk V first with pancake second stage and 40 inches hose bungeed and second stage retained by snorkel keeper)

2. Per the book, Solo Diver, used as a training manual for SDI Advanced Diver Solo, the primary tank regulator should have only a single second stage. You can always do personal preference. I remove mine.

3. See 1.

4. I have used aluminum 19, 30, 40 cf tanks and find that very little difference is needed, you can remove the weight equal to the gas. I go to either a 23# wing (tropical) or a 30# wing if in exposure gear. The pony being emergency only will always be negative, well, unless you need to use it.

I pressurize and leave the valve on. I have multiple regulator systems so have the luxury of having dedicated solo rigs.

 

[Gandalf-the-Diver]

Hey,

Doing a Solo diver course soon so I imagine I will learn most of this but i'm just curious about the following regarding a pony set up:

1. If i'm going to sling an AL40 how do you suggest routing the hose?
2. On a long hose set up, if you have a pony could you do away with the short hose from your main tank or do you keep all three second stages?
3. If the answer to 2 is to remove the short hose then surely you would have to have the pony hose on a necklace?
4. How could a slung AL40 affect my buoyancy and subsequent weighting?

Cheers

If you are slinging the pony, hose for pony would remain attached to pony, held in place with bands. Nothing to do with primary air source, hose routings. I sling a 30cu Catalina, diagonally across my chest; which helps keep me balanced between both sides.

 

[Craine]

Hey,

Doing a Solo diver course soon so I imagine I will learn most of this but i'm just curious about the following regarding a pony set up:

1. If i'm going to sling an AL40 how do you suggest routing the hose?
2. On a long hose set up, if you have a pony could you do away with the short hose from your main tank or do you keep all three second stages?
3. If the answer to 2 is to remove the short hose then surely you would have to have the pony hose on a necklace?
4. How could a slung AL40 affect my buoyancy and subsequent weighting?

Cheers

My answers are similar to some, dissimilar to others. Bear in mind that there is no 100% right way to do this, it's all going to depend on your personal preferences, gear setup. Every dive I make is with a slung AL40. Doesn't matter if I'm buddied with someone on the boat or solo, camera or no, I always dive with it.

1. I use a long (84") hose on my AL40, which is kept in place on the tank by two elastic bands (see the DGX kit someone linked to above)
2. Whether or not you keep all three 2nds is ultimately up to you and what you're comfortable with. My preference is one 2nd stage on each tank
3. No, 2nd stage on the pony is kept tight in to the valve with upper the elastic band holding the LP hose
4. Doesn't really change much of anything for me. I keep it clipped off to the upper D-ring on my left shoulder and a drop ring on my left hip, 1st stage up/valve handle out orientation.

Why do I dive with my gear set up in this way? Personal preference and comfort. I like not having a 40" hose routing under my arm for my primary 2nd stage, I frequently dive alone and do not need to worry about someone else yanking a reg from my mouth, and I can keep the entire AL40 self-contained. In the event I do need to share air with someone, I can give them the reg on the pony and still have some space, without needing to clip it off to them.