How many second stages when diving with a pony?

victor · Apr 29, 2014

When recreational diving with a pony bottle do you have 2 second stages on your primary tank and 1 on the pony or just 1 on each tank?

Looking to add a pony bottle and do the SDI solo dive course so asking some questions up front.

MXGratefulDiver · Apr 29, 2014

I usually just leave the reg on my main tank the way I normally dive it, with two second stages ... more out of convenience than practicality. Many divers I know who routinely dive with a pony only have one second-stage reg on their main cylinder.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

flots am · Apr 29, 2014

victor:
When recreational diving with a pony bottle do you have 2 second stages on your primary tank and 1 on the pony or just 1 on each tank?

Looking to add a pony bottle and do the SDI solo dive course so asking some questions up front.

I always keep my normal configuration: 1 primary, one alternate second stage and a pony if I bring it.

Removing standard equipment might make things confusing for either you or another diver during an emergency, when seconds count.

Also, I don't bring a pony on very shallow dives, so leaving it alone means I'm not constantly screwing and unscrewing hoses and port plugs.

flots.

DaleC · Apr 29, 2014

What Bob said.

If I am using a back gas reg set that only has one second stage I make it a point to tell my buddies the alternate is the pony. Most also use ponies so they get it. If I am diving with a new diver I may even position that second stage in the triangle.

I have several reg sets, some single, some with octo's, so it really depends what I"m using and how much I want to tinker. It comes up quite often if I am diving doublehose with others though, wherein I have no octo yet feel I should have a second to donate. So I sling a pony (which I could also use to inflate my DS with if I wanted/needed).

Bob DBF · Apr 29, 2014

As they said, I dive my normal configuration and add the pony as I see fit, both buddy and solo.

If I'm solo, while testing a reg, or using a doublehose, I have no problem with one second on each tank.

I personally stuck to my normal configuration until I could drop both regs and could easily retrieve either one without looking or increasing my rate of breathing. Nothing worse than grabbing for a reg and realizing that you left it on the shop bench at home, now that could change your breathing a bit. It's not hard to reconfigure, but it takes time to change habits.

Bob
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There are more ways than one to skin a cat, however the cat never likes it.

Basking Ridge Diver · Apr 29, 2014

I use a 19 cu ft pony now - I stole a 2nd stage from my primary rig for the pony. I am making it a habit to dive with the pony every dive - that was one of the criteria why I chose the 19 cu ft weight and dive profiles. So for me - I will now dive with one 2nd stage on my back gas and one on my pony. I dive with my son and I don't generally have instabuddies but if I do I will explain my setup prior to diving. I took the SDI course and for me this setup should work until I prove different.

AfterDark · Apr 29, 2014

I don’t use an octo with any configuration I dive. Solo diving w/ IDs: two 2^nd stages no pony. Buddy diving with IDs and a pony: three 2^nd stages the third is on the pony for “air sharing”. The pony being for a buddy's use. Single tank BM configuration, solo or buddy, two regulators one of which is the pony’s. In single BM configuration the pony is for either my use or my buddy's. The pony is always slung so it can handed off.

TMHeimer · Apr 29, 2014

Primary & octo on reg. Pony 2nd stage on ("stretchy") rope around neck.

MrChen · Apr 29, 2014

I *JUST* went through several of these questions in my desire to purchase a pony. It might be worth a read or it might not apply at all.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ta...pony-what-size-how-mount-other-questions.html

randy88k5 · Apr 29, 2014

There was a thread in the Solo Divers forum a while back. Most of it is preference.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/solo-divers/442542-redundancy-failure-point.html

I personally would use primary and secondary reg, and a separate reg for the pony.

How many second stages when diving with a pony?

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victor

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MXGratefulDiver

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flots am

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Bob DBF

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TMHeimer

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