Pony tanks?

[Raydar]

I found the below to be interesting. The bold is my emphasis

From the March issue of NWDN:

"A pony tank can allow a diver to go deeper, stay longer and, in some circumstances, save
your life. This is the little tank that can and every diver should consider using one when they are
contemplating a deep dive.

When choosing to dive deeper sites the amount of compressed air you carry becomes
more and more important. Divers that like to go deeper to explore wrecks and
caves will often carry a pony tank with them in case they run out of air
or some other problem arises. In any adverse diving condition where
the diver cannot directly get to the surface such as ice diving, cave/cavern
diving, wreck diving or if the diver is deeper than 60 feet, a pony tank is the
best tag along pal a diver can have."

My take on pony tanks is considerably different. But then I'm not a master scuba diver.

Your thoughts? Is this how people use pony bottles in the real world?

[CaptnJack]

Who wrote that?! Is there a byline? Edit: OK found it. I think Cody needs to get out more & 14yo non-instructors should not be writing articles about topics like these.

[Burntchef]

link?

[spatman]

link?

p33
http://www.divenewsnetwork.com/pdf/nwdn/NWDN_0310.pdf

[Mattleycrue76]

Kinda hard to fault the kid though. This one should have been caught by the editor.

[DBrown]

Wow - that's a serious editorial miss...or a serious error in editorial judgement (IMHO).

[selkie]

Kinda hard to fault the kid though. This one should have been caught by the editor.

I agree and it sounds like the kid is an enthusiastic diver. This could be used as a teaching moment if approached the right way. I would hate for someone to attack him and squash his enthusiasm.

[spatman]

Kinda hard to fault the kid though. This one should have been caught by the editor.

hey, he's a Master Diver and a published author, so he must be right.

[CaptnJack]

This could be used as a teaching moment if approached the right way.

This would be alot easier if it wasn't in print already.

As far as I know, no agency teaches 14yos wreck penetration, ice, or cavern/cave diving so he picked up those errors on the side from someone.

[CaptnJack]

Kinda hard to fault the kid though. This one should have been caught by the editor.

hey, he's a Master Diver and a published author, so he must be right.

Are you volunteering to write the polite correction letter to Mr. Stratton?

[spatman]

Kinda hard to fault the kid though. This one should have been caught by the editor.

hey, he's a Master Diver and a published author, so he must be right.

Are you volunteering to write the polite correction letter to Mr. Stratton?

no. are you?

[selkie]

Kinda hard to fault the kid though. This one should have been caught by the editor.

hey, he's a Master Diver and a published author, so he must be right.

Are you volunteering to write the polite correction letter to Mr. Stratton?

no. are you?

Not It

[ljjames]

How about a 'group' note from concerned members of the nw dive community...

[Aquanautchuck]

Great idea Laura, you write it and I will sign my name to it.

[airsix]

Nobody is going cave diving using a pony as a stage bottle because of this article. If they do, Darwin can have them. It's not a how-to, the author's age is disclosed, and well... he's going to re-read it in a few years and will realize the errors himself without the need for an Internet Inquisition. I'm sure the editors saw this as "Ah, that's cute. Print his age so we don't get a bunch of mail from the Scuba Police."

<CrushTurtleVoice> Let it go, Dude.</CrushTurtleVoice>

-Ben (no affiliation or connection with party in question)

[cardiver]

Nobody is going cave diving using a pony as a stage bottle because of this article. If they do, Darwin can have them. It's not a how-to, the author's age is disclosed, and well... he's going to re-read it in a few years and will realize the errors himself without the need for an Internet Inquisition. I'm sure the editors saw this as "Ah, that's cute. Print his age so we don't get a bunch of mail from the Scuba Police."

<CrushTurtleVoice> Let it go, Dude.</CrushTurtleVoice>

-Ben (no affiliation or connection with party in question)

Someone told a friend of mine, who then told me, that Cory was your third cousin, twice removed.........

[Mattleycrue76]

I found the below to be interesting. The bold is my emphasis

From the March issue of NWDN:

"A pony tank can allow a diver to go deeper, stay longer and, in some circumstances, save
your life. This is the little tank that can and every diver should consider using one when they are
contemplating a deep dive.

When choosing to dive deeper sites the amount of compressed air you carry becomes
more and more important. Divers that like to go deeper to explore wrecks and
caves will often carry a pony tank with them in case they run out of air
or some other problem arises. In any adverse diving condition where
the diver cannot directly get to the surface such as ice diving, cave/cavern
diving, wreck diving or if the diver is deeper than 60 feet, a pony tank is the
best tag along pal a diver can have."

My take on pony tanks is considerably different. But then I'm not a master scuba diver.

Your thoughts? Is this how people use pony bottles in the real world?

Well to answer your question yes. In the real world there are a considerable number of people who think this way. I hear it all the time.

[airsix]

Someone told a friend of mine, who then told me, that Cory was your third cousin, twice removed.........

No, we aren't related, but we've gotten into mischief in some of the same places. (Besides here of course)

[Norris]

Pony tanks are important. Many Role Playing Games rely on these to not only take up the front line, but to also lull the enemy into a false sense of security with their pony cuteness as seen below...



All joking aside I have been diving with one lately as you really never know when diving with a new buddy. Where I may make sure that I am always within a good distance from my buddy I have had buddies kinda doing their own thing or wandering off when I am taking a picture. I dont want to be completely reliant on another should I have an OOA. I mean who is to say how one will react if challenged with something like this. Many of us have had training and know what we SHOULD do, however given the heat of the moment, hmmm.
So I have been choosing to dive a pony and also chose a 40cf. This is a substantial size that can get me OR a buddy to surface at the depths I usually dive.

My 2 PSI

[Waynne Fowler]

While a fair number of Cody's comments are wholly wrong. The premis of his article is very valid. - Pony bottles can be a great asset for divers... Providing they understand the limitations of the perticular setup they may be using -

My hat's off to Cody for putting it out there. Although I have concerns about who filled his head with some of those strange ideas I see throughout the article. The mistakes he's made in his comments are ones we see coming from other divers/authors who are FAR MORE experienced, schooled AND respected in the industry than Cody currently is. I think he just regurgitated thoughts that he got from others. Sorta what I'd expect from a 14 year old author.

[spatman]

Sorta what I'd expect from a 14 year old author.

yep, but not what i'd expect from much older and more experienced editors and publishers.

[Paulicarp]

Don't try this at home, it's the new and improved Spare Air for DIR. Notice the protocol when using a pony is to NOT clip off your second stage- you never know when you might need it back!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChZapfN5 ... r_embedded#[/youtube]

[pensacoladiver]

WOW, I never knew that thing could get you out of a cave. Does anyone have a used one for sale? Name your price and I'll pay it, I don't care. I want one.

[nwbobber]

That guy has a VERY low SAC.

[Waynne Fowler]

Sorta what I'd expect from a 14 year old author.

yep, but not what i'd expect from much older and more experienced editors and publishers.

hard to argue with truth Spatman....