SCUBA diving success stories?

[CptCrunchie]

Originally Posted by MLOI

I can only talk to Aus water - mainly on the GBR.
Spearing on scuba isn't legal, so you are freediving for that anyway.
Cleaning the hull was mostly done freediving.

Free diving? Not me. The moment I get underwater, I'm looking for something to suck on. I could do it, but I don-wanna. I just thoroughly enjoy breathing underwater.

I'm an avid fisherman, so no need to spearfish. We dive for crustaceans, bi-valves and greens, ...lots and lots of greens, and most of that is in the shallower water. We also have shrimp and crab pots, and a casting net. I want to take the SCUBA gear to go on adventures. Our plan is to drop anchor in some tropical bay for 4-6 months at a time, and carrying enough gasoline for a hookah or a compressor and tender ain't gonna happen.

Originally Posted by MLOI

EITHER, you are going on a diving trip in a yacht, in which case take the petrol driven compressor and fill tanks. Plan on anchoring up for a few days anywhere you want to dive and have a good look around. Probably do all the diving from the dinghy;
OR, you are going on a sailing trip, in which case I'd take the ali 40 with a simple reg only.

We are looking at a 52' sailboat, so we will likely be doing both. My issue is that I want to take everything!

[Fred Lehman]

I have maintained a compressor on my sailboat for the past 40 years. It sits in the nearly inaccessible space behind the engine and beneath the cockpit. I do the necessary maintenance myself and it fills my tanks in an hour. It is a bit noisy, but it certainly does not bother me. For many years I powered the compressor from a DC motor, but recently I have replaced the DC motor with a smaller and higher power AC model and fill the tanks from shore cord. I currently have six tanks that I store in two specially designed lockers where they are safe and secure. I personally do not trust air from an unknown source.