Any divers out there?

[delmarrey]

In reply to CSY's last post, I work on a lot of the big rigs at work and have noticed that a lot of the equipment is now driven by hydraulics (motors, pumps, compressors, breakers, mowers, hoists, tools and even the wheel drives) and I'm not sure why the marine industry hasn't adapted this to pleasure boats.
With a diesel running a hyd. pump and an altenator, one could power almost anything aboard a vessel. That includes the prop. shaft without a transmission. And the diesel doesn't have to be in the ole conventional place of the aft end facing for & aft.
Without looking in my books, offhand I don't know what the HP loss ratio is between the driven and the pump. But, I know it is not much.

I guess the down fall would be storage of the proper quanity of hyd. oil for the system and maintenance, rust would have to be checked pumps and motors although some are aluminum with steel inserts.

Thought I'd just mention that there are alteritives to direct drive systems.
......................................_/)

[CSY Man]

Hydraulics are all good, but at what cost?

As for the dive compressor:
Okay we have an engine driven hydraulic pump on the main engine, it transfers power to a remote mounted hydraulic driven air compressor to fill them scuba tanks..

Nice and relaible system for sure...Heck, airplanes have been using hydraulics for flight control surfaces for years.

But for a sailboat guy like me, what is the cost?

Would think that a belt drive of the main engine's crank shaft, in line with the water pump and the alternator would be cheaper and simpler as one eliminates the hydraulic pump, the remote
hydraulic power unit, the reservoir, the hoses and all that....?

Being open-minded however, I am listening......

[delmarrey]

Not trying to talk anyone into them but just educating anyone that has that inventive nature.

One other thing is a lot of the smaller rigs use a 12V/2000 psi system pump to operate accessories like winches, hoists and tailgates. In California, I hear they have to weld the units on to keep the low-rider guys from stealing them.


As for the cost, I would have to think any vessel under 36'/7 ton would be a waste. The engine wouldn't have enough power to run much or the vessel wouldn't have much to run. The biggest cost seems to be the installation. Pumps and motors are not that expensive considering the work they can do. Of course, I'd go with stainless fittings. As a Maintenance Machinist/Toolmaker I don't see much trouble in this stuff but for the average Joe it might present a problem with all the formulas involved in building a setup.

My vessel has a hyd. backstay and boomvang. so I'm considering a 12V unit and in doing so I may just adapt to my genoa and jib sheet winches with a hand held driver. I know they already make electric winch drivers but a hydraulic one wouldn't burn out if it were bogged down for very long, plus the hoursepower would be adjustable. I'm sure it would also put a strain on the batteries a bit but for local cruises it would be no big thing. At sea a genset would help out.

Thinking out loud.........................._/)

[BruceO]

Yes, I'm a diver, must not very active. Back during the 70s and 80s I did 600+ wreck dives along the New Jersey coast. In recent years, all of my diving has been during Carribean vacations. My wife and I are planning to become more active after we retire and head out on our boat.

[Shearwater]

Kel and I have been certified for many years, I taught NAUI for several years and am working back into teaching again before we go cruising so I might be able to pick up a few bucks while we're gone. I'm also a diver by profession (inspect bridges for the state) some might not call crawling around in the mud at 100' in the dark diving, but it pays the bills....lol

[ErnieO]

Yup

How many dives? Lot's

How deep? Deep

[JusDreaming]

advanced open water, started diving in the late sixties in Florida caves

[Greg B]

Hello Everyone
If you read the thread on SCUBA you'll see where I fit into this subject. I have to admit that it was a lot more interesting and exciting than I expected. What this does is just add to my collection of stuff on board. Oh well. I got to get in shape.

Got to cut out some of this

Greg

[Talbot]

Hi , Im a BSAC Dive Leader (roughly = PADI Dive Master) Although I have the dry suit etc I have gone off diving in UK waters. My preference is somewhere warm with lots of sea life. I have dived Scapa Flow, but the best dive IMHO is the Jetty at Busselton in Western Australia (although Coral Bay came close).
I have a digital camera with an underwater housing and getting up close and personal to the sea life is superb.

[kingfish]

Hello all,

a few years ago I worked as a commercial diver in the gulf of mexico, Installing pipelines and rigs, deepest dive was 813 feet doing a saturation dive, its good to see all you people intersted in diving. I have put together a small hooka rig with a band mask and is how I make a few bucks while cruising, My opinion is this, If you are going to stay shallower that 60 feet it really dose not matter what rig you use as long as it is oiless. 66 feet of water gets you into your third atmosphere and then you have to worry about the quality of air you get. At shallow dephts it dosent really matter, as long as you have enough pressure to get the air to you. Remember, every 33 feet is 14.7 pounds per square inch gained when going down.
Happy Diving
Dustin

[Greg B]

hello all you more experienced divers

If you've folllowed any of the conversation on the SCUBA thread you'll know that on Wed and Thursday I complete my open water Certification. I onlly got into this so that I could get under my boat in an emergency. I have a craftsman diaphram compressor on board Heart of Gold and would like to rig a similar setup. I want to make sure the air is properly regulated and filtered. The compressor is permanantly mountred in my engine room and I have quick connects in the forward anchor locker and one in the aft cocpit. I was loooking on line and I can get a hose and regulator for a brownie rig for about $250.00. That seems kind of high but I don't really know. The dive shop I took my classes through doesn't sell hooka stuff and I'd rather buy from a store than on line when it comes to this kind of stuff. Anyway, back to the filter, Any thoughts? For that matter, any ideas on the rest of my ramblings??

Thanks Greg

[johnhoedemakers]

Yes, I am, and looking for a way to get our diving gear (amongst all other stuff) with us on a circumnavigation with a 32 feet Morgan......

Anybody having ideas here ?

[harryrezz]

Yupper - PADI OWC. Had an instructor on board as a charter guest a couple of years ago and traded him a nice discount in exchange for putting us through the course. We had been in contact with him well prior to his cruise with us and had obtained and studied all the required reading and VIDEO materials before they arrived. Did all our dives right off La Nostra (or the dink).
My very first dive after certification was passed was off Horse Shoe Reef in Tobago Keys so I was totally spoiled. Got in about another dozen dives or so last season - including the opportunity to pat a 12 foot nurse shark. (Shark did not like this and promptly departed!)
Absolutely hooked on the sport and will definitely stick with it s much as possible.

[ekelunden]

Hi DiverGirl & other Divers!

In fact it’s a lot of scuba diving here in Sweden…
We have “Great” diving waters nearby Gothenburg, with a visibility of more then 20 meters!

There’s a lot of plants and animals, and the best of all, no one is dangerous!

More information about our diving up here, you can find it on our home side Scuba Diving.

Happy Diving

/Lasse

[ughmo2000]

Started in the early 70's going after fishing/boat gear dropped in Lake Michigan at the Michigan City Marina.

Anyone remember Chuck's Scuba Shop?

Been blowin bubbles ever since!

Cliff