Skills For Carrying And Using A Pony

[redacted]

My 19 cu ft pony bottle will make me roll to the right when I'm perfectly still.

Very easy to manage if you are using a weight belt. In warm water, I use a belt with 2 to 4 lb loaded just in front of my hips. With or without a pony, I counter such instability by rotating my weight belt a bit.

I added an AIR2 to my rig which now serves as my second if I'm air sharing.
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[/QUOTE]

DD also uses an Air2. An Air2 and a slung pony are competing for the same space. I went from tank mount to sling mount because it was easier to configure. Then I went from an Air2 to a bungeed octo to clear up my left side a bit.

But there are many ways to skin this cat and most will work OK.

One word of caution. If you go with valve off, it is good to recharge the reg occasionally so pressure will keep water out. It will become a habit, but be careful that your hand is on the tank valve and not the yoke knob.

 

[The Chairman]

80cf Stage Bottle

40cf Deco Bottle

Close up of Neck Bungee​

I clip off the bottom first to either my butt plate or rail (back mount/side mount) and then pull the top around and clip it to my chest D-Ring. I will often put two or three pounds on the bottom of an AL tank to tame the butt. I don't use a clip for my second stage, but rather use the neck bungee to keep it easily available. The deco bottle uses just a button SPG. I mount the stage on the left and deco on the right.

 

[The Chairman]

Two more pics. The first is a detail of the bungee I use for the neck of the 80cf Stage bottle. The bungee is a common one used by side mounters to bungee their tanks into their rig. The second is of three bottles in my Sprinter. Two rigged, and the middle waiting for me to get around to rigging it. The one on the left is @mselenaous 's deco bottle and uses a cover on the second stage. Use what you're comfortable with. I don't try and make mselenaous dive just like me because I see this as a personal decisions.

80cf Bungee Detail

Three Bottles
​

Feel free to ask me any questions you have about the rigging.

 

[2airishuman]

Feel free to ask me any questions you have about the rigging.

Thanks for the offer:

1) What benefits and drawbacks to you see in the bungeed 2nd stage compared to a ring and bolt snap?
2) I see you use a butterfly snap at the top, which makes it easier to attach the stage. Do you believe that the entanglement concerns with these "suicide clips" are overblown, or is there something particular about this application where entanglement is less of a risk?
3) Not sure what you mean by the "rail" for the lower snap attachment point. The two obvious attachment points to me are the holes in the backplate and the waist belt D-ring.

Thanks..

 

[The Chairman]

1) What benefits and drawbacks to you see in the bungeed 2nd stage compared to a ring and bolt snap?

Speed and convenience. I don't bolt snap any reg but a dead one. I stole this idea from Lamar Hires many years ago. I put a very small bungee circle around the neck of the tank. This helps to retain the reg when not in use and then guide the hose when I deploy.

2) I see you use a butterfly snap at the top, which makes it easier to attach the stage. Do you believe that the entanglement concerns with these "suicide clips" are overblown, or is there something particular about this application where entanglement is less of a risk?

A butterfly clip is not a suicide clip. I have horrible arthritis. The butterfly snaps allow me to more easily clip in without having to worry about picking up a spare line without knowing about it.

Butterfly Snap

Suicide (Boat) Snap​

3) Not sure what you mean by the "rail" for the lower snap attachment point. The two obvious attachment points to me are the holes in the backplate and the waist belt D-ring.

Many Side Mount systems like my Nomad LTZ employ a rail system. You can see these on the butt pad. Below that is the DSS Butt plate that is on the crotch strap of all my and my student back mount BCs.

Nomad LTZ

Butt Plate
(back mount)
​

 

[mselenaous]

The one on the left is @mselenaous 's deco bottle and uses a cover on the second stage. Use what you're comfortable with. I don't try and make mselenaous dive just like me because I see this as a personal decisions.

View attachment 369426
Three Bottles
​

Feel free to ask me any questions you have about the rigging.

Incomplete info here. Only my 100% O2 bottle has the 2nd stage in a pouch. I have to really think about deploying that reg and reduces the chance of deploying it by mistake at deeper than 20ft and possible oxtox by diver error. My 50% bottle does not have the pouch. On the other bottles, I slip one end of a rubber snorkel keeper over the tank valve and use the other end stretched over the mouth piece of the 2nd stage for quick deployment.
For rigging, I prefer the Dive Rite rigging systems.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

A 20cuft tank taking you out of balance?

Absolutely. And it is aluminum. It will do so if I do not compensate and move weight around. Which I obvious have done so that I can float motionless and not tilt.

Very easy to manage if you are using a weight belt. In warm water, I use a belt with 2 to 4 lb loaded just in front of my hips. With or without a pony, I counter such instability by rotating my weight belt a bit.

Absolutely. And that is what I do, but instead with 2 2.5 lb weights in weight pouches (zipped closed) on the left side of my tank and more weight in my left weight pocket than my right (I dive a Xdeep Zeos).

 

[redacted]

Absolutely. And that is what I do, but instead with 2 2.5 lb weights in weight pouches (zipped closed) on the left side of my tank and more weight in my left weight pocket than my right (I dive a Xdeep Zeos).

I prefer the weight belt as it allows me to leave to pony behind on some dives or even hand it off and easily make any required small adjustment.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Speed and convenience. I don't bolt snap any reg but a dead one. I stole this idea from Lamar Hires many years ago. I put a very small bungee circle around the neck of the tank. This helps to retain the reg when not in use and then guide the hose when I deploy.

A butterfly clip is not a suicide clip. I have horrible arthritis. The butterfly snaps allow me to more easily clip in without having to worry about picking up a spare line without knowing about it.

​

I agree that I would not want the second stage clipped off. If you are slinging the bottle, you may decide to keep it off. I would not want to have to turn it on AND unclip it in an emergency.

And make no mistake, a slung pony is safer than a back mounted one - no question about it..

I use two bungis on the tank to secure the regulator hose and I typically use no clip at all. Incidentally, sections of a bike inner tube tied in a knot make a great bungi and are often free if you know where the dumpster is located behind the bike shop. the flat rubber is way better than normal bungi... it holds it down better and will not roll.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

And make no mistake, a slung pony is safer than a back mounted one - no question about it..

I'm curious as to why you feel that way. I'm not arguing, but with the way I have my pony mounted (upside down), I just reach bag, grab the regulator and one quick pull I have it in my hand free. I'd estimate it would take 2, maximum 3, seconds to put the reg in my mouth.

Is it because it is easier to monitor for leaks?