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Hi, Karen-

As the folks on this list know my rule of thumb is:

-If you are diving with a single and think you need a pony, what you really
need are doubles.
-And if you don't think you need doubles, then you don't need a pony.

IOW if you are doing diving where safety cannot be assured by rule of thirds
and a buddy then you need doubles.

When do you use a single? When you are diving profiles from which you can do
a controlled ascent to the surface and not get seriously bent.

When do you use doubles? When you are doing dives which require you to do
stops or you wind up in the chamber.

Needless to say that many disagree with me for various reasons, mostly
because it would be inconvenient to use doubles for some reason or other, or
a money thing.

And in recognition of this inane hard-headedness which is typical of scuba
divers in that some are going to use a stupid pony with their single come
hell or high water I will recommend to those that you set up your pony as a
stage bottle (DIR style) and clip it on like a stage.

Many moan and groan that this will cause the bottle to get in their way. But
when attached to your tank you really can't get at your pony and it is a
horrible snag/drag/balance hazard. You can either clip it to your shoulder
and hip Drings or clip the top of the pony to your hip Dring and it won't
get in the way and will follow you around like a puppy dog if it is a proper
30 or 40 cuft Aluminum tank and not a steel one.

If you go to www.aquanaut.com and do a search on the archives under "Pony"
you will find dozens of posts on this well-worn subject.

BTW, what instrokter from what agency taught you this
pony-attached-to-a-single bullshit?

   Jim

> From: Karen Nakamura <karen@gp*.co*>
> Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1999 11:30:03 -0400
> To: Jim Cobb <cobber@ma*.ci*.co*>
> Subject: Newbie question
> 
> 
> Hi everyone :
> 
> I'm very much a beginning diver; but finding the whole tech realm very
> fascinating. I wish I had been more cave diver aware when I first bought my
> equipment, now I'mrealizing that I have about a $1000 worth of trash rec
> scuba gear and am making the slow transition to saving up money and
> purchasing what I should have bought in the first place.
> 
> In any case, I've been lurking on this list and though I'd say a 'hi'. The
> exchanges between various members of the list has been most enlightening.
> It's also educational to know that the number and type of dives one makes,
> and the equipment one has, doesn't necessarily make one a better diver. I'm
> a bit shocked and amused at the suggestion that a BC is optional and that a
> cannister light is a strangulation hazard; and that quarry diving teaches
> you anything about diving in the North Atlantic. So far, the commentary by
> the DIR/WKPP crowd has been (though inflammatory) straight on the mark,
> logical and concise.
> 
> I do have a question though. I'm still very much a stroke/newbie and am
> diving singles (mainly because I'm still staying more or less within NDL;
> although that's changing). I've begun to do deep dives (>100') and have thus
> bought a 30' pony/bailout as my independent system.  My SAC is good enough
> that I haven't felt the need to get a bigger bottle or twins, yet (and I
> have serious doubts if I could carry a twin anyway, I can barely budge them
> in the shop). But, in any case, my question concerns ponies:
> 
>> Surely you are not talking
>> about attaching pony's to the sides of your your main doubles, that dumb
>> bullshit went out with Cousteau when he realized what a mistake it was 30
>> years ago. Whoops, forgot about those limey Lusitania screwballs. Well, the
>> lunatic fringe does not count.
> 
> Could someone explain the rationale behind this? Also, if diving singles,
> where should your pony be? My pony is strapped onto the side of my single. I
> realize now that the position of the pony is such that I can't turn it
> on/off if I had to, although adjusting the bands so the pony rides higher
> would do the trick.
> 
> Is there a better pony position for a single?
> 
> Karen Nakamura
> 


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