Hookah vs Scuba dive kit.

[GILow]

Hi all,

I’m deliberating on which way to go with this one.

I am a PADI certified diver to 30 meters, with about 100 hours logged dive time. I enjoy diving, but frankly, most of the stuff I like is visible at snorkel depth, so I hadn’t figured on taking dive gear on the boat.

On the other hand, I want to be able to keep the bottom of the boat clean.

I was going to go down the path of either a commercial or DIY hookah for bottom cleaning, but I am starting to think maybe a better move would be to buy a scuba kit instead. (I have always hired the scuba gear, but have my own mask, fins and wetsuit.)

There’s plenty of storage space for either. The boat can easily power any of the electric hookahs on the market. I’ve got no interest in the cost or complexity of carrying a dive tank compressor, quite happy to carry a couple of bottles and refill them when convenient.

Costs for each would be similar, but I wonder if anyone can help me decide? I can see some minor advantages of the freedom of the scuba setup, but I wonder if bottom cleaning would be much easier with a hookah? (Less clutter?).

I’ve read opinions that say a tank will do months of bottom cleaning, really? I suppose the shallow depth would significantly reduce air consumption... but that still seems optimistic.

Over to those that have tried either/both.

Matt

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by GILow

Hi all,

I’m deliberating on which way to go with this one.

I am a PADI certified diver to 30 meters, with about 100 hours logged dive time. I enjoy diving, but frankly, most of the stuff I like is visible at snorkel depth, so I hadn’t figured on taking dive gear on the boat.

On the other hand, I want to be able to keep the bottom of the boat clean.

I was going to go down the path of either a commercial or DIY hookah for bottom cleaning, but I am starting to think maybe a better move would be to buy a scuba kit instead. (I have always hired the scuba gear, but have my own mask, fins and wetsuit.)

There’s plenty of storage space for either. The boat can easily power any of the electric hookahs on the market. I’ve got no interest in the cost or complexity of carrying a dive tank compressor, quite happy to carry a couple of bottles and refill them when convenient.

Costs for each would be similar, but I wonder if anyone can help me decide? I can see some minor advantages of the freedom of the scuba setup, but I wonder if bottom cleaning would be much easier with a hookah? (Less clutter?).

I’ve read opinions that say a tank will do months of bottom cleaning, really? I suppose the shallow depth would significantly reduce air consumption... but that still seems optimistic.

Over to those that have tried either/both.

Matt

Matt, I have an oil less compressor on a small commercially made frame and find it easy and practical, tankless is the way to go for maintenance work.
If however you see the possibility of some interesting diving in your future then a good compromise is to have the tank regulator modified to allow the tank to remain onboard and a hose to the mouthpiece, best of both worlds.
I agree that months of bottom cleaning is somewhat optimistic.

[Bean Counter]

Had both on board. Used the Hookah for hull cleaning, getting tanks filled was a pain and they weigh a lot. The tanks are awkward and need to be careful not to dent the gelcoat. The Hookah could also be powered by the dinghy start battery so we could do shallow dives, the hookah came with two air lines and regs.

[Jammer]

The more you scuba dive, the more you learn to see snorkeling/freediving.


Scuba gear will take you farther than hookah gear. Deeper, yes, but more importantly you aren't limited horizontally in where you can go. I have lots of tanks, and previously owned a compressor, have never wished for a hookah.


I've been told that in tropical areas cruising boats can usually find a source for a fill, either another boat with a compressor, or a dive shop. My cruising thus far has been limited to freshwater lakes and rivers so I cannot speak from firsthand experience.

[nmuir]

I have both.
Use the hookah for boat maint and cleaning. I find it easier and no worries about staying down for a long time, having to refill after, etc.
The tanks came in really handy when someone hooked our anchor and fouled it badly. Too deep for the hookah.
Like most things pros and cons on both sides. If I had to choose just one for boat maint alone I would go with the hookah. If I was adding pleasure diving in addition to boat maint I would go with tanks.

[GILow]

Hmmm... a bit inconclusive.... but hey, that’s probably the reality of the question I guess.

There haven’t been any serious objections to cleaning the boat using the scuba kit that I can see, aside from the refill issue, so maybe I’ll go with the added flexibility of the scuba outfit.

I am lucky in that the original owner of this boat was a dive nut so fitted a small crane arm for retrieving tanks and gear from the water. That will help.

Thanks for the thoughts on this one.

Matt

[AA3JY]

Though I carry a tank on board..I mostly free dive to clean my haul..

[Paul L]

I have a Brownie electric hookah that I bought used. Use it to clean the bottom - works really well for that, easier than tanking up. If you decide to use Scuba gear to clean the bottom you are going to be around a dive shop anyway to get the tanks filled. So you could just rent gear when you actually want to dive.
If storage space and money aren't an issue, get both.
One advantage of having Scuba gear onboard is being able to free your anchor in deeper water. You can't dive very deep with a Hooka.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by GILow

I’ve read opinions that say a tank will do months of bottom cleaning, really?

Ha, you might wonder what they have been breathing or smoking

After a life time of diving I have pretty much given up, but do keep a simple 5 litre (50cuft?) set and wet suit on board just in case.

If you have 100 hours logged then a simple set on board is worth the space and cost. With little or no diving experience, I think hookah might be easier.

If you buy it second hand then it can always be sold on again if you change your mind.

Originally Posted by AA3JY

Though I carry a tank on board..I mostly free dive to clean my haul..

Haul of what? scallops, lobsters or pieces of eight

[tkeithlu]

I hope that you'll invest in your own BC soon, and really get to know it, including how to do a Polaris missile when necessary.

I used to know a sheriff's deputy whose family dug freshwater clams commercially using a shop compressor.... That's an accident in slow motion. If you DIY, "oil-less" is critical.

If I hadn't given it up, I would have switched to a hookah. I gave up depth before everything, enjoyed shallow reefs, was getting into photography, and have a hull to maintain.

Have you tried hull maintenance with a tank? Aside from low vis, you may have to contend with a current. You also might give thought to running into monofilament messes attached to your hull.

What's plan B? A second diver?

[Bellinghamster]

We sailed 10k miles across the Pacific with tanks. I think I only SCUBA'd once to clean bottom, but twice to retrive my anchor (at 75ft in San Francisco bay wearing only a shorty... BRRRRR!) and 25-30-ish but it was balled up with a bunch of other anchors and chain. The deep one I would have had to abandon the anchor and about 125ft of chain if I didn't have tanks.
I'd regularly snorkle dive 30-40ft (my max was around 60). Preferred snorkling for underwater photography and reef sight-seeing. Scuba came in handy diving for lobster in Tonga, and a deep outer reef dive off Tahiti "just to see what's down there". Tank fills were not veryt easy to come by... you have to be intentional about it and maybe go/stay somewhere you otherwise would not have, just to get fills.
That said (i.e. I recommend buying and bringing SCUBA gear if you have the interest and room for it), I would have loved to have a Hooka on board. It would have made bottom cleaning a rather leisurely experience rather than an exhausting one.

I've cleaned a number bottoms using SCUBA in my home marina- it's a pain gearing up, and swimming with it all under the boat, clonking the hull periodically. (using a deck tank and long hose would help that).

Cleaning a 40ft moderatly fouled bottom/props/rudders and changing zincs can easily use a whole tank.... Just scrubbing the waterline scum off, use a snorkle.

[bgallinger]

As an ex-commercial oilfield diver, I suggest going with the hookah. It's light, easier to use and there's no time limit. Trust me, you will not get "months of bottom cleaning" on any sized SCUBA tank that I know of.

[michaeld]

I use an 80 cuft tank with a Brownie's hookah hose/regulator. The tank stays on the dock or aboard. I dive with a few pounds of lead. I can get at least two, often three, bottom cleanings with a LWL of 40 ft. YMMV.

[SV__Grace]

Similar to you, I'm an experienced certified recreational diver and prefer to dive my own boat if I can.

I decided upon a hookah (Sea Breathe electric snorkel) which works well for reaching everywhere under the boat and I don't need to carry and refill tanks.

But, if I was in cruising grounds that had amazing diving opportunities I would definitely want tanks. Here in PNW the water is very cold and diving doesn't appeal to me here.

Fun fact- you don't need a tank or hookah to dive your boat. My previous diver just snorkeled to scrub the bottom and even change zincs and service a prop. I was amazed, but he explained that he can work faster and more efficiently without the tank and free diving 6 feet or so is easy snorkel depth.

[FabioC]

If you go the tank way, I'd consider just a pony tank for the job. I got a pony tank as part of my scuba gear (I rent the scuba tanks, but I have my own pony which I sometimes bring for added safety). It is small and thus much, much easier to carry than a full tank, but at a very shallow depth as for cleaning the hull or changing the zincs, it would last enough time for the job.