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Old 12-03-2017, 17:33   #1
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Hello from Texas!

Just a quick introduction. Like many, I have aspirations of eventually buying my own boat and living the dream on the water, at least part time. I'm currently retired and now spend much of my free time working as a PADI scuba instructor here in Texas. I love everything water!

I have been enjoying reading everything here on the forum. I hope to be able to volunteer to crew from time to time.

Also a question for the masses... Are most cruisers already scuba certified? I think it would be great fun to come aboard and help crew and also provide scuba training if the need exists. Scuba training would be very easy in places like the BVI's thanks to the multitude of dive shops and availability of tank rentals.

Cheers!

Joe - -
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Old 12-03-2017, 17:40   #2
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pirate Re: Hello from Texas!

Well Hello from Portugal.. Welcome to CF..
Never scuda'd.. have free dived a bit in my time tho'..
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Old 12-03-2017, 17:41   #3
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Re: Hello from Texas!

Welcome Joe.
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Old 12-03-2017, 18:34   #4
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Re: Hello from Texas!

Been diving since 1966. But I think the question should be, how many SCUBA certified have become boaters. All who can afford a boat, I guess. But I'd say about 25% of the boaters I've known were certified.

If your looking at a sailboat for diving, unless it's over 45', they are not the best idea for diving. I always had to use the inflatable for dives. The the gear takes a lot of space. Having a compressor would be the hardest thing to place on a sailboat. My 38' sportsfisher was ideal. Lots of deck space and a swim step to get on/off the boat.
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Old 12-03-2017, 19:55   #5
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Re: Hello from Texas!

Quote:
Originally Posted by delmarrey View Post
Been diving since 1966. But I think the question should be, how many SCUBA certified have become boaters. All who can afford a boat, I guess. But I'd say about 25% of the boaters I've known were certified.

If your looking at a sailboat for diving, unless it's over 45', they are not the best idea for diving. I always had to use the inflatable for dives. The the gear takes a lot of space. Having a compressor would be the hardest thing to place on a sailboat. My 38' sportsfisher was ideal. Lots of deck space and a swim step to get on/off the boat.
Yes, when I buy a boat I would expect to do most diving off of the dinghy.. They are pricey, but one can a buy fairly small compressor and run off of gasoline out on the deck. But when you consider the cost of the compressor, filters, upkeep and the inconvenience of storage, I think a more likely option would be to plan to dive around islands that have dive shops and plan to rent tanks/air. But then again, maybe I'll win the lottery and get to buy a BIG boat with plenty of room for scuba toys some day!

By the way, that's a beautiful boat you have listed for sale.. Good luck with finding her a new owner!
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Old 12-03-2017, 20:55   #6
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Re: Hello from Texas!

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Originally Posted by Sail n Dive View Post
Yes, when I buy a boat I would expect to do most diving off of the dinghy.. They are pricey, but one can a buy fairly small compressor and run off of gasoline out on the deck. But when you consider the cost of the compressor, filters, upkeep and the inconvenience of storage, I think a more likely option would be to plan to dive around islands that have dive shops and plan to rent tanks/air. But then again, maybe I'll win the lottery and get to buy a BIG boat with plenty of room for scuba toys some day!

By the way, that's a beautiful boat you have listed for sale.. Good luck with finding her a new owner!
I'm not a diver - I've only snorkeled a couple times. But I have been contemplating the potential of being a "floating dive tank filler" as a way to make a small amount of money (pay for the compressor?), meet people, and see places I might not otherwise go.

Online I've seen that dive shops usually charge $5 to $10 to fill a tank. If someone (me!) were to actually go with you to your dive location and be prepared to fill tanks constantly, what would that be worth to you as a professional diver?

I actually know very little about diving - how many dives would you normally do in a day? If you had a multiple tanks that could be refilled continuously would you essentially just keep going back in the water? What about staying down and swapping tanks underwater?
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Old 13-03-2017, 07:03   #7
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Re: Hello from Texas!

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Online I've seen that dive shops usually charge $5 to $10 to fill a tank. If someone (me!) were to actually go with you to your dive location and be prepared to fill tanks constantly, what would that be worth to you as a professional diver?

I actually know very little about diving - how many dives would you normally do in a day? If you had a multiple tanks that could be refilled continuously would you essentially just keep going back in the water? What about staying down and swapping tanks underwater?
I don't think you would want to follow divers to specific dive sites. (Time consuming..) I think the more realistic thing would be to offer tank service at marinas that didn't already have tanks, or tank delivery services at common anchorages at dive destinations.

I would think most sailing divers who didn't already have a compressor on board would happily pay $10-$15 per tank to save from having to go ashore to pick up tanks.

It would be unusual for a person to do much more than 3 or 4 dives in a day and more common would probably 1 or 2 dives.. Most divers wait a hour or longer between dives so their bodies have time to gas off the built up nitrogen from the dive. With all that said, I expect that divers who are a part of the "cruising lifestyle" might only do 1 dive every now and then and not spend all day diving like a person that is on a dive trip for the specific purpose of diving as much as possible during a given time before heading back to the normal grind at home. Make sense?

And no, normal recreational divers don't swap tanks underwater.. Some divers (sidemount divers) will take multiple tanks with them on one dive. But that's not many divers and you wouldn't see that very often..

Keep in mind all of this is coming from someone who isn't a part of the cruising lifestyle (YET).. Just a wannabe at this point..
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Old 13-03-2017, 07:26   #8
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Re: Hello from Texas!

Every time I start thinking about ways to make a little "walking around cash" while on the water, I end up talking myself out of it.

My discussions with myself usually fall into 2 categories: 1) too much work for too little money or 2) some type of liability.

Scuba has risks, as all divers know. Filling tanks for others can certainly pull you into the circle of liability. Someone gets hurt or sick, claims it was contaminated air from oil, dirty filters, exhaust fumes, etc.

I'm not sure how liability works in a third world country, maybe non-existent, but if the above scenario happened on one of my fills of their tanks I would live with that forever. That is a liability I don't want to shoulder.

I think it is a great idea to have a compressor for yourself but stick to teaching for making coin. Yes, still liability involved but is it less or is it more? Who knows..
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Old 13-03-2017, 08:51   #9
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Re: Hello from Texas!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sail n Dive View Post
I don't think you would want to follow divers to specific dive sites. (Time consuming..) I think the more realistic thing would be to offer tank service at marinas that didn't already have tanks, or tank delivery services at common anchorages at dive destinations.

I would think most sailing divers who didn't already have a compressor on board would happily pay $10-$15 per tank to save from having to go ashore to pick up tanks.

It would be unusual for a person to do much more than 3 or 4 dives in a day and more common would probably 1 or 2 dives.. Most divers wait a hour or longer between dives so their bodies have time to gas off the built up nitrogen from the dive. With all that said, I expect that divers who are a part of the "cruising lifestyle" might only do 1 dive every now and then and not spend all day diving like a person that is on a dive trip for the specific purpose of diving as much as possible during a given time before heading back to the normal grind at home. Make sense?

And no, normal recreational divers don't swap tanks underwater.. Some divers (sidemount divers) will take multiple tanks with them on one dive. But that's not many divers and you wouldn't see that very often..

Keep in mind all of this is coming from someone who isn't a part of the cruising lifestyle (YET).. Just a wannabe at this point..
Makes sense - thanks for the info
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Old 13-03-2017, 18:05   #10
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Re: Hello from Texas!

Quote:
Originally Posted by LoudMusic View Post
I'm not a diver - I've only snorkeled a couple times. But I have been contemplating the potential of being a "floating dive tank filler" as a way to make a small amount of money (pay for the compressor?), meet people, and see places I might not otherwise go.

Online I've seen that dive shops usually charge $5 to $10 to fill a tank. If someone (me!) were to actually go with you to your dive location and be prepared to fill tanks constantly, what would that be worth to you as a professional diver?

I actually know very little about diving - how many dives would you normally do in a day? If you had a multiple tanks that could be refilled continuously would you essentially just keep going back in the water? What about staying down and swapping tanks underwater?
As to SV Bucchus concerns, here in the USA one has to have a license to $ell air. The compressors have to show they are in a clean environment and set up properly with records of regular qualified maintenance.

If one is not a diver or compressor tech, I doubt one would have the qualifications to get the license. Being a diver and compressor tech, I would not buy air from anyone who couldn't show me their certifications, here or overseas.
My lungs have already been stressed by bad air and it took a couple years before I could dive again. (Shortness of breath, long story)
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