Why Don't you Have a Pony yet?...or ever

[Snowbear]

2. May actually need it someday. I could get caught on a wreck, and lose air catastrophically trying to get free, for example. It has entered my mind.

If this is your primary concern when solo diving on a wreck (You're talking non-penetration of said wreck, right?), I would think you'd want to REDUCE the number of entanglement hazards?? Adding a pony tank to your configuration, especially back mounting it, will add entanglement potential that you may not be able to get yourself out of no matter how much extra gas you have. If anything, I would want to streamline my rig as much as possible to avoid getting caught in the first place.

Anyhow, I used to use a pony tank, but now have it for sale. It ended up creating more problems than those it was intended to "solve."

- when it was back mounted, there were trim issues.
- entanglement - It kept snagging on kelp.... not a big deal to just stop and back up, but change the kelp to monofilament :11:

- when I changed to sling it like a deco bottle, I was limited to how close to the bottom I could be without lifting the reg end of the tank out of the way (by pushing it farther up under the armpit).... what a PITA! Especially when trying to take pictures
- Though with this configuration, entanglements were easy to get out of, since the tank was right there in front of me.

 

[TheRedHead]

If this is your primary concern when solo diving on a wreck (You're talking non-penetration of said wreck, right?),

I think she wants to penetrate this wreck Snowbear, but I've been told this is the talk crazy forum so it is OK. :shakehead

 

[JeffG]

I think she wants to penetrate this wreck Snowbear, but I've been told this is the talk crazy forum so it is OK. :shakehead

Penetrating old wrecks is always fun..no matter how you do it.

 

[TheRedHead]

Penetrating old wrecks is always fun..no matter how you do it.

Was that a double-entendre, Jeff? :lol:

 

[Diver Dennis]

Of course Red, that is Jeff's other hobby...

 

[Snowbear]

I think she wants to penetrate this wreck Snowbear, but I've been told this is the talk crazy forum so it is OK. :shakehead

OK - just checking. If that is the case, I would absolutely not want a pony bottle that would create more of an entanglement hazard....

 

[Cacia]

I think she wants to penetrate this wreck Snowbear, but I've been told this is the talk crazy forum so it is OK. :shakehead

tattleteller.

 

[TheRedHead]

tattleteller.

na, na, na. Since you wrote about getting into the opening, what's the secret here?

 

[Cacia]

well, I went with a tech/ wreck instructor, just to keep it in perspective. It was fun and I want to do it again. I am a bit puzzled by Snowbear's advice. Is she saying to only use doubles?

 

[TheRedHead]

I think Snowbear is right, wear doubles...