Diving with Octo and pony

[dumpsterDiver]

I agree with everything above. Well maybe not that slinging a pony is essential. but that was not the question. The disadvantage of having three second stages on two tanks, outweighs the benefit.

Another alternative is to use an AIR 2 inflator/regulator which gives you more flexibility and also allows you to still meet the "PADI" rules should you decide to forgo the pony on a 45 ft coral reef dive.

 

[TheRedHead]

I've have heard a story of an Instructor diving the USS San Diego with doubles and a back mounted pony. The guy mistakenly put the pony reg in his mouth when he splashed and by the time he had reached the bottom and had penetrated the wreck he ran out of air. They found him with his doubles full and an empty pony. More then likely he couldn't figure out why he was out of air with his spg showing full tanks and with three regulators to choose from he panicked and died with more then enough gas to exit the wreck and surface.

If he had his pony properly bungeed and slung, this situation would never happen. You never should have 3 regulators hanging in front of you. The long hose is always clipped off when not in use. The pony regulator should be 40 inches and slung from the left. You deploy the pony and run the regulator behind your neck from left to right and clip off the long hose. Then you will never be confused about what regulator is in your mouth and prevent CFs like the one described above.

 

[divnamite]

I'm not slinging a pony, I'm gonna mount it on my main tank. I suppose I can mount it on the left side of my tank, and bungee my pony, and hand off my long hose primary. Blah, gotta figure this out.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I mount on the right side and now keep the pony 2nd stage on a bungi around my neck. I would hand off the primary in an emergency and then use the pony (or AIR 2) to ascend with. It doesn't seem to be too complicated?