Getting a pony, but have a few questions

[Fastmarc]

Hi all,

I'm going to get a 19cf pony and I'm trying to figure out which to buy and whether to go tank mount or sling.
I'm using a jacket style BCD (Sherwood Avid) and I know I have come across more people recommending slinging as the better way, but how do I do that with this BCD?

Also, I'm using 8lbs (4 in pouches - 2lbs each, 4 in trim pockets on back) and I'm wondering what to expect on how this will affect my weighting.

Any help would be appreciated.

Marc

 

[divad]

I'm going to get a 19cf pony and I'm trying to figure out which to buy and whether to go tank mount or sling.
I'm using a jacket style BCD (Sherwood Avid) and I know I have come across more people recommending slinging as the better way, but how do I do that with this BCD?

Welcome........to the slippery slope.......................................BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHahahahahahahahah cough gasp.

 

[АлександрД]

here some ways, how I made tank binding for my 3L pony:

I hope, it clean enough.
for wire to sewing I used Dyneema braided fishing line, it most strong.
half hour of work and you have ageless belt.

Now I use the same for my sidemount tanks.

another way - to use Double tank belt like

 

[Jonny Wishbone]

A 19 cf alum pony is going to be about 2 lbs negative when full and about 3/4 of a lb when empty. assuming maybe another 1 or 2 pounds depending on what reg you put on it and if the mount you choose has any metal on it. you might be able to shed 3 or 4 lbs. get it all rigged up and drop off 4 lbs and do a weight check in water and see where you're at and adjust from there.

 

[swimlikethefish]

I do not recommend removing weight. If you happen to use it and run it empty after you have removed weight you will be too buoyant. Leave the weight you have. Some people prefer to shift their weights to one side to offset the pony. I do not find this necessary, even with an Al80. It would probably be easier in your case to tank mount it. I would invert it on a removable bracket. You might find you need to shift more weight from your hip pockets to your trim pockets. But I'd just mount it and jump in the pool to play around with where your weight needs to be.

Once you get over the mental aspect of trying something new, there really isn't much too it. I was nervous when I first tried it and thought it was going to mess up my trim and buoyancy. After 3 or 4 dives you won't even know it's there. If you do decide to sling it. You can build your own sling with 2 bolt snaps and some rope. Even if you had to buy it all it would cost $9. It's a heck of a lot cheaper than paying the 40 or 50 some places ask. The hose clamps can be found online. There are tutorials all over the web. A quick Google search or YouTube are your friend.

 

[snowdog61]

I drop 2 lbs from the side I sling my 19 on - it's close enough for me as I don't notice it all until time to come out of the water

 

[kelemvor]

I'm going to get a 19cf pony and I'm trying to figure out which to buy and whether to go tank mount or sling.

Let me start by saying I'm not one of those people who thinks anything that isn't absolutely needed is a danger. I dive with many optional pieces of equipment that are eschewed by folks who "Do it Right." That said, tank mounting a pony is dangerous in my opinion. There have been several deaths directly caused by someone having a back mounted pony tank. The details shared by @2airishuman are in another thread here: Do you actually see people diving with pony bottles?

and quoted here:

Accident A. A diver using a back-mounted pony cylinder mistakenly started the dive with his (primary) tank valve shut but did not realize his mistake because he inadvertently began the dive on the pony cylinder regulator. Diver was observed performing a standard predive check by breathing the regulator while watching the SPG. During the predive check, the SPG reading appeared normal because the primary regset was charged and shut off before the dive. OOA accident ensued when pony cylinder was exhausted. Diver was unable to reach the primary cylinder valve and did not have a buddy nearby.

Accident B. A diver using a back-mounted pony cylinder completed all usual predive checks and started a dive correctly. At some point during the dive, he lost his primary regulator and performed an arm sweep to locate and retrieve it. The regulator so located was actually the pony cylinder regulator but diver did not realize this. OOA accident ensued when pony cylinder was exhausted. Diver never switched back to the primary reg, reasons unclear due to lack of witnesses, conjecture was that the diver was so convinced that it was his primary air supply that failed that he was trying to switch to the pony and never made an effort to locate and use the primary.

These were fatalities.

I dive with a pony. Mine is 13cuft. I sling it, and I recommend that you do the same. I had been planning to buy the mounting hardware to back mount my pony until I saw the post I've just quoted.

 

[scubadada]

I drop 2 lbs from the side I sling my 19 on - it's close enough for me as I don't notice it all until time to come out of the water

I also take 1-2 lbs off the left side, where I sling a 19. DGX has a very nice complete kit for $39. I assume you will be able to use your chest and waist D-rings. You can adjust the sling for best fit.

Best of luck and good diving

 

[АлександрД]

In that case best pony is second tank
How to use it? very easy (with long hose):

 

[The Chairman]

Maybe it's time to rethink your BCD, and I would do that first. If you can't add D-rings to the belt area and have one on the shoulder strap, slinging a pony would be problematic.

As for weight, leave it where you have it now unless you're already overweighted. You don't want to be light if you hand your tank off. I have found that people who worry enough about their air rarely use (or need) a pony. Maybe change "rarely" to "never". IOW, you'll probably have someone around you that needs it, and I wouldn't want to be attached to them if I could avoid it.