When do you use a pony?

[StreetDoctor]

Never, unless you count my buddy as a pony.

 

[kathydee]

Never, unless you count my buddy as a pony.

Ditto that!

 

[JBRES1]

On vacation I take a 13 or 19 cu ft tank no matter the depth.
At home I only take the pony on dives below 60ft.
Jim Breslin

 

[Scott L]

Where is that sticky located? I would like to read it.

Thanks

You know, Bob. Try spelling it backwards during the search and you may get a hit. All kidding aside, it great to see Doc Intrepid post again. Quite the steady hand!

 

[CamG]

Greetings ScubaSloan and you have already received a lot of feed back. Redundancy is the issue and at what depth does it become critical. IMO and that is what it is, I dive with doubles on any dive over 60' and if diving a single tank at any depth I sling a 30cf pony. This has become my practice and have used it several times in free-flow situations. My experience is in cold water and in the spring temperatures in the 30º
to 42º pretty common. On most dives over 100' I carry a pony 40cf or a 30cf under my left arm. It has become comfortable to do so. Recreational or doing light deco dives make little difference to me I dive the same way. OW wreck diving as you have described my practice would be exactly the same.
This is my practice and I feel good about it but always try to be extra cautious. One can never be to careful and plan for all the what if's because as Dr. Bill has mentioned the time you need it you better have it! Be safe and good diving to you.
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!

 

[RJP]

Do you feel comfortable/safe diving to 120/130 in a recreational (no deco) setting without a pony assuming you are respecting rock bottom?

With a square profile you're talking about dives with so little bottom time from both an NDL and a gas supply standpoint. Why bother doing the dive at all? Get doubles and appropriate training and really spend some time diving.

 

[Rhone Man]

I use a pony when I dive solo, but not otherwise.

 

[Tortuga68]

0-30m - single 11l tank

<40m on a brief drop - single 11l tank

>40m or >30m for a significant part of the dive - double 11s

I only use 6l ponie(s) on a planned deco dive, one 50% or one 50% and one 100% as dictated by the dive

This would change if I dove something other than warm OW dives

 

[HowardE]

I was reading another post that got me thinking about the use of a pony. I dive mostly wrecks off the NC coast with a max depth of 120-130. I dive a single ST120. I have heard alot of people say below 100 they will use a pony. When do you use it? I know doubling up might be preferable, but I am not looking to take that avenue just yet. Do you feel comfortable/safe diving to 120/130 in a recreational (no deco) setting without a pony assuming you are respecting rock bottom?

I don't use a pony. I dive with a buddy. I've dived single tanks to 140 feet - with a buddy.

If I was solo diving, that might be another story.

Deco dives also - another story.

 

[SkimFisher]

Luxfer....if you do get a catalina make sure it's not painted yellow. Horrible results. I use a 19....with my SCR my calcs are that it works. If you have a higher SCR and are regularly diving very deep (long deco if you bust) repetitive dives, might want more.

And I like Doc Intrepid's answer....consider everything and why you have a pony. Mine is for the final OS! Dive is over, time to go home.

Why not yellow? I've got a 13cu that was given to me by a friend that no longer dives and it's bright yellow. It was free, so I'm not going to say no thanks. Just curious as to the reasoning behind this statement.