Good SCUBA eq package deal in USA?

[MarkJ]

Hi ya'll whilst I am here in the land of cheap products i was thinking about a complete SUCA equipment package.

Normally when i dive i just shove on whatever the dive boat has and really dont look at brands etc.
Nor do i dive enough to really appreciate the differences.

So heres what i would use it for:
Hull bottom cleaning of my own boat only. Maybe 6 per year max.
Leisure dives to 60 ft, 20 meters, definitly not deeper. Maybe 6 per year max.
No NITROX. Ever.

So I can't see 12 uses, shallow water needing high end equipment.

Perhaps you know of an equipment package deal i should look at? Internet or deliverable, obviously.


Mark

[a64pilot]

Look on Leisurepro, or maybe used stuff at the local dive shop, many times they sell BC's etc when they show wear cause people like to rent new.
ALL Scuba gear will handle up to 32% pre blended Nitrox I believe it is, you don't go to O2 clean unless partial filling and or higher percentages.
Now someone is going to say I'm wrong, but I don't believe so.
Used AL 80 tanks with good hydro dates are worth $100 tops, less if close to Hydro, but Al tanks are horrible I believe, look for steel tanks, a "high pressure" 80 cu ft steel is half the size of an aluminum tank weighs less and since it is negative and doesn't float like an aluminum tank, you will need much less or no lead


What you describe sort of sounds like a home made Hooka would work?

[a64pilot]

About as cheap as you can find, they often buy lots of equipment, often are not an authorized reseller, so no warranty, but shop only the for sale stuff, any reg will do what you want.
Scuba Gear at LeisurePro
Or here, this is where I bought a lot of gear, call them they often have sales on last years stuff
https://www.caveadventurers.com/

[Kenomac]

Mark,

A quality Hookah set up with 100ft of hose will best serve your needs. Good down to 50ft, a 12v set up will work just fine off your dinghy battery. Hull cleaning is actually easier to do using hookah rather than bottles. The buoyancy vest and bottles become cumbersome whilst hull cleaning, plus you'll end up going through a tank quicker than you think because your aerobic system will be in a higher gear doing work.

I usually just put the compressor and hose into the dinghy, motor over to where I want to dive, drop the grapple anchor, attach the compressor to the dinghy 12v, put on a few weights and I'm good to go down to usually 40ft for an hour.

I also have a tank set up onboard which rarely gets used except on organized group dives.

[MarkJ]

Not interested in a Hookah.

Looking for new regular geer.

On the LeisurePro site now

[s/v Moondancer]

If you spend hurricane season in Bonaire the moorings are $10/day, air fills $5 and you can dive from the back of the boat. Plus there are lots of cruisers to dive with.

Enjoy, we have spent a total of 11 months diving there and always take the mooring ball 75 yds from the dive shop.

My wife got my rig off eBay...ScubaPro is good and can be serviced world wide.

She got me off e-Bay under...handsome, debonaire doctor with sailing and scuba skills!

[dwedeking2]

I second the LeisurePro recommendation. I've bought a number of items from them over the years.

[guyfromiowa]

Be aware that Australian and USA rules are different for SCUBA tanks. You won't be getting a USA tank filled in Australia very easily. Here's an idea- go to scubaboard.com, register and ask the same question. You may very well find a scubaboard member willing to sell you just what you need. You might also buy a used tank to use in the USA and sell it off before getting back to Oz. I can also recommend divegearexpress.com

Guy

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by s/v Moondancer

She got me off e-Bay under...handsome, debonaire doctor with sailing and scuba skills!

Does she often ask what the eBay return policy is????

Originally Posted by guyfromiowa

Be aware that Australian and USA rules are different for SCUBA tanks. You won't be getting a USA tank filled in Australia very easily.

Guy

I didnt know that.
I am never intending on coming home w the boat so it wont be a problem for me. But thanks for the advice

[a64pilot]

Dive gear express still open? I ask as fill express I believe the same guys went under, fill express was outstanding for getting Tri-mix fills in Pompano. Dive gear express used to be more tech oriented, carrying much better stuff than leisure pro


Sent from my iPad Pro using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[a64pilot]

What is different in Australia, different hydro?


Sent from my iPad Pro using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Dive gear express still open? I ask as fill express I believe the same guys went under,

Yes, i refuse to deal with divers who go under.




Mark

[chris mac]

I've bought from scuba.com with good results.
Also found good deals in pawn shops close to water, and dive stores selling of rental gear.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Not interested in a Hookah.

Looking for new regular geer.

On the LeisurePro site now

In that case, I've had good experiences dealing with this company: Buy Scuba Diving Gear Online | Snorkeling Equipment | Dive Gear Shop

[GILow]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Hi ya'll whilst I am here in the land of cheap products i was thinking about a complete SUCA equipment package.

Normally when i dive i just shove on whatever the dive boat has and really dont look at brands etc.
Nor do i dive enough to really appreciate the differences.

So heres what i would use it for:
Hull bottom cleaning of my own boat only. Maybe 6 per year max.
Leisure dives to 60 ft, 20 meters, definitly not deeper. Maybe 6 per year max.
No NITROX. Ever.

So I can't see 12 uses, shallow water needing high end equipment.

Perhaps you know of an equipment package deal i should look at? Internet or deliverable, obviously.


Mark

Mark,

I get the whole shopping in the USA thing. I did the same last time I was over there and I am still mighty glad I did.

FWIW, we looked into this some time back, and found the best advice came from the ProDive chain in Oz. Yeah, I am sure they had their favourite brands to peddle, maybe better margins etc, but the dive instructors were using what the shops were selling, so it can't have been crap.

So maybe have a look and see what Pro Dive are currently pushing, then find it in the USA at half the price... or less.

Oh yeah, and maybe pick me up something in XXL and I'll pay you back.

Matt