Pony bottle configuration

[Wreck/Tec]

When I dive singles I always carry a pony of varied size. One thing that's always the same is where it's carried, on my side with a 5 foot hose and an lp inflater hose. My rational is simple.... If someone needs air they are best able to help themselves when they are away from you. They don't need your hand, they need air! You don't put your self at risk either. A longer hose gives you room to help them. The lp hose speaks for its self. I havn't seen to many configurations like this. Talk to me...... What do you think?

 

[raxafarian]

why a 5 ft. hose? Where do you put the slack? Is the pony being used as a "bailout bottle"?
You're gonna share air with a pony? If you need it, a normal sized hose should suffice. If you have to give it to your buddy for whatever reason.... unclip the bottle and give him the entire thing... again, a normal hose works here too.

And why a lp inflator hose? You can manually inflate your bc? can't you?

If somebody needs air, they should be on your backgas... what length hoses do you have for your primary and backup?

 

[jonnythan]

I have the same questions... Why a 5 foot hose on a pony? Why the LP inflator? If someone is OOA and needs a pony bottle from you to make the ascent, they're not going to be putting air in their BC.. and if they do, they can do it manually.

The best solution to me looks like a shorter hose on the pony and no LP hose. If your buddy is OOA, immediately donate your primary regulator and go to your backup as you remove your pony bottle and prepare to hand it off.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Personally I use a 38" hose, carry the bottle on the left "D" ring with the hose stowed on the tank, and loop the hose around my neck for use.
Rick

 

[O-ring]

Rick Murchison once bubbled...
Personally I use a 38" hose, carry the bottle on the left "D" ring with the hose stowed on the tank, and loop the hose around my neck for use.
Rick

I do what Rick does with the only minor difference being that I have a 40" hose.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Well I think the ebay mount is best for pony tanks and if a redundant air supply beyond your buddy is need then doubles is the ticket.

If you must carry a pony then it would be best to mount is as a stage clipped off on the side with a 40" hose rubber banded to the pony and use a 6" hp hose with SPG bent back and tied off to the first stage. The pony reg should be charged and then carried with the valve off.

You don't need the LP inflator hose.

 

[SM Diver]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...
If you must carry a pony then it would be best to mount is as a stage clipped off on the side with a 40" hose rubber banded to the pony and use a 6" hp hose with SPG bent back and tied off to the first stage. The pony reg should be charged and then carried with the valve off.

You don't need the LP inflator hose.

Three questions:

1. Where is the pony second stage? Is it clipped to d-ring, or just banded to the tank with the rest of the hose?

2. Can this be done without encumbering the upper extremities too much?

3. Why not use one of those little hoseless SPGs that mount directly to the first stage?

Thanks.

 

[Uncle Pug]

1. not clipped to a d-ring.... held by the rubber band (we use thick crab pot bands) ... see picture below.

2. check my profile picture to get an idea. I don't think I would want to be spear fishing with one.

3. small button spg is just to hard too read U/W. With a standard spg you can see if the needle drops (remember you charge it and then carry it with the valve shut off.)

 

[SM Diver]

Thanks. That photo helped a lot. I think you're right, though. Would be too difficult to spear in one.

Guess I'll hold on to my doubles and try to master them.

 

[Uncle Pug]

tampascott once bubbled...
Guess I'll hold on to my doubles and try to master them.

You will get it... but it would be a lot more stable with a BP/wing.

I really don't know much about the kind of spear fishing you guys do so this may be out of whack... but why not a large single?