ways to carry a pony bottle

[LeadTurn_SD]

I made numerous request that Amphibious post his profile page pic in this thread for a better comparison of his streamlining claims. Any other slung pony fan could have similarly posted a slung pic for a comparison. Now you come along and poo poo the pic I searched over an hour for and called half decent???

Post a pic of your own or butt out! :mooner:

Slung versus backmounted, streamlining, and other random nonsense:

Gotta agree with halemano on this topic.

I do sling an Al30 from time to time, DIR (actually, HOG if the purists prefer) rigging.

It is there for ease of access to the valve and gauge, NOT because I believe it is more "streamlined", or less likely to get entangled.

Common guys.

There is nothing streamlined about a slung stage or pony, no matter how "high and tight" (nice USMC term) you rig 'em. A scuba diver is ALREADY very un-streamlined, and anything we attach to ourselves that flaps or dangles just makes it worse.

And slung tanks certainly become much LESS streamlined if you let them "hang low and dangle to and fro" So within reason, high and tight is better for slung.

Now, is a mounted tank MORE (or less) streamlined than a slung tank? I don't know, but I doubt it. You are still disrupting water flow.

Again, stages/ponies are slung in that position out of necessity for good access, so you can remove them easily if needed, etc. You just try to sling them in such a way that streamlining, trim, and entanglement potential is least affected.

And because it makes the diver look "all techie and stuff"

Best wishes.

 

[Dashrynn]

There is NO practical use for the word "should".

Would it be "nice" to give information without being condescending? Sure.

Would the advice perhaps be better taken if it was offered in a friendly non insulting way? Absolutely.

Would posters be more apt to ask for advice if they didn't see answers that were negative in tone? Most definitely.

That does not mean the advice "should" be given in any particular fashion.

sorry my grammar isn't the best and i tend to get in a hurry. But my understanding of the word should is "a recommendation"

 

[DaleC]

AfterDark, your backmounted pony set up is so close to my ST 72 independant doubles set up you should consider switching over I'll try to post a pic.

Humm.... That one isn't really that flattering. I'll try to take another mounted on the plate later.

WOW, what a wonderful example of how not to sling a bottle. With a slung bottle the valve is supposed to be just under and a little behind the armpit and the butt is supposed to be next to your butt. A slung pony when slung properly is more streamlined than a backmounted pony.

Halomano is slinging it correctly. You are confusing sidemounting with slinging.

When slinging a bottle you clip the top (valve end) off on the chest D ring and the bottom to the left hip D ring and it will ride as Halo's picture indicates. Sometimes we don't even bother clipping off the hip as the bottle rides up under the armpit.

When sidemounting you loop the valve under a bungii running under the armpit (hence the more axillary position) and clip the bottom to a butt plate or butt D ring. To do this you need a SM rig or to modify an existing BM rig. Someone diving a standard backmount rig could not clip a bottle off as you suggest as they have neither the armpit bungii's nor the butt plate/D rings.

 

[AfterDark]

That's my next project, ID's. I'm looking for another AL80. I was going to use my 2 72's but one failed hydro so now I'll go with the AL80's. I'm going with a back plate and harness w/ a wing for the ID's so the only thing in my way is $$$.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

WOW, what a wonderful example of how not to sling a bottle. With a slung bottle the valve is supposed to be just under and a little behind the armpit and the butt is supposed to be next to your butt. A slung pony when slung properly is more streamlined than a backmounted pony.

<Sarcasm On>

For some other wonderful examples on how not to sling a bottle, here is the GUE equipment config. page :

Equipment Configuration | Global Underwater Explorers

<Sarcasm Off>

Scroll down a bit, and you'll see that the picture halemano posted is actually a good example of what a slung bottle looks like as you swim along. Correctly rigged, the upper bolt snap is at your left shoulder D-ring, positioning the valve forward of your armpit, the lower bolt snap is attached to the left hip D-ring, and as you swim, the result is what you see in halemano's example, and on the DIR (GUE) site.

What I think you are trying to describe is a sidemount configuration. A different horse entirely as far as correct positioning.

Best wishes.

 

[marchand]

This is the best pic I was able to find on the web... It's not a perfect example; the neck could stand to be a little higher and the butt to be a bit lower, but at least the bottle is fairly close to horizontal instead of vertical like in the earlier picture.


I really love how divers with no technical training at all feel like they are qualified to comment on technical gear configurations...

 

[b1gcountry]

This is the best pic I was able to find on the web... It's not a perfect example; the neck could stand to be a little higher and the butt to be a bit lower, but at least the bottle is fairly close to horizontal instead of vertical like in the earlier picture.


I really love how divers with no technical training at all feel like they are qualified to comment on technical gear configurations...

Side slung bottles are never going to be exactly horizontal all the time. Aluminum bottles just change characteristics too much throughout a dive, and are too butt light to keep from floating up at the end of the dive.

My avatar has two AL40's slung on my side. The O2 is full, and riding nicely, the 50% is at less than half, and riding high.

Tom

 

[marchand]

I agree, but there is no reason for them to be almost vertical.

 

[DaleC]

So, please enlightenen the great unwashed; How do you get a floaty bottle to sit next to your butt while clipped off at the hip and how do you get the valve so far under your arm while clipped off at the chest? And please, post your own pic, seeing as you are so quick to critize others. Showing a RB diver with what looks like 3 bottles clipped off hardly pertains to the discussion at hand.
I have a fair grasp of the "pony bottle" thingy and eagerly await your reply

 

[marchand]

You shorten the tail on the tail on the stage rigging.

I believe I already mentioned that I don't have a camera, and I dive solo most of the time so that just isn't going to happen.