Weighting with pony

[Marie13]

Dove with my pony for the first time today outside of a pool. I was very lopsided. Felt very heavy overall. I sling it on my left side (I have a BP/W). Do I take some weight off my left side or not? Pony is 30 cft.

I'm currently diving dry with 31 lbs - steel BP and weighted STA are 11 lbs. Remainer of weight: 2 x 5 lbs in waist weight pockets, 2 x 3 lbs in upper cam band pouches, 2 x 2 lbs in lower cam band pouches. I have pouches on lower cam bands as I was stuffing 7 lbs in each waist pocket, but the Halcyon pockets are only rated for 5 lbs and the 2 extra pounds made getting the pockets closed very difficult. And, yes, I need a lot of weight. I'm naturally very buoyant, add drysuit and Fourth Element Arctic undies, and I'm floaty as hell. I've tried going a bunch lighter and I was a bobbing cork.

 

[Tug]

For me, when I'm diving with a pony bottle I don't take off any weight. This is because I want the freedom to hand off the pony if I have to and still be weighted properly. If you want, you can shift some weight from your left to right side or another trick is to push some air into the left side of your wing.

 

[HantsDiver]

For me, when I'm diving with a pony bottle I don't take off any weight. This is because I want the freedom to hand off the pony if I have to and still be weighted properly. If you want, you can shift some weight from your left to right side or another trick is to push some air into the left side of your wing.

And that is the best advice anyone on here can give. The advantage to a slung pony is that it can be handed off. To do anything other than this is stupidity in my opinion.

I'd avoid moving weights around though. I prefer the idea of using ali cylinders for stages/ponies personally. Then it's just a matter of getting some experience in using it.

 

[Marie13]

Pony won't be handed off. It's for me or my buddy. Guess it's just a matter of getting used to it, although I might experiment with taking off 2 lbs total today.

 

[guruboy]

Your steel plate is only 5#? Are you diving a small one?

 

[rick00001967]

before you start removing any lead be sure to check weighting with an empty (or near empty) pony. not sure of you are using a steel or allum (i assume allum). either way, you dont wanna end up too light.

 

[doctormike]

I'm currently diving dry with 31 lbs - steel BP and weighted STA are 11 lbs. Remainer of weight: 2 x 5 lbs in waist weight pockets, 2 x 3 lbs in upper cam band pouches, 2 x 2 lbs in lower cam band pouches. I have pouches on lower cam bands as I was stuffing 7 lbs in each waist pocket, but the Halcyon pockets are only rated for 5 lbs and the 2 extra pounds made getting the pockets closed very difficult. And, yes, I need a lot of weight. I'm naturally very buoyant, add drysuit and Fourth Element Arctic undies, and I'm floaty as hell. I've tried going a bunch lighter and I was a bobbing cork.

What kind of tank are you using?

 

[divad]

The last two numbers are buoyancy empty and full:
Catalina S30 +0.2 -2.4
Luxfer 30 +1.2 -1.0


If you drop 2 lbs of lead and breathe down,or hand off, the Luxfor, you'll be 3+ pounds more buoyant. If you drop 2 lbs and don't use the Luxfor, you'll still be 1 lb more buoyant than you already are. I would add 1 lb to compensate for the buoyancy of the empty Luxfor and not hand it off.

 

[guruboy]

If she drops 2# and hands off the pony, she will be 2# more buoyant (than her previous weighting before adding the pony). The pony is not included in the 31#

 

[Kodad]

Or maybe work on developing your basics skills before you add the extra task loading that a pony entails. If I recall you still haven't sorted out attaching your octo...I'm sure your instructor can get you sorted out with your weighting, but I question his judgment in recommending that you need a pony bottle so early in your diving career, especially at basic open water recreational depths...if you insist on using a pony, the above advice should help with your weighting issues...