Making a “Glass bottom Bucket”

[GordMay]

Because the lens is beneath the water surface, a Looking Bucket (Bathiscope) eliminates water surface reflection, and the cone (if that type used) eliminates reflection on the lens, to allow under water viewing as far as water clarity and light permits.

[a64pilot]

You know how well you can see underwater with a mask?
A glass bottom bucket does the same thing, without you having to stick your face in the water.
Great for places like the Bahamas if you want to see your anchor clearly etc., but don’t want to dive it.
It’s still to chilly for me yet, later on when it warms up, I’ll do more diving, until then I’m growing a garden on our hull

[Kenomac]

Simply purchase a ready made contraption from a chandlery for about $40. Then after about two years of not using it, because you’ll find it to be somewhat useless and taking up too much space on your yacht, at that point you can either sell it or give it away. We have one of these (pictured), which is totally useless and takes up way too much space.

Anyway, don’t bother wasting your time trying to make one yourself.

[SV Bacchus]

Ken I would gladly take that off your hands, just tell me how much!

Our buddy boat in the Bahamas last season had one and I grew to love it; didn't have to dive the anchor.

[Ken Z]

I would use 5200, I use a 5 gallon bucket with the bottom cut out and no plexiglass and it works, try it.

[Cheechako]

Silicone will work fine.
BTW, We put this silicone on the bottom of our boat dishware to make them "non slip" in 1993! Still there. You just squeeze it on there and place the plate/bowl on a piece of wax paper and let it set up.

[HopCar]

Originally Posted by GILow

Repurposed traffic cones make EXCELLENT bathiscopes. Don’t ask me how I know this.

Narrow end up, deals with the whole sunlight and angle of view thing plus they are bl—dy near indestructible, being made to handle wayward trucks and drunk drivers.

Excellent idea!

[HopCar]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Simply purchase a ready made contraption from a chandlery for about $40. Then after about two years of not using it, because you’ll find it to be somewhat useless and taking up too much space on your yacht, at that point you can either sell it or give it away. We have one of these (pictured), which is totally useless and takes up way too much space.

Anyway, don’t bother wasting your time trying to make one yourself.

Are you aware that those unscrew into two or three parts that nest for storage?

[briblack]

I made one out of one of those orange highway cones. plexiglass screwed to the bottom and sealed with 4200, top cut to sorta fit our faces

[Montanan]

Couldn't resist: Two cents guidance for repairing a bucket:

There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza,
There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, a hole.

So fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, fix it.

With what should I fix it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I fix it, dear Liza, with what?

With straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, with straw.

But the straw is too long, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The straw is too long, dear Liza, too long.

So cut it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So cut it dear Henry, dear Henry, cut it!

With what should I cut it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I cut it, dear Liza, with what?

With an axe, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With an axe, dear Henry, an axe.

But the axe is too dull, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The axe is too dull, dear Liza, too dull.

So, sharpen it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So sharpen it dear Henry, dear Henry, sharpen it!

With what should I sharpen it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I sharpen, dear Liza, with what?

Use the stone, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
Use the stone, dear Henry, dear Henry, the stone.

But the stone is too dry, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The stone is too dry, dear Liza, too dry.

So wet it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So wet it dear Henry, dear Henry, wet it.

With what should I wet it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I wet it, dear Liza, with what?

With water, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With water, dear Henry, dear Henry, water.

With what should I carry it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I carry it dear Liza, with what?

Use the bucket dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
Use the bucket, dear Henry, dear Henry, the bucket!

There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza,
There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, a hole.

Songwriters: Harry Belafonte / Odetta Felious Gordon

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Simply purchase a ready made contraption from a chandlery for about $40. Then after about two years of not using it, because you’ll find it to be somewhat useless and taking up too much space on your yacht, at that point you can either sell it or give it away. We have one of these (pictured), which is totally useless and takes up way too much space.

Anyway, don’t bother wasting your time trying to make one yourself.

Originally Posted by HopCar

Are you aware that those unscrew into two or three parts that nest for storage?

Not until I read your post. Thanks.

It hasn’t been very usefull in the Med, but might find a use in the shallow clear waters of the Caribbean. I’ll try unscewing it when I return to Italy in May. Thanks again.

[anacapaisland42]

We use a 6" black "plastic" drainage pipe about 2 feet long with plexiglass attached on one end to determine water depth clarity.
Bill









[QUOTE=a64pilot;2803463]I have a circle of plexiglass and want to cut the bottom out of a 5 gl plastic bucket and adhere the plexiglass in.

[PJHoffnet]

Originally Posted by GeoBay

So please forgive my ignorance. What is the significance or purpose for a "Glass bottom Bucket".
Perhaps I've been missing a valuable boating tool all these years?

While you can simply look at the local wildlife living below the surface, I find the most important use is to take a quick look at how the anchor set and give it a check before heading off in the dink.

[masonc]

I'd get the bell end of a piece of 6 inch PVC pipe as long as you need, cut the bell end down to 1 inch and cut the perspex to fit snugly in it. That'll be very strong and require only a caulk to seal it.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Simply purchase a ready made contraption from a chandlery for about $40. Then after about two years of not using it, because you’ll find it to be somewhat useless and taking up too much space on your yacht, at that point you can either sell it or give it away. We have one of these (pictured), which is totally useless and takes up way too much space.



Anyway, don’t bother wasting your time trying to make one yourself.

What reminded me that I already had a piece of cut plexiglass was seeing a plastic bucket with a plastic bottom for sale in Spanish Wells for about $60, what you have if it was for sale would bring I’m sure more than $100.
Plus a bucket with a plastic bottom, is still a bucket