Things you are (almost but not really) ashamed of doing while diving

[boulderjohn]

Really? I certainly believe you, I just find that surprising given how widely you've dived. The majority of my boat diving has been in the Great Lakes, NC, and Southeast FL. In those three areas I typically see them on every single charter, and I'm not talking about my own pony bottle. Most are back mounted AL19/20/30s and the rest are slung AL19/20/30/40s. A few may be smaller. When I dive in Palm Beach and Jupiter it is exceedingly rare for me to be the only diver on the boat with a pony bottle. There are almost always 2-3 or more other divers with one.

That I get. I don't do that type of diving. I was surprised that John rarely saw them because I know he does alot of diving in the locations I mentioned.

In Florida I dive farther south, in the Pompano Beach area. Evidently I am blind, because I honestly don't see them there.

EDIT: I forgot to include the rest of the quote:

The majority of my boat diving has been in the Great Lakes, NC, and Southeast FL.

Although I have come close to where you dive in Florida, I don't actually dive there. I have never dived the Great Lakes or NC. Thus, no, we don't dive in the same places.

 

[Soloist]

Really? When I dive in Palm Beach and Jupiter it is exceedingly rare for me to be the only diver on the boat with a pony bottle. There are almost always 2-3 or more other divers with one.

Yep, it’s commonplace to see spearfishing and lobster divers slinging bottles around WPB and Jupiter. Face it, you’re solo diving when hunting. Hunters typically scatter during negative entries and are strictly focused on their prey. I never dive without a redundant air source when hunting. Maybe the OP should get a pair (of pony bottles) with his impulses consistently taking him 30 feet deeper than the wife. They are essentially solo diving at that point. OK, I can “go to hell” now.

 

[NothingClever]

I dive with an AL80 pony bottle all the time. I found this really cool way to mount it to my other AL80 and I don’t have to wonder about available pressure or access to the gas. I liked that arrangement so much I just bought two LP85s…going to turn one of those into a pony bottle, too.

 

[BoltSnap]

I found this really cool way to mount it to my other AL80 and I don’t have to wonder about available pressure or access to the gas.

How's that? Can you show a picture of your setup?

 

[Wibble]

I dive with an AL80 pony bottle all the time. I found this really cool way to mount it to my other AL80 and I don’t have to wonder about available pressure or access to the gas. I liked that arrangement so much I just bought two LP85s…going to turn one of those into a pony bottle, too.

Twinset? Sidemount?

Ali80s are heavy. Why do you need all that gas in reserve if you’re not diving a rebreather deep or inside a cave?

 

[SlugLife]

I dive with an AL80 pony bottle all the time. I found this really cool way to mount it to my other AL80 and I don’t have to wonder about available pressure or access to the gas. I liked that arrangement so much I just bought two LP85s…going to turn one of those into a pony bottle, too.

Twinset? Sidemount?

Ali80s are heavy. Why do you need all that gas in reserve if you’re not diving a rebreather deep or inside a cave?

I'm always curious about different setups.

However, by the time you're diving 2x 80s, you might as well twinset or sidemount, and it's not really a "pony-bottle".

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I'm always curious about different setups.

However, by the time you're diving 2x 80s, you might as well twinset or sidemount, and it's not really a "pony-bottle".

My guess is they are being facetious and are referring to doubles.

 

[NothingClever]

@JimBlay - award one point to Mr. Blay for perceptiveness.

I dive twinsets with clown gas.

I’ve never understood the whole pony bottle get up, slung or mounted. Maybe I’m a country bumpkin but I’ve never seen a diver using a pony bottle that had planning or UW chops I wanted to emulate. It’s always been guys who are crappy divers throwing an equipment solution at a skills problem or those who want to appear technical but really aren’t. Sorta like an UW woobie.

That much said, I’m not an instructor so there very well could be a situation if I were that I would be trumpeting the advantages of a pony bottle.

Haven’t gotten around to training with my SM rig yet. Laziness really. Working on some 3-4 hour coastal dives with scooter out of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea so I might get off my duff and train so I can leverage the more streamlined profile.

 

[ofg-1]

Things you are ashamed of doing while diving ?? Well, not while diving, but I did read most of the "Qualifications of a DM" thread. I am so ashamed.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

@JimBlay - award one point to Mr. Blay for perceptiveness.

I dive twinsets with clown gas.

I’ve never understood the whole pony bottle get up, slung or mounted. Maybe I’m a country bumpkin but I’ve never seen a diver using a pony bottle that had planning or UW chops I wanted to emulate. It’s always been guys who are crappy divers throwing an equipment solution at a skills problem or those who want to appear technical but really aren’t. Sorta like an UW woobie.

That much said, I’m not an instructor so there very well could be a situation if I were that I would be trumpeting the advantages of a pony bottle.

Haven’t gotten around to training with my SM rig yet. Laziness really. Working on some 3-4 hour coastal dives with scooter out of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea so I might get off my duff and train so I can leverage the more streamlined profile.

Quite the eloquence … and arrogance. Some of us have more dives in doubles than singles and carry a Trimix cert as well but dive a single and slung pony for redundancy as a choice not due to a skill deficit.