Do you actually see people diving with pony bottles?

[MaxBottomtime]

... they're refillable, you know ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Drained, as in oxydation and 2" of salt water still in the tank during a VIP. He told me has drained it before. He gets his main tank down to 200psi, switches to his pony for his safety stop, sucks it down to zero and then goes back on his main for the ascent. I was shocked to hear that from someone with a ton of dives. He also had to get his pony reg serviced after allowing salt water into the first stage while attached to an empty tank with the valve open.

 

[Colliam7]

There is a time and place for everything, including pony bottles - just not on your recreational no decompression limit vacation dive boat. . . Again, we're talking about simple vacation diving.

Help me understand, from your perspective, what makes 'vacation' diving to 130 ft different from non-vacation diving to 130ft. I think I can understand what some factors may be. But, I would be interested in a fuller development of your thinking.

 

[The Chairman]

Some of you blow things way out of proportion.

Says the guy who storms off a dive boat if he sees a pony tank.

I was thinking the very same thing. Dive and let dive. How does it harm you if someone is over-prepared? We were on a dive at the Benwood with two tech divers. Man, they had a lot of "overkill" in my book for a 40 ft dive. Dry suits, stage bottles, reels all over, helmets, 4 lights each and more. Ah, but they were checking out gear prior to a proper technical dive the next day. Go figure. Hell, I've been on 30ft reefs in my breather and had people complain it was overkill. The best way to get experience is to dive it AOAP(As Often As Possible) and besides, no bubbles means way more fish. Way more fish. Want to judge people over differences of opinion? Join a church or a political party. Swim a league in their fins before you criticize a different modus of diving.

 

[Colliam7]

He gets his main tank down to 200psi, switches to his pony for his safety stop, sucks it down to zero and then goes back on his main for the ascent. . . . He also had to get his pony reg serviced after allowing salt water into the first stage while attached to an empty tank with the valve open.

Wow. I guess that falls under the category of, 'In this world there are many things and that is one of them!'

Or, perhaps, it is a Ron White moment, 'You can't fix stupid.'

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Drained, as in oxydation and 2" of salt water still in the tank during a VIP. He told me has drained it before. He gets his main tank down to 200psi, switches to his pony for his safety stop, sucks it down to zero and then goes back on his main for the ascent. I was shocked to hear that from someone with a ton of dives. He also had to get his pony reg serviced after allowing salt water into the first stage while attached to an empty tank with the valve open.

... that's a guy I wouldn't want to dive with either ... but not because of his pony. I'd say it's his attitude that's the problem ... taking his equipment and his risk management approach way too casually ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[mcohen1021]

Says the guy who storms off a dive boat if he sees a pony tank.

Storming off, are your your words, not mine. You're trolling me, I'm done.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Help me understand, from your perspective, what makes 'vacation' diving to 130 ft different from non-vacation diving to 130ft. I think I can understand what some factors may be. But, I would be interested in a fuller development of your thinking.

... if you're going to 130 on one of those stupid oversize beer cans they make you dive with in the tropics, then I'd say you really SHOULD consider taking a redundant air source ... if anything at all goes wrong at depth, you'll likely be glad to have it ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[HantsDiver]

I'm responsible for my own arse in the water, with or without a buddy. My regular buddies are good, careful divers, but I'm going to sling a pony if I'm diving single tank BM.

If I'm diving with one on the Great Lakes, why wouldn't I want to have one with me on warm water dives, especially deeper ones? It's part of my kit.

Do what you want. And stop worrying about what others are doing.

If you want to use a pony on holiday then do so. If you don't or someone else doesn't then leave them to it.

I can't get too hung up on what anyone else is doing. There are far more interesting things in life than someone elses equipment.

 

[rek_diver]

There are far more interesting things in life than someone elses equipment.

Disagree. I find other divers rigs to be interesting, informative and sometimes just plain entertaining.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

There are far more interesting things in life than someone elses equipment.

Was on a liveaboard in the Maldives a few years back with some fellow who owns a dive shop in Florida. He kept critiquing my equipment ... completely unsolicited, of course. Told me over and over how he'd never trust his life to anything but ScubaPro.

I finally said "Of course not ... you're a ScubaPro dealer" ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)