Really Interested in a Pony - What size? How to mount? Other questions!

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MrChen

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Just to increase self reliance under water, I want to dive with a pony bottle. From all the other "what size pony?" threads, I'm leading towards a 30 or 40.

My diving is primarily drift diving in Jupiter in depths of 70-90 ft from a boat. Is a 30 fine to save a little on tank size?

I've seen others with pony's on boats and it sometimes looks like a logistical nightmare. What I mean is, they have the pony attached to their main tank with bands and there's no room. Sometimes these boats are full and there isn't enough space to mount a pony on your main tank between the other tanks. So I thought about a sling, then I read that it isn't as comfortable. So what's the answer here? Are there other options? How difficult is it to move a banded tank during a surface interval? I do suffer from sea sickness in 3+ft seas if I have to really focus on something. I typically feel the effects when moving my gear to the 2nd tank during the SI. So just how difficult is it to manage a banded pony when the boat is full and tanks are side by side?

Are there special first stages for a pony? Din/Yoke? I currently dive yoke, but am curious if there's a preference for a pony.

Please help me configure my pony setup.

Chris
 
Just to increase self reliance under water, I want to dive with a pony bottle. From all the other "what size pony?" threads, I'm leading towards a 30 or 40.

My diving is primarily drift diving in Jupiter in depths of 70-90 ft from a boat. Is a 30 fine to save a little on tank size?

I've seen others with pony's on boats and it sometimes looks like a logistical nightmare. What I mean is, they have the pony attached to their main tank with bands and there's no room. Sometimes these boats are full and there isn't enough space to mount a pony on your main tank between the other tanks. So I thought about a sling, then I read that it isn't as comfortable. So what's the answer here? Are there other options? How difficult is it to move a banded tank during a surface interval? I do suffer from sea sickness in 3+ft seas if I have to really focus on something. I typically feel the effects when moving my gear to the 2nd tank during the SI. So just how difficult is it to manage a banded pony when the boat is full and tanks are side by side?

Are there special first stages for a pony? Din/Yoke? I currently dive yoke, but am curious if there's a preference for a pony.

Please help me configure my pony setup.

Chris

Mr Chen, knowing a little bit about your dive conditions, the same as where I do most of my diving and with a pony, here are a few suggestions. Unless your SAC rate is unusually high a 19 would probably be plenty. If you felt you needed more, then the 30. A 40 cf would just be overkill. Eric and I both use 13's. While it's true that under the waves a 40 is no more noticeable than a 19 or 30 cf if slung properly, a smaller tank would be much easier to manage on a crowded boat. Remember, ideally you will never use the pony except as practice. If the tank becomes a hassle, you may become tempted not to bother with it and a tank, no matter the size, does no good if it is left on the boat.

I sling my bottle. Typically I keep it under the bench till kitted up then I reach under, bring it out and clip it on. Works even on a crowded boat.

We started with yoke but just recently switched to DIN. Much better. Any quality 1st and second stage will do. Just add a button pressure gauge or an SPG on a six inch hose. I actually have an Aqualung Calypso set (yoke) with button gauge for sale now that I've converted to DIN.

Hope it helps.

Lisa

Edit: and Dave Finch with Narcosis in WPB taught my SDI Solo course...
 
how would height of the tank matter on a crowded boat, much less be much easier to manage? 40 is a small bit longer and no wider, and still fit under bench ok or stands next to rigged tank same as a 19 or 30. u cannot have 2 much gas :)
 
how would height of the tank matter on a crowded boat, much less be much easier to manage? 40 is a small bit longer and no wider, and still fit under bench ok or stands next to rigged tank same as a 19 or 30. u cannot have 2 much gas



Actually the 19 cf that I recommended is shorted, thinner and lighter than either the 30 or 40 cf. And near neutrally buoyant when empty. For some of us, size does matter. :D
 
I have a 19 attached by the use of a "Quick Draw Bracket".

Very easy to use.
19 cf is about all you might ever need to get you up, given that you can probably make a 100 bang against deco around here.
A 19 gives you nearly 20% of the breathing time you get on a 100.
Chug
Has never actually needed to use a pony to get home.......
Yet....
But I'm ready!
 
I experimented around a lot before I settled on the system I have been using for the past 100+ dives. A 13 cuft is plenty big enough for me, but my SAC rate is <0.40. It is sidemounted with essentially the NOMAD ring bungee system under my left arm. I didn't like the way it hung with typical stage mounting. I have a regular sized SPG on a 6" (9" would be better) flex HP hose that is tied to the yoke. No LPI hose. The hose and 2nd stage are slid under elastic bands and immediately deploy-able. Also I use the flex hoses. This makes stowing and using the regulator easier.

Things I tried and didn't stay with were: 1. Mounting to the right side of the tank with pony valve down (so I could turn it on/off). This left me with 3 second stages to deal with and I couldn't hand it off. It was also harder to change tanks. Still it was better than my first attempts at slinging. 2. Using a button spg. It isn't as robust as a real spg and sticks out more rigidly. This led to the clear plastic face popping off and the innards getting bent.

Things that made a difference in comfort and ease in donning and doffing. First, the upper (valve) tank attachment is with a bolt snap that has a short cord around the neck to keep the business end of the snap tight to the bottle. This clips under my arm on a metal ring and bungee. Second, use a rigid D-ring far back on the left waist for the lower attach point. You don't have to worry about the AL tank getting floaty when it is empty -- it should never be empty.

On a crowded boat the small 13 cuft is easy to keep out of the way, including on RIBs. Once attached it is easy to forget and doesn't change my trim on or off.

If I had a suitable DIN adapter, the pony is the first place it would get used. If you are thinking about going Tech sometime, then I would get a 40. They are more useful as a deco bottle. I kept thinking about carrying a 40 and using the first 20 to extend my dive and leave the last 20 as "@$#@ hit the fan" reserve.

FWIW, I have since found that sidemounting an AL 80 just as I do the pony gives me full redundancy and 2 full tanks for extended dives with no more bother (once in the water) than carrying the pony. And yes, with the AL80 you DO have to deal with the floaty empty tank.
 
I would suggest going with an AL40. If you ever get into tech diving, you'll need one, and they are easy to sell if you ever want to get rid of it. I started out with an AL19 and needed to upgrade when I started tech. Plus, doing the calculations on my SAC rate and depth of some of my dives, the AL19 was either cutting it too close or totally inadequate.

As for how to carry it, I highly suggest slinging it. If it is rigged up correctly, you'll barely notice it in the water, and it is so much easier to manage swapping tanks on a crowded boat with a slung pony. Two snap hooks and it is stowed under the bench or re-attached to your BC. When I used to back mount my pony, I forgot to attach the bring the mount for the BC once or twice, and ended up not being able to carry the pony on the dive. With the rigging living on the pony, slinging it makes sure you can always take it with you.

Another benefit to slinging it is you can charge the tank, then turn it off during the dive until you need it. Quite a few times I've seen divers loosing gas from their back mounted pony, and having no idea it was happening. With it slung, you can turn it on, turn it off, and easily check the gas in it as needed.

As for regs, my preference is DIN, as it's just more secure, and IMHO, more reliable. But I've used yoke before. Whichever way you go, I wouldn't skimp out on the reg you put on the pony. If you need to use it, you will most likely be under a good deal of stress, and you want a good breathing reg at that moment.

Here's a link on how to make/setup a slung pony/deco bottle. You can also buy simple setups like this from Light Monkey and other companies.
 
Another advantage of a slung pony is if another diver has an OA situation, once they are calm, you can put your pony on them, and then you can make separate ascents and safety stops. Much easier than air sharing all the way up and at the surface.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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