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Old 07-18-2012, 03:13 PM   #19
timb7734
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City: Drummond Island, MI
Vessel Name: Terrapin
Vessel Model: Florida Bay Coaster 42'
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 197
The cutters work most of the time, however I had line wedge between one rudder and the hull, with the helm 3/4 over to starboard the boat was unresponsive until I went in and cleared the jam. I am PADI certified, and used a boat mounted tank with a long air line, in open water with 3 to 4' swells.

The 12 v DC hookah compressors do not deliver enough air to maintain a large working person much below the surface, the engine driven and 110 volt do make enough air for 40 to 60 feet, but also make 100 decibels in the noise department. That may not be a big deal unless you are nto expecting it. You cannot depend on just any big box home repair store 'oiless' air compressor to not pump something undesireable even with filters, such as exhaust fumes, and you cannot get away from it underwater. I have seen many bottom divers using self assembled systems, but they are always certified and have extensive experience with their equipment.

That the 12 v hookah either store bought or individually assembled is not much good for recreational diving because of the volume limitiations and therefore the attainable/sustainable depths are less than 10 feet for an active adult, the only time one would use such a set up is in an emergency, and thus the user is not the most familiar with the best practices, and as said somewhere else, predictably not the most ideal conditions.

Definetly do not plan to dive without PADI training, consider that the time you may need to actually do a dive will be in less than optimum circumstances, and require strenuous physical activity.

Getting certified is not that hard, and much less expensive than drowning/breathing exhaust/having a panic attack underwater/ getting the bends etc, and believe me it is great fun.

I resisted for a while before I took training, and since the my wife has her certification as well. I initially thought I had no desire to dive into the murky deep and expose myself to the bends, etc, but most of the diving I do is in thirty or forty feet of water in the beautiful Bahamas, and it really is a pleasure. I thought of myself as a strongswimmer, but having the dive training has improved even my snorkeling as well as my confidence level in the water.
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