80 CF Aluminum as Pony Bottle?

[uncfnp]

AL80 work fine as a pony IMO.

Some friends and I have done "monkey mount" a few times - regular single tank BP/W with a tank on our backs and one or two AL80 slung. We did this in Bonaire, taking a 88min dive to the far side of the 2nd reef, where no other divers were - what a treat!

I am over-weighted with a SS plate, a 3mm full suit, and one AL80, so i just put 2lbs on each bottle slung. Blowing them down to 500 on our first test dive didn't result in any issues and I could easily hold my safety stop.

Now that's a good use for Al 80's, as doubles to extend a dive, not just as redundancy. But for that dive in Bonaire I would just sling a 63. May give that a try in March. Enter at the site just south of the Helma Hooker (I don't recall the name) swim north on the inner reef to the Hooker, spend some time on the wreck, then swim south on the outer reef. I like that. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[James R]

You're welcome. Our hotel/dive op only had AL80 tanks, so we took what we could get.

A home-made bungee to keep the slung tanks from hanging down too far is super easy to make: bolt snap on each end..one clips to hole in backplate (on the edge) the other to chest d-ring. We used our sidemount rigging and regs for them.

Looking at my download, I was a bit off...it was actually a pretty basic (albeit very fun) no deco extended range dive with a runtime of 85min, max 108 avg 53, both tanks filled with 33.

 

[uncfnp]

You're welcome. Our hotel/dive op only had AL80 tanks, so we took what we could get.

A home-made bungee to keep the slung tanks from hanging down too far is super easy to make: bolt snap on each end..one clips to hole in backplate (on the edge) the other to chest d-ring. We used our sidemount rigging and regs for them.

Looking at my download, I was a bit off...it was actually a pretty basic (albeit very fun) no deco extended range dive with a runtime of 85min, max 108 avg 53, both tanks filled with 33.

I have a couple of the Dive Rite Nomad bungee rigs that I used when I first started carrying ponies. I will add them to the growing pile of Bonaire gear.

 

[Doc Harry]

I did a bunch of solo diving on Bonaire and on the Big Island. The only redundant cylinders available for rent were AL80s. One on the back, one slung on my left.

No big deal.

 

[uncfnp]

I did a bunch of solo diving on Bonaire and on the Big Island. The only redundant cylinders available for rent were AL80s. One on the back, one slung on my left.

No big deal.

We rented a pony from Dive Friends before deciding to travel with the 13. Gooodive Bonaire advertises a pony rental for 5 a day or 25 for 6 days but I have never used them. Walt with Rec Tek at Captain Dons had 40's too but he sold his shop. Technical Diving Services is now the tech shop at Captain Don's and likely has rentals as well.

 

[markmud]

Another option is a 13 cf tank for travel. That's our solution.

Uncfnp,

I agree with you. My 6 and 13 cf ponies have traveled all over. Their last trip was Costa Rica last November.

I practice solo pony bottle ascents from as deep as 105 ft. I usually practice three scenarios on each practice ascent. Lost mask, lost buoyancy, smb deployment, or cutting tool deployment.

I don't recommend using a 6 cf for solo, but I have practiced a safe pony bottle ascent from 100' with my 6cf pony.

My point is, practice, practice, practice!

Side mounting a bigger tank is cool to.

Markm

PS: I do have a .5 sac. I don't need much air.

 

[hotelconucc93]

Dude....if you got it, dive it. Be comfortable and practice. I think nothing of wearing an 80 (or two or three) besides my BM tanks or rebreather....what's to say YOUR wrong ???????

 

[Nemrod]

No, I do not always use a pony within my free dive limit or to 60 feet, depending on how I feel about it that day. You could just dive the 80 cf slung tank and back tank as independent doubles never allowing either to drop below the critical amount needed to exit the dive safely.

N

 

[jnowak100]

OK I will admit 'wrong doing' up front. I went to a resort and did a bunch of group diving but I also did a bunch of solo diving. My solo dive training training stressed that redundant air be used. I had a second regulator but the only tanks available were aluminum 80's. That just seemed like too big a tank to take as a pony. I took my pictures and kept the depth modest and didn't tell anybody (until now). Around home I typically use a 40CF pony which is barely noticeable. I was wondering what experiences others have had using an aluminum 80 as a pony. Such as 'too big', 'PITA', 'nearly neutral no problem', etc. Thanks.

I dive tec sidemount, at times with 2 steel 120's and 2 aluminum 80's for deco tanks, the issue is how much air do you need for the dive as planned, how long and how deep. The 80's are useful if you need travel gas, want to linger at an intermediate depth, just an air hog or dont want more tanks for the second boat dive. Yes the gear is heavy and will need a lot of air in your wing, in sidemount though the tanks are not cumbersome and with the use of a gear line on a boat, you are putting them on/off in the water, so not walking around the boat or climbing a ladder with 150lbs of gear.