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#48
Redundant Air Systems (Pony’s)
dive4urlife - 2/02/2009 3:24 PM
Category: Equipment
Replies: 9

This Forum is for input on redundant air sources (Ponys). I would like to get others opinions on their rigs (what they used, sizes, etc.) as well as opinions on replacing your dive-buddy with that redundant air source. By that I do not mean diving without a buddy, more along the lines of reduce the dependency of the buddy in an underwater emergency. From an article I read about buddy diving it is stated by the author that " Your dive buddy, as great as it is if there is an emergency, your safety can be affected by the compedency of your dive buddy, and by having a redundant air source your chances of surviving an underwater O.O.A emergency at depth will be greatly better when diving with an average dive buddy"
#51828
Greg - 2/02/2009 4:49 PM
There is a previous forum topic about this...check it out here:
http://www.divebuddy.com/forum_topic.aspx?ForumID=3225

Also, in the future, you can search through all previous forum topics from the search box in the top right. In this case, I entered the term "pony" and clicked the magnifying class and it produced your topic and the result listed above.

Thanks! Greg Davis.
#5471
DiveBuddyChgo - 2/03/2009 2:32 PM
I tried a 13 cu. ft. bottle from 100ft.. Not enough safety margin to get back to accent line and do a safety stop...Would still like to have 1/3 rd emer. air reserve on the surface.. I use a 30 cu. bottle now a days which snaps to the front of my BC.. Easy to don and remove..
#48
Subscribed
dive4urlife - 2/03/2009 3:15 PM
Nice i was thinking about using a 30CF with a quick release bracket on my 80 mounted off to the side and compensated with 2-3lbs on the opposite side in my BC trim pocket
#394
CFG3 - 2/04/2009 11:00 AM
Most people that I dive with are using double steel tanks and a 40cf pony. Even when we are only on a single tank with no deco we usually have our pony with us. It’s a little overkill on some dives but it’s a comfort factor that is nice to have on deep dives.
#48
Subscribed
dive4urlife - 2/04/2009 11:12 AM
I agree, when you life is hanging on nothing more than a regulator and a bottle of gas the peace of mind having a back-up is well worth it. Especially if you find your self in a situation where you need it.
#5436
flaski - 2/05/2009 7:34 PM


First If you plan your dive you dont need one, and should never use one, but since you asked so nice. I use a 19cu and hang a 63 over side at about 20 feet, on deeper dives as well as wrecks. I hate to admit that scince I am a conservitive diver, but we all tend to push the limits. Don’t waste the money on anything less then 19cu. especially spareair units they are good for pool maybe.


I also plan the use of the pony for one reason to pass it to another diver that needs it, not for me. and have never used it yet. I also like to have it in front and easy to disconnect from me to pass it off. I am also proud to say that my vip expired 6 months before I had to fill it and that was just because of a pool dive to burn of air, it took 11 minutes at 10 feet.
#5919
SCUBASMITTY - 2/06/2009 4:38 PM


its back to the old saying !!


I would rather have it,and not need it, then need it and NOT have it !


I ALWAYS dive with my spare air,as well as a 30cu pony,if one could fail they both could! a redundant back up helps me enjoy the dive-three strikes and your OUT is my rule of thumb..


ALWAYS plan my dives with more then I need, I am looking to get a two 120cu steel tank set up and still use my 30 [ at ] sa, with an oms rig.


besides; if you are out of air-your buddy could be too !!
#6109
HogLifer - 2/06/2009 9:17 PM
I allways dive with a 30cf pony. Attached to the side D rings with dubble ended clips. The 2nd stage is in a rubber reg holder around my neck for easy access. I have never needed it in an out of air emergency. But I have used it for return swims at a shallow depth. A lot of my dives are solo and it give another level of saftey.
#347
ScubaHawk - 2/10/2009 4:51 PM


A few people replying to this post have correalated a pony bottle system for use in an out-of-air scenario.


I disagree with that strategy for a pony bottle. Pony bottles should be used for emergencies when you suffer an equipment failure or when equipment is damaged by impacts or hose cuts during the dive.


People who need a pony system for out-of-air scenarios should be diving in less than 40 fsw until they can master proper breathing techniques and ingrain a systematic mental regimen for checking air consumption and nitrogen loading, IMHO.


Any recreational diver who uses more than 13 cubic feet in a slow and controlled ascent, which includes a safety stop, from 130 fsw needs to critique their air consumption habits.


I have done practice ascents from depth on 6 cubic feet with air to spare. That included an ascent rate of 30 feet per minute to 20 fsw with a one minute safety stop at 20 feet followed by a three minute stop at 15 feet. I am 6 feet tall and wiegh 190 lbs.


I like the idea of "clipping" the pony system to your rig with a boat snap which makes it very easy to pass the pony system to another diver.


markm