Scuba, Hookah, Brownie Alternatives?

[Greg B]

Hello Everyone

Are there any alternatives to expensive SCUBA, Third Lung, or Hookah equipment. I don't want to spend much money. All I'm looking for is a way to work under my boat if I foul a prop or an intake gets blocked or some other emergency. I fouled a prop last year and by the time I came up for breath a half dozen times I was exhausted. It would have been so easy if I could have stayed at the job for just 10 minutes. Any help?

Greg

[GordMay]

If the noted mechanical systems (SCUBA et al) are impractical (in your case);
then you are left with Physical Training to increase your free-dive capabilities.
We'd all like a "magic bullet", but, I fear, there are none...

Gord

[exposure]

A local bottom cleaning guy around here uses a homemade rig. It is an air compressor pump that is belt driven by a small horizontal shaft gas engine. The air intake is an eight foot long pipe that sticks straight up into clean air. He puts it on a childs wagon to take it down the dock. I don't know what he uses for a regulator.

[delmarrey]

The most exspensive part is the regulator. There are a lot of old used ones out there that you could take in for a tuneup. And also there is a mini bottle that deep divers use as a backup for assending that would work great for just 5 minute dives in shollow water.

But YOU SHOULD get at least some training and self discipline (Reading a divers manual if nothing else). You need to be able to reconize the dangers involved!!!!!

........................................_/)

[Greg B]

I know everyone is right about the training and to that end I have inquired about training locally. It is readily available and I am going to sign up. The point of the post is however that I do not want to spend nearly 2000.00 for the equipment when I have a diaphram type compressor (Craftsman) on board and all I need is the equipment to hook to it so that I can breath clean safe air. If in the future I desire to get farther away from the mother ship, then I'll cough up more $$$. But for now I just want to be able to handle those pesky emergencies and am wondering how some others might have dealt with this issue.

Greg

[JusDreaming]

you have got to be really careful, breathing unfiltered air can be very easily deadly

[delmarrey]

NO WAY! You'll be breathing compressed oil too!!!! Are you trying to kill yourself? You better take the course before you do anything.

This is why people have to be certified!

[Greg B]

IF you read my post, I have a diaphram compressor. No Oil. None the less I've signed up for the course and have found all the equipment I need to do this safely. With my existing compressor. I guess there is no cheap way to do this. With the course and equipment I need, it's going to be just under a grand anyway. But, if I foul a prop or experience some emergency or just want to bring up a pirates chest full of gold (can't spell dubloons)or cavort with a mermaid, I'll be all set.

WE can keep this thread alive if you are interested in the outcome as the course begins next weekend. If not we'll just let this die. Anyway, you all can stop beating me up now, I got the message. Thanks

Greg

[Greg B]

Hello everyone
I told you I'd keep everyone updated and this weekend I completed the confined water (YMCA Pool) portion of my open water training. In ten days our class will complete the open water part in a small lake near Paw Paw, MI. It was pretty neat but at my age that darn 200 yard swim like to killed me. But alas, I didn't drown and really enjoyed the rest of the course. I'm looking forward to the open water portion. Remember that I only wanted to get under my boat in an emergency so I don't know how far I go beyond this but at least I'm now getting the proper training.

Greg

[delmarrey]

I'm sure you will benefit more then you can imagine. Better safe, then sorry! Just think, you might like it so much, you might even take it up as a sport.

[ttlfit]

Glad you finished the first part of your test. I bet that, after you're done with the open water test, you'll be hooked to diving.

I was able to gather some nice pieces of equipment on eBay. The other option is renting the equipment from your local diveshop. Here (San Francisco) average rental costs run $60.00/day for the complete package.

I also looked at an aircompressor on my boat to fill my tanks but the size of compressor I would need was too big. So, now I just fill my tanks whenever/wherever I can.

Let us know about your Open Water experience.

Jan

[Brent Swain]

I just tried my Brownies third lung this summer. What a great way to dive. No big hunk of metal on your back, no more hydros , visuals and fills. It worked well down to 70 feet. Skip the huge float ring and fibreglass inner ring. Just put the compressor in your dinghy and tie it down.Leave that bulky crap ashore.Too much weight , storage space wasted and too much hassle to set up.
It takes far less room than a couple of tanks, is lighter and you can dive for hours on a bit of gas. No more worries about how much air you are wasting. Huff and puff like a locomotive if you want.
Brent

[Hunter42]

Originally Posted by Greg B

I know everyone is right about the training and to that end I have inquired about training locally. It is readily available and I am going to sign up. The point of the post is however that I do not want to spend nearly 2000.00 for the equipment when I have a diaphram type compressor (Craftsman) on board and all I need is the equipment to hook to it so that I can breath clean safe air. If in the future I desire to get farther away from the mother ship, then I'll cough up more $$$. But for now I just want to be able to handle those pesky emergencies and am wondering how some others might have dealt with this issue.

Greg

Greg: I've been (resort) diving for over 30 years and we opted to buy the Houka. We're down in Mexico (west coast) and visit lots of remote areas and it's not easy to get the tanks filled (at least safely, in my opinion), and the boat bottom needs cleaning every couple weeks, so it's worth it for us. Also good insurance!!!!

I'd suggest waiting until you've finished the open water and see how you like it and then make a decision. We've not yet had to use the Houka in an emergency (just bottom cleaning), however we have friends who had to go down and cut fishing lines/cables, so it was well worth the money for them!

The Galley Wench

[saildale]

I change zincs, clear fouled lines, etc. with a length of 1/2" vinyl tubing
hooked to the foot pump from my inflatable dingy. You just stick the other end in your mouth and dive until your friends leg gets tired. You can't do a whole bottom at once unless you have multiple friends. You can do about
ten minutes at about five feet if your friend has good knees. The bellows pump capacity is too low to over pressurize your lungs. (I don't clench my lips.) There is a fair amount of resistance in 15 feet of hose and I don't have any 300 pound friends. I have been doing this for years.
You can also us an inexpensve compressor as long as it is oilless. A diaphram compressor is prefered over a teflon ring piston one since there is no chance of getting teflon dust in your lungs. I do run a teflon ring 110 volt one off the inverter on my boat for shallow water exploring. I have 100 feet of hose on it and it will support only one diver. Starting it off the inverter requires at least twice its rated running amps. I use an Airline brand regulator since it is designed to work at lower pressures than the ones used with scuba tanks. The compressor was under $200 and the regulator was under $100 a few years ago. I am using regular paint gun hose but I am not sure that this is OK. The hose that comes with Hoka and similar equipment is labeled for "breathing air" you can get it from body shop or industrial supply houses. I also use the inline filters that are sold for paint gun use. Again, to be sure that you are safe, you should be using a filter that carries the NOISA or Bureau of Mines label for breathing air.
Please remember that you are getting advice from a guy who uses dental floss attached with super glue to repair cuts and tears in his skin, so the above is a describtion of what "I" do and not what is necessarily safe and prudent.

[chuckr]

Well a lot are not going to like this and critze me for what i am doing but here it is -- my son is a diver and a USMC -- when i told him what i was going to do he asked me to wait until he got here - we got an oil less air compressor from home depot, a second stage regulator, 50' of hose (actually 2 of them), all brass fittings - i have 6 house batteries and an invertor, but when i use it i run the engine (have 160 amp alt) -- total cost was less than $1,000. I am trying to find a charcoal filter and if anyone can help me find one would appreciate it
chuck and soulmates