Where to mount the reg with a pony setup?

[spog]

Hello,

I'm a warm water, rec diver (I'm only in this for the fun of it). I use rental gear, but for peace of mind, I'm getting a pony bottle.

My plan it to mount it on the side of the tank rather than as a stage to keep things neat. Now my question is where do I put the reg? The usual rental gear is an octopus setup, so I have a primary in my mouth and the backup tucked into the BCD on the right chest strap (hose looped and tucked into a pocket).

If I put the pony reg on the lefthand side and the pony bottle is on the left of the main tank, isn't that going to mean that I either put it in upside down, or the hose is twisted around my chin?

If I put the pony on the right of the main tank and the reg on the left then the hose will cross over my chest and get in the way.

If I put the pony on the right and the reg on the right, that means I will have a total of 3 regs on my righthand side.

Suggestions please?

spog

 

[bwerb]

Eeeek.

First question...how often are you planning to or currently do you dive?
Second question...when you are diving, are you typically diving with a friend or do you do your diving alone and hook-up with someone on the boat?

I realize you are doing this for "safety" but would caution that adding another piece of kit to gear you are already "unfamiliar" with (being a rental) and adding a third regulator to the equation will more likely create confusion than an actual added level of safety to your diving. Especially if you are diving with someone unfamiliar with your extra reg.

I'd seriously look at rethinking why you believe you need a pony to safely dive recreationally on warm water vacation dives.

 

[spog]

Wow! quick answer!

Okay: I've just passed my OW cert so I'm still a newbie. But I hope to dive a fair bit - at least once a month.

I'm a Nobby No-mates when it comes to diving, so I get whoever else is on the boat at the time. Now, so far, I have had one guy I felt comfortable with and two I didn't. I have also seen one guy get his cert who was a complete bloody liability to himself and others and it scared me a little that I could end up with someone like him as my backup.

I agree with what you are saying about an extra piece of equipment. I've read the long threads about ponys and I'm happy that they offer more benefits than downsides. For the purposes of this thread, let's just say that it give me a warm, fuzzy feeling to have my own independant air-source. If you think about it, it means that there will be a piece of equipment that I can trust 100%. I've had rental gear that leaked air from every possible place and frankly, while it's probably going to be alright....well, bet your life on it? I also realise that I'm going to need to practise with it for it to be any use.

I will be using it as a final, everything else has gone wrong, air-source. I will still have the octopus as my secondary reg and it will still be available for my buddy to use. I don't plan to alter any of the standard setups - just add to them.

I am also concerned that three regs in the same location on my body is going to cause potential confusion. Hence my question about location.

Thanks for the feedback

spog

 

[SDAnderson]

I'm a warm water, rec diver (I'm only in this for the fun of it). I use rental gear, but for peace of mind, I'm getting a pony bottle.

Oops. Let's call this your first mistake. Just because it's more doesn't mean it's better.​

My plan it to mount it on the side of the tank rather than as a stage to keep things neat.

How will this "keep things neat?" Let's call this your second mistake.​

Now my question is where do I put the reg? The usual rental gear is an octopus setup, so I have a primary in my mouth and the backup tucked into the BCD on the right chest strap (hose looped and tucked into a pocket).

Ah, you're beginning to see the problem. You're renting regulators and tanks and where the heck are you going to put four second stages with this configuration? Or are you planning on breaking down one of the rental regulators? And what about all the bottle rigging stuff - clamps, retainers, etc. Yoikes!​

If I put the pony reg on the lefthand side and the pony bottle is on the left of the main tank, isn't that going to mean that I either put it in upside down, or the hose is twisted around my chin?

Yeah, it would seem that way, wouldn't it. This isn't working out nearly as smoothly as would be desired, is it?​

If I put the pony on the right of the main tank and the reg on the left then the hose will cross over my chest and get in the way.

Isn't this strike three on the routing problem?​

If I put the pony on the right and the reg on the right, that means I will have a total of 3 regs on my righthand side.

Yep. Does seem to be kinda of a cluttered fustercluck, doesn't it?​

Suggestions please?

There's a reason so many seasoned divers will tell you that a pony is a problem, especially for occasional divers. Normal recreational diving just doesn't require one and there are a lot of issues regarding how to rig and use it that simply don't have a satisfactory resolution. Developing the skills to effectively manage a pony - whether it's clamped to your back gas or slung as a stage bottle - takes practice that most vacation divers just don't have the opportunity to get. I've seen a lot of them and rarely have I seen one where the guy diving with a pony was safer with one than without. It's not a big management issue if done properly, but it needs to be done correctly or it becomes a liability - one more thing to manage that provides no return.

If you just absolutely positively have to do it (and you don't), rig the bottle as a stage. It would be better to work on your situational awareness and general skills so that if the occasion arises that a pony bottle might help you'll have other, better, options available to you.​

 

[DA Aquamaster]

A think some of the remarks are coming off a bit harsher than intended (I hope).

You have a valid concern that a rental reg may leave something to be desired on a vacation but the mounting issues out lined above also have a lot of merit. A pony really needs to be considered as part of the total equipment package rather than as an add on to a rental package.

A pony would also normally supplant an octo in a recreational configuration where any kind of failure with your equipment or your buddy's would call for an immediate ascent to the surface. So unless you are able to remove the octo from the rental reg and secure the octo from the pony in it's place, you do run into the what do I do with the 3 second stages issue.

Actually mounting the pony to a rental tank is not really a problem if you use the right pony bracket - one that does not require anything to be hard mounted to the tank itself but you still have the 3 second stage problem.

One suggestion would be to sling the pony as a stage bottle as this does act as an independent system and is perhaps the most efficient way to add a pony to a rental package without running into the extra second stage hose routing problem.

But this will also require suitable D-rings on the rental BC and that could be problematic. There is also the issue of having to devalve your pony to transport it if you travel via airline and the need to get it filled at the destination and they may or may not require a VIP before they will fill it.

By far the best approach may be to just buy your own regulator and eliminate the worry about getting a crappy rental reg in the first place. You'd need a first and second stage for the pony anyway and the money saved on the pony tank and the mounting bracket (approx $150) could be used toward the purchase of the octo and set of gauges required to use it as a primary.

You will also need an inflator hose but you are most likely to be renting a BC with a standard QD fitting. Worst case the rental place is using a sea quest or Air 2 type fitting and you have to borrow a hose from them to go with their rental BC but they should be willing to attach it to your reg for you.

 

[LUBOLD8431]

By far the best approach may be to just buy your own regulator and eliminate the worry about getting a crappy rental reg in the first place.

I couldnt agree more with this suggestion. Forget the pony bottle, get your own quality air delivery system (primary reg, gauge(s), secondary, inflator hose). I dont use a pony for normal recreational dives. I trust my primary regulator, and I always dive with a buddy. There are only a few select occasions where I would use a pony.

 

[bwerb]

Well...DAM...I think your solution is definitely walking down the right road...the expense of a pony, reg for the pony with SPG etc. will come pretty close to just getting a set of regs. There are great deals and often you'll find people here selling gear etc. to save a few more bucks.

Why not spend a bit of money getting yourself a good regulator set which you will know works because you keep it serviced and in great shape.

It will definitely be money well spent. There is something totally satisfying about using your own reg.

 

[spog]

I guess I'm hitting one of those magic discussion - I might as well have asked 'Should I dive DIR for rec diving?'

But I always appreciate getting information. Even if it doesn't answer the question.

I think I should clarify the situation a little more - I'm not a vacation diver. I do this for fun, not a living. I live 2 hrs drive from golden sand and warm water. I'm just starting, but I intend to spend time and money doing all to stay alive. That includes additional training and eventually buying all my own own gear. (I plan two more dives to get practise, then I'm doing AOW. Eventually, if I really like this, I may aim for Master Scuba - by then, I'll be doing my own regulator servicing).

However, right now, I'm just starting off, so I'm not going to blow $3,000 on gear after a few dives. A set of my own regs is very high up on the list of things to buy. But until then, it seems a pony setup is a reasonable investment. I won't be spending so much straight away so I'm more inclined to buy it earlier (and hence will enjoy it's protection earlier).

Plus, I'm not going to worry about buying the wrong stuff. If the reg is reliable, then it doesn't matter if it's a bad fit or the wrong colour. But a full set of regs has to be just right to enjoy them - and I'm not at the stage where I have the right experience to make the judgement on what regs suit me.


Using it as a stage faces the problem of BCD mounting points as mentioned. Wearing it on a waist belt or neck strap seems a silly idea. There are lots of removable tank mounts that I could easily use. But the question remains: where would the 3rd reg go?

spog

 

[bwerb]

Spog...if you buy a pony...you have to buy a reg and spg for it (unless you plan on renting a second set of regs and removing the octo and rerouting the spg hose and pulling the inflator)...we're suggesting you add an octo and a LP hose and you'll have your own reg set. First problem solved for no where near $3000.

 

[LUBOLD8431]

A set of my own regs is very high up on the list of things to buy. But until then, it seems a pony setup is a reasonable investment.
spog

Its really not. A pony bottle setup is not one of the first things that a new diver buys. In fact, I have never sold a pony bottle to a new diver.

Your primary life support equipment is more important than having a pony bottle. You need to rethink your priorities...

Good Luck...