what applications would you use of a pony bottle

[k ellis]

******Disclaimer that my views in here are only views from experience and just opinions ******
I know there are a million threads on this already but I am just curious. Most of my dives localy are short 30 - 45 minute dives in the 60 feet or less range. Since we do buddy up a lot the use of a pony for this typical application would seem to be more of a burden in and out of the water then a safety backup. I could personaly see it for a solo dive myself.

When I dive salty I usually do charters on 2 tank dives which are usually 80 feet or less so the application of a pony would seem in my opinion impractical with sometimes 10 or more divers all having alternate air sources on their regulators too.

So I am curious as to what applications would you consider it just over kill and what applications would you consider it a must have?

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I use a pony bottle for all dives, solo and buddy below 60 feet. The inconvenience of the bottle is also associated with the size. I often use a 6 cu-ft bottle for no-deco dives within recreational limits and it presents negligible inconvenience, but many people will think the bottle is too small. The 13 is also quite managable.

Also, if you sling, rather than back mount the bottle, the issue with space constraints in the tank rack on the boat is pretty much solved. It can be a problem if everyone uses back mounted ponies and the tank rack configuration does not accomodate this well.

 

[k ellis]

Ok just curious since as I said its something I never got into. How exactly is it slung? Ive seen the tank mounts and distant photos of them hanging under the arm but how do you mount it for say?

 

[DevonDiver]

I rarely use a pony now, as I will make use of my doubles for any deep or overhead dives. Otherwise I'd use a slung pony for dives between 18 and 40m, as a redundant air source for direct emergency ascents.

 

[Steve50]

Ok just curious since as I said its something I never got into. How exactly is it slung? Ive seen the tank mounts and distant photos of them hanging under the arm but how do you mount it for say?

You tube search

 

[a22shady]

We take our Alum 40 in all dives unless have doubles. It doesnt hurt to have it there incase something happens.

 

[gcs118]

We take our Alum 40 in all dives unless have doubles. It doesnt hurt to have it there incase something happens.

Same here. I use my slung AL40 on all off-shore dives (even the shallowest at 50ft.) since conditions here can vary significantly and some buddies I have had I would not qualify as too reliable, especially when viz is very low.

At the quarry, well, I still usually take it just to practice using it or adjust weight/trim as necessary if there are gear changes.

 

[CamG]

Greetings K ellis and when diving single tank configuration past 60' or with a buddy who burns a lot of gas I sling a AL 30cf on my left side.
I would do this also for Solo diving "IF I HAD THE CARD" right?

I used to use a pony all the time but since BM / SM I rarely use one and really considering selling all of my ponies.
I dive primarily cold water most of the time so it just made sense to sling a pony not just for me but my buddy as well.
We trained that way when we dove that way.
Now we are all doubled up, we still sling bottles but not ponies.

CamG keep Diving....Keep Training....Keep Learning!

 

[fish149]

I took a wreck course from an instructor who absolutely was against pony bottles. He made some good points like it adds unneccesary drag and it would contribute to alot of divers becoming too lax in their air monitoring because they feel like they could always fall back on the pony. He stressed maintaining good buddy contact, air monitoring, streamlining you gear and sticking to the dive plan. It made sense to me the way he explained it. Of course if I was going to do some deep/wreck diving with a buddy I didn't know or just met I'd prob. feel a bit better with a pony anyhow....

 

[seaducer]

I got mine for offshore wreck diving, they range from 60 feet to way over my head. I have not been on the boats in a few years but the captains used to require an independent air source, that is why I got one intitially.

It is there for me if I need it, but it is never part of my gas plan. I sling it and that allows me to hand it off if someone else is OOG and not displaying the type of mindset I want attached to me and my air.

I guess I wouldn't bother in less than 50 feet, but I really don't have many options between snorkel depth and 60 around here.

Making it slingable is easy, I used hose clamps to attach bolt snaps top and bottom which clip off to D rings. I ran a line between the clamps to double as a handle. There is a web page out there somewhere but I couldn't google it this morning...