Catamaran Living Aboard & Scuba Diving & Fishing

[downunder]

Originally Posted by tuskie

The Bends, while free diving? Now that's a bit unusual. Correct me if I'm wrong, but AFAIK the only time that's happened is while deep freediving shortly after a scuba dive that would have led to a fairly high blood N saturation. In other words, the scuba dive dissolved the gas and the freedive caused it to form bubbles. Do you agree?
I've never heard of someone getting the bends solely from freediving, and I've done a bit in my day.
All the more reason to spend time on the surface after a scuba dive. Whilst the dissolved gas slowly dissipates from your blood you can start the compressor, refill cylinders, repair the watermaker, check the waterline and drink beer.

Meanwhile the freediver is catching painted crayfish (tropical lobster), a proven female aphrodisiac.

Not common but has happend. and not in Aus that I am aware of.

I recall Dr Bob Thomas ex navy doctor in charge of Navy Deco Chamber in Sydney telling me in an instructor course. Apparentely he visited a community in Pacific somewhere where locals had been salvage diving on a wreck. Not hard to get bottom time over 60 minutes working in 20m over a day.

Apparantly quite a few had bad symptoms of Deco sickness incl paralysis.
As I said you would need to be a good diver working in deep water and then exercise bit would be a negative. Think about it and it is a valid rish if spending a lot of time in deep water. Possibly more so in tropics where cold is not a factor spending time in water. I don't personally consider it a risk as I am not fit enough thesdays.

I think I have seen new freediving watches/computers available that will calculate actual bottom time and not sure if it accumulates time. No personal experience but saw one advertised in current international Freediving magazine.

Your point re freediving after SCUBA precipitating bubble formation is valid particuarly for me at age 60.

A crayfish is always a risk worth taking for its female aphrodisiac qualities and effect.

[tuskie]

Originally Posted by downunder

By the way I think Blue Tuskfish are amongst best eating fish around. Need to get out and nab one soon. Sounds like you are a spearo also.

I am tossing around the options between 40 to 45 ft cats because of weight issues not wanting to need to reprovision very often. I want to be able to spend months away in the coral sea or areas like PNG without having to chase supplies.

Would like to go 45 but may have to end up with 40 yet.

I go past the Fusion factory in Mackay every weeking watching their progress. They have 2 hulls assembled without fitout and another on the way, I presume waiting for buyers.

Cheers

Sounds like we are of like minds. Yes, a spearo. And one who has/is considering buying/building a Fusion 40. They're not perfect, but would do the job. ie. carrying a sufficient payload of gear, fuel and water and offer sufficient comfort and safety. However, if the A$ holds up for a wee bit longer and the current secondhand cat deals remain Stateside or the Carribean, I can't see the value in buying or building a Fusion. I'd much rather be sailing and diving my way home across the Pacific than mixing toxic epoxy and endlessly sanding. I'm assisting (a little bit!) a Fusion builder locally, and it's a big committment to build one.
The Freeflow 45 looks good on paper and in photos. But check (if you haven't already) out the secondhand prices for 5 - 10 year old Fountaine Pajots or Leopards in the 42-46 ft range in overseas markets. Many are even equiped with compressors. Even one of those chubby little Lagoons at the right price! Jeez, I've done it now!
Looking forward to getting some enjoyable recreational scuba diving done in retirement, rather than the "find it, clean it or fix it" type of diving I've done in recent years. Meanwhile, I'll try to keep pulling back the rubbers from time to time.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by tuskie

Sounds like we are of like minds. Yes, a spearo. And one who has/is considering buying/building a Fusion 40. They're not perfect, but would do the job. ie. carrying a sufficient payload of gear, fuel and water and offer sufficient comfort and safety. However, if the A$ holds up for a wee bit longer and the current secondhand cat deals remain Stateside or the Carribean, I can't see the value in buying or building a Fusion. I'd much rather be sailing and diving my way home across the Pacific than mixing toxic epoxy and endlessly sanding. I'm assisting (a little bit!) a Fusion builder locally, and it's a big committment to build one.
The Freeflow 45 looks good on paper and in photos. But check (if you haven't already) out the secondhand prices for 5 - 10 year old Fountaine Pajots or Leopards in the 42-46 ft range in overseas markets. Many are even equiped with compressors. Even one of those chubby little Lagoons at the right price! Jeez, I've done it now!
Looking forward to getting some enjoyable recreational scuba diving done in retirement, rather than the "find it, clean it or fix it" type of diving I've done in recent years. Meanwhile, I'll try to keep pulling back the rubbers from time to time.

I mistakingly had thought you had started on a Fusion. Wrong

I have similar thoughts also tossing around. My deadline at present is to be on the water in from Jan 2014. Are a few who have done it with Leopards and Lagoons as you say although not quite as many 46ft FP's available and that option cannot be avoided.

< Looking forward to getting some enjoyable recreational scuba diving done in retirement >

Thats what I want to do also. Spent a fair bit of time in Coral Sea and all over GBR as dive instructor/supervisor. Trouble with charters we were always on the move, will be good to stay in the right spot for as long as you want rather than move/move.

Hope will still be able to spear a fish in the Coral sea by then as if this Govt and the WWF has its way we won't. crazy.

[tuskie]

Originally Posted by downunder

although not quite as many 46ft FP's

Hope will still be able to spear a fish in the Coral sea by then as if this Govt and the WWF has its way we won't. crazy.

Ain't that the truth! It's the American PEW group that are bankrolling the push for a totally "conserved" Coral Sea. I'd wish they keep their greenie agenda to their side of the world eg make the Gulf of Mexico a no fishing or drilling zone! Meanwhile I'm sure we aren't exactly over exploiting the area.

What do you think of the FP "Belize" or even the older "Venezia"? I've been on board both models and they look like they should do nicely to me.

[downunder]

Havn't spent much time looking at those models.
I think there is a Venezia for sale in Brisbane.
I prefer the shaft drives in the Leopard 42's.

Will PM you some time.

Cheers,

John

[Teeto]

The Fusion sails well so long as it's not too heavily loaded. We hired one a couple of years ago and got a very sore neck because the line of sight through the front window does not allow you to see the horizon without stooping. I guess an autopilot would help so you could sit elsewhere.