Rec Diving a Pony

[jeffsky29]

The only agency that teaches to "take" anything is BSAC and it is secondary take. Important to note, they don't allow long hose to be primary.
All other agencies are OK with primary donate, though largely because the use of air mcdoodles necessitates it vs. actually teaching a long hose configuration, but the only agency to my knowledge the strictly prohibits the donation of the primary is BSAC and they are also the only agency that teaches the OOA diver to "take" anything.

Double 100's are only about 25lbs heavier than your current setup...

When I got PADI certified in 1983, the octopus was for your buddy. There was no discussion about giving your primary. But I do understand the new way makes sense since an OOA diver is probably going for the first regulator they see. “Only” 25lbs is relative young man. .

 

[tbone1004]

When I got PADI certified in 1983, the octopus was for your buddy. There was no discussion about giving your primary. But I do understand the new way makes sense since an OOA diver is probably going for the first regulator they see. “Only” 25lbs is relative young man. .

true, primary donate started in cave diving but with the air mcdoodles coming out it was a necessary evil.

My normal doubles are HP120's or LP121's, so everything certainly is relative...

 

[Eyegore]

My gear is on my boat, but I will try to take a pic of my setup this week. I think the Pony mount brand is Trident. It is so simple - A pin holds it in place. If my buddy needed the pony bottle, all they have to do is pull a stainless steel pin and take the tank. So switching tanks on multi tank dives is simple. I only take a few breaths off the pony to ensure it is working and practice using during some dives, so it has been many months since I had to fill it.

I understand some folks don’t see the need for a pony when diving with a single tank and buddy, and I understand how they feel. But when I am at 100’ and all of a sudden I try to inhale and get no air from my regulator, I’d rather just put the pony regulator in my mouth and breath, rather than swim very quickly to my buddy and grab his octopus or primary. My way I let my buddy know I have a problem and we surface together. If solo, I just do a normal ascent and safety stop. I would also try to switch back to my octopus, to see if I have a 2nd or 1st stage issue.

Thank you, that'd be great!

I've underlined in your text the exact reason for wanting to get a pony.

 

[jeffsky29]

Forgive my ignorance, and I can probably google this, but what the heck is an air mcdoodle? Is it the regulator on the the BCD inflator?

 

[Trailboss123]

Forgive my ignorance, and I can probably google this, but what the heck is an air mcdoodle? Is it the regulator on the the BCD inflator?

Yes, that is what he is referring to - they are made by various manufacturers. The Scubapro Air 2 being one of the more popular brands out there.

 

[lowviz]

Excuse me, but this is posted in the Solo Divers forum.

We all know that cave divers are the best at everything, but the true essence of being a solo diver is being self-centric and self-sufficient.

I would request that a mod clean this thread up a bit...

 

[CWK]

When I first started diving, the OOA situation was solved by buddy breathing. This worked as long as everyone was reasonable. But sometimes they were not and so using an octopus or “safe second” or whatever you want to call it was a better solution. I do agree with you that it is not the “Best” solution, what that would be I am not sure. For me it would be that everyone carries a small pony. However that would involve additional cost and training and I am not sure entry level divers or agencies would like that. Still the sport evolves and that is usually a good thing.

When I first started diving, I was taught buddy breathing and EFSA for OOA. Octopuses were around but regulations did not require divers to carry them.

When regulations requiring alternate air sources came into effect in the late 1980s, I chose to carry a 3 cu ft Spare Air. Many people will laugh at Spare Air today, but in those days we were diving RDP tables. On tables, I do not recall intentionally going below 60 feet because the Padi tables in those days specified 60 mins dive time max at 60 feet for the first dive, with shorter dive times for repetitive dives. For a max dive dept of 60 feet, a 3 cu ft pony is usable.

With dive computers, divers started going deeper, which made the Spare Air deficient as a pony. I now think in meters, and based on my SAC a 6 cu ft is good for 30m, and 13 cu ft is good for 40m. Having said this, I use a 20 cu ft which should be more than adequate for recreational diving.

As far as I know, an octopus has never been a required by scuba regulations/legislation. The regulations/legislations require an alternative air source. To my mind, a pony is a superior to an octopus as an alternative air source in buddy diving. For solo diving, an octopus is not an alternative source.

 

[RayfromTX]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

This thread is being moved out of the solo diving forum and into the advanced diving forum. While it has touched on solo diving it is primarily a thread about pony bottles and its impact on air sharing strategies. The solo forum has a specific purpose that is not served by this thread. The thread is great and should continue but it will do so in the advanced forum henceforth. Thanks for your understanding and patience.

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[Bob DBF]

Let's say I'm REC diving a Pony with a buddy. Can I ditch the OCTO, use the pony as the safe second and streamline my REC setup a bit?

You can if you want, I choose not to in most cases.

Buddy diving, I may or may not sling a pony depending on who I'm with and how deep the dive is.

My pony is 19 cuft, so it's usefulness is limited due to its size. In a buddy situation, I could very well have more back gas available splitting that with my buddy than is in the pony. Worse case, at 130' that pony will get me to the surface, but I will not be wasting any time along the way, is my buddy up to it? The same scenario with an alternate I won't be constrained to 19 cuft, and I can switch to it, if necessary, on the way to the surface.

 

[Edward3c]

The only agency that teaches to "take" anything is BSAC and it is secondary take. Important to note, they don't allow long hose to be primary.
.

Not correct. Only the ‘hog loop’ long hose configuration is banned during training dives involving rescuer skills.