Tips for slinging a 40 c.f. Pony?

[jim T.]

Aside from moving a couple of pounds of weight to the opposite side
of my belt, etc. Are there any tips/amusing anecdotes, for getting the slung bottle to "sit" right, keep it out of ones way while diving, yet ready for use, etc.?

I'll be ordering one very soon and would like to find some pics of bottles slung on standing (out of the water) divers,(as a starting point) best clips to use, approximate placement of D rings on a Hog harness, etc.

I'm still deciding whether or not to necklace the reg. or band it to the tank and what hose lengths to get. If I use a 40" would it be too much length to (elastic) band to the tank instead of or giving me the option of necklacing?

I realize, of course, that I'll have to do some repeated buoyancy/trim checks to get things right but wondered if there were any basic "primers"/pics online ala GUE/DIR sites etc. as a starting point.

Thanks.

 

[jim T.]

Anybody/anything? Hmmm....maybe I've finally asked the ultimate "stupid question"? ;-)

 

[JeffG]

Buy a Luxfer 40. It swings right around neutral. (Starts of just a little negative, ends just a little positive) and you wont have to compensate at all.

 

[cerich]

No it isn't stupid but it is a little early. Get twinned practice skills and experience diving just the twins then introduce deco bottles during a Deco course, then stages later as the depth/duration calls for them.


Personally I recommend a NAUI Intro to Tech or GUE DIR-F as excellent starting point.

Oh yeah this is very important is you are planning a transition to tech STOP BUYING GEAR!!!! Get together w/ your instructor before the class and get what she/he recommends or go on the course, learn what is good and then buy.
You'll waste lots of money otherwise

Best,

Chris

NAUI Tech Instructor

 

[OBXDIVEGUY]

I wouldn't necessarily say a pony bottle is tech gear, but maybe heading in that direction. I use a 40 with a Dive Rite stage bottle strap with snap clips on it. The TransPac has D rings nicely place just for this. Clip one to your shoulder ring and one to the rear ring under and beside the tank. I prefer to have the reg bungied onto the bottle which allows me to put it down easily. Something I learned the hard way, make sure if you have one, your spare mask pocket is away from the bottle. It looked fine under water, but on land it crushed my extra mask. bummer.

 

[Mat4020]

wondered if there were any basic "primers"/pics online ala GUE/DIR sites etc. as a starting point.

For some information on rigging it check out: Dir-Diver.com

But if your looking for the DIR way of doing a pony bottle, well... pony bottles arnt really DIR...

 

[Lake Mead Tony]

I use a Luxfer 19 and depending on where I will be using it will depend on where I put it. If Wreck diving I sling it on my BC on the right side. If I'm deep diving, I band it on the right side of my 80.

 

[jim T.]

Thanks guys,
Jeff, Yes the Luxfer is the bottle I've pretty much decided on. I like the Thermo K/DIN valve also. Probably going to use a Scubapro R-190 with it. Jeff, does the valve float up or down on that bottle and do you use that valve?

Chris, Thanks. Sorry I didn't make myself clear that I'm planning on using the bottle on deeper Recreational dives only, for some time to come.
I am interested in pursuing Tech training (after a couple of hundred dives minimum) so I'd like to sling what I think I'd be using then-now. If I never go to twins, doubles or tech, I dive in low viz cold water and has been hashed out on countless previous threads, I'm in the position where I often don't get to pick my buddies or they neglect to stay close so I'm in the redundancy school of thought.

I have my buoyancy on the money(most of the time) now with my current gear and think I feel ready to task load/re-trim for the pony. Your training recommmendation is good advice. I spoke with our local tech shop owner/chief instructor and this was the route he thought would be the one best piece of gear for me to use now and to see where I might like to "go" with my diving beyond recreational levels.
Next year I hope to dive the Saskatchawan (no penetration)near Nanaimo B.C. where the bottom is 130-140 ft. so I personally would want the pony on that dive/as soon as next year.
I hear you about not buying gear until I know my goals (doubles, bands, etc.) but from what my tech person has discussed with me I'd like to explore the pony and drill with it while I'm recreational diving.

OBX Diveguy, Thanks. That was just the kind of anecdote/tip I'm looking for.
Well, it's one of those things you're likely to do only once.

Matt4020, I looked at the DIR site in the past and saw the making of a sling system page which was excellent. Were there any other areas that clearly showed ponys slung on a diver or talked about the learning curve of slinging one? I haven't seen anything like that. It might be a good addition to the page you linked to, showing it in use at several angles... I really don't expect slinging to be a big deal. I'll eventually move the D rings to where things sit/hang right with me in trim, but if there are other tips or "learning experiences" to relate it would be nice to hear more.

Tony, thanks, I may do both as well although I'm not clear if a 40 would fit upside down on an LP 95 and I'm inclined to think that I'll likely only sling it to keep an eye on freeflows/leaks, etc. and to train for possible tech down the road.

Thank you everyone,
Jim

 

[jim T.]

After weighing what Cerich's advised here along with other's comments and info. I've decided to go with a 30 for now. After thinking about the Rec diving, crowded charter boat trips and shore dives I'm doing at present, the slightly shorter/narrower bottle will be more reasonable and still give me the experience of drilling with and slinging the bottle and seeing if I want to go to deeper/deco dives later.
I really wrestled with the 40's extra capacity and similar buoyancy/streamlining, but a couple of wreck diving friends
advised getting a bottle that most suited the dives I'm doing in the present. They all thought that learning to sling one now was a good idea though.

Thanks everyone. As always I very much appreciate your advice and experience. I should receive my cylinder and reg in about a week.