Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 02-10-2021, 11:13 AM   #21
DDW
Guru
 
City: San Francisco
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 3,094
I have a battery powered hookah rig, wet suit, weights. It didn't seem that complicated to me. You just have to remember to breath. BC not necessary. Set the weights on the light side so you are slightly buoyant (adjust in shallow water). You are only going about 4 or 5 feet deep. I would only do it in calm water. Free diving, by the time I get to the prop I've only got about 10 or 15 seconds of working time. 3 or 4 of those and you are pretty worn. A lot easier with the hookah, but it is a significant cost to set up.
DDW is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 11:42 AM   #22
TJM
Senior Member
 
City: Essex, Ct.
Vessel Name: Harmony
Vessel Model: 1982 41' President
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 442
Wow, what a myriad of responses and that is what makes TF great.
Here is what I do for the exact same reasons.
I have 5mm wetsuit with quick release ankle weights to keep my feet down so I am not horizontal. Buoyancy does not change unless I eat to much. NO BC required.
I have a spare air tank that I can hold in my teeth (lanyard around my neck) for those quick overboard tasks like unwrapping a line from a shaft. It can not be tightly wrapped otherwise the spare air is not enough. Spare Air tank provides about 10 minutes of air at relaxed breathing. The spare air tank can be refilled from the 80 Cu ft tank on deck.
Working underwater will labor your breathing pretty quick.
I also have a bright yellow 80 cu ft tank with a 50' foot hose. I have the correct regulators on both ends. I can keep the tank on the boat or throw it in the water, it floats. My 80 tank gives me about 45 minutes underwater.
__________________
Tom
"Harmony"
1982 41' President
TJM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 11:51 AM   #23
Guru
 
Alaskaflyer's Avatar
 
City: Reno, Nevada
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 1,177
The cold water introduces additional difficulty and danger. Much different animal doing this same mission in the Turks and Caicos vs the PNW. Teenagers with simple snorkel gear can and do get under a boat in warm, calm and bright conditions to free stuff and to clean the hull. Dry suit diving (which I enjoy) kills people semi regularly, as does cold water immersion in various other situations.
Alaskaflyer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 12:13 PM   #24
Enigma
 
RT Firefly's Avatar
 
City: Slicker?
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 16,565
Greetings,
Mr. Af. Why does a dry suit kill people?


I have a Hooka system that I use to clear weeds in our slip in our Canadian summer (usually on or about July 7th). I will be buying a wet suit, hopefully, this summer. As mentioned, even warm water gets cool and in MY case, all too quickly.


Not terribly concerned about depths as I very, very seldom (OK, never) go more than 4' or 5' (max) under but the Hooka allows me to stay under without coming up for air. Breathing compressed air gives me a VERY dry mouth.


If I was to use it for hull cleaning I would look into some sort of head protection unless a hood would suffice.
__________________
RTF
RT Firefly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 01:29 PM   #25
Guru
 
Benthic2's Avatar
 
City: Boston Area
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 2,610
Quote:
Originally Posted by RT Firefly View Post
Greetings,
Mr. Af. Why does a dry suit kill people?.
The drysuit adds another variable to the bouyancy equation. Some dry suit divers forgo a BC ( bouyancy compensator ) and use their dry suit to regulate their bouyancy. This is workable, but all dive training is based on having a BC so when a problem arises with a drysuit and no BC, your training is of limited value. Then there is the incredibly funny ( as long as you have assistance or training ) of a drysuit diver who gets his legs higher than his head and all the air in the suit moves to the legs. Air in the legs, heavy tank on the back, and you are stuck upside down underwater and unable to invert yourself. If you inflate your BC to make your upper half more bouyant, you end up with a runaway ascent.

Also, if the neck seal on a drysuit doesn't fit well it can put pressure on your carotid artery. I don't know the biological process but this can end up slowing your heart rate and creating a dangerous situation.

Example:

https://www.scubadiving.com/drysuit-...ssons-for-life
Benthic2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 01:44 PM   #26
Senior Member
 
City: Cairns
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 499
Seems like a lot of crap to buy and store for rare events.

Perhaps it's better to take up scuba diving, enjoy yourself and have the gear there, ready for whenever other tasks are to be performed.

As a keen diver myself, I can tell you the worst thing for my skills and equipment reliability is leaving gear on the shelf and only using it once or twice a year. Diving with annual holiday warriors terrifies me.
GoneDiving is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 01:49 PM   #27
Guru
 
Simi 60's Avatar
 
City: Queensland
Vessel Model: Milkraft 60 converted timber prawn trawler
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 5,482
240v hookah for us
Cost about $250 in bits and 10 minutes to man
Have spent about 20 hours on the bottom using it, an hour at a time
Going in today to scrape prop and rudder.
I always bring her in until we touch at the bottom of the tide so as to walk along the bottom.
Simi 60 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 02:22 PM   #28
Guru
 
City: Tampa, FL
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 672
Quote:
Originally Posted by RT Firefly View Post
Not terribly concerned about depths as I very, very seldom (OK, never) go more than 4' or 5' (max) under...
Perhaps you already know this (I hope you do), but even at only 4' underwater, when breathing compressed air, if you hold your breath as you surface you will do MAJOR damage to your lungs. "Major" meaning, it could very well be fatal!


Hence the need for some training before using any sort of underwater breathing system.
denverd0n is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 02:33 PM   #29
Guru
 
City: Here and there
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 541
Not involving scuba but the potential for shallow water drowning can exist diving to accomplish some underwater task.
Porgy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 02:34 PM   #30
Guru
 
Alaskaflyer's Avatar
 
City: Reno, Nevada
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 1,177
How deep you intend to dive is certainly important. Also important is how much water is left below you.

Dry suit divers - even "professionals" - have more runaway ascents, as well as uncontrolled descents, both of which can have consequences ranging from minor to fatal. More complicated systems coupled with physiological factors in cold water.

Plus, you know, they cost a lot.
Alaskaflyer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 02:36 PM   #31
Senior Member
 
City: NE Florida
Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 273
Quote:
Originally Posted by magna 6882 View Post
perhaps a beginner coarse just to get a feel for what i need and can store on board.I did a course 30 years ago and only did a couple. I found it boring.I need to be doing something not just looking around .I did dive in mexico once and the fish were interesting.I just want to be able to check the bottom and maybe cut a line or something.
I really appreciate this forum.
so you're already certified then?
probably don't really need the class then as others suggest. Especially for your purposes....
Scuba schools do a skills refresher course. That would probably be a good idea.
but
I agree with others.... scuba not really necessary...just a good mask, a good light and some fins....and a line to keep you from drifting too far from the boat. Find a used wet suit for cold water
try that first...keep it simple
And if you were doing the full on scuba, I personally don't think a BC is necessary at all for your intended purpose...just a small pony tank (you certainly don't need a typical 80 cubic feet tank) on a harness
such as this https://www.diversdirect.com/p/basic...YaAhFzEALw_wcB

about finding diving boring....
I've done quite a bit of diving myself, although it has now been many years since... back in the day I really enjoyed more challenging dives that took technical planning, or that just simply involved depth &/or current. I was drawn to wreck dives for that reason. Some of the most fun I had was hanging on an anchor line doing my safety stop flapping horizontally in the current like a flag.
I'll admit to finding the run of the mill reef dive on the boring side often too. On a typical 2-tank charter boat here in Florida (and likely almost everywhere), the 2nd dive is nearly always a very shallow and easy dive on a reef...I got to the point I'd either skip the 2nd dive or just clown around near the boat.... sometimes I'd drop just under the boat, and find a small head of coral, and just hover over it the entire dive just looking really close at the fine details and tiny creatures just inches away from my mask....it was amazing what most divers would never see because they didn't stop moving!
skyhawk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 03:29 PM   #32
Senior Member
 
bshanafelt's Avatar
 
City: Port Orchard, WA
Vessel Name: Isobel K
Vessel Model: 37' Custom Pilothouse
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 426
I have used a 5mm wetsuit in the pacNW - cold after 30 min.
Dry suit is marvelous for staying warm, but complicated by buoyancy issues.

latest compromise is a semi-dry suit, basically a 7mm wetsuit with super tight wrist, ankle and neck cuffs - does not allow much water exchange, so you can stay warm for a very long time.

agree to sort our weighting in shallow water.
bshanafelt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 04:00 PM   #33
Guru
 
Simi 60's Avatar
 
City: Queensland
Vessel Model: Milkraft 60 converted timber prawn trawler
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 5,482
Free online hookah course here
Quote:
Download The Air Line by J Sink's Hookah Training Home Study Course
Welcome to the SASS Surface Air Supply Systems hookah-diving, home study course! The below link is a download for an entry-level instructional vehicle for SASS diving to a maximum depth of 33 feet. This information will provide you with a high level understanding of what hookah diving is, the risks and benefits of and the equipment involved. Please enjoy this material and feel free to let us know if you have questions.

https://airlinebyjsink.com/pages/hookah-training
Simi 60 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 04:10 PM   #34
Senior Member
 
City: Long Beach Ca
Vessel Name: Freebird
Vessel Model: 1997 Mainship 350
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 467
Good afternoon
I’ll chime in.
I’ve done it this three times before fouling on lobster pots and fouling an anchor line in a crowded anchorage.
Be sure your boat is secure. Drop the hook if necessary.
Avoid doing this alone if at all possible. Have someone with eyes on you.
I keep a mask, snorkel, and 6lbs of weight if I’m using a wet suit. No weight if no wet suit.
I keep a light weight wetsuit jacket and a lightweight Farmer John style wetsuit on board. I rarely use both. Usually my trunks and jacket. You are only there for a moment. No need for air tanks. Keep a sharp serrated dive knife on board to cut any rope that fouls your prop.
jclays is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 05:37 PM   #35
Senior Member
 
Taras's Avatar
 
Vessel Model: Currently Boatless
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 397
I have used 'Spare Air" for years. Its a mini-scuba tank/reg. Just refill when necessary. Give about 5 minutes or so underwater.

https://www.amazon.com/Spare-Air-Eme...29235037&psc=1
Taras is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 05:54 PM   #36
Guru
 
High Wire's Avatar
 
City: Cape May, NJ
Vessel Name: Irish Lady
Vessel Model: Monk 36
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,964
I've cut off a 1/2" anchor line fouled in both props of a 40 foot Pacemaker. The moron owner ran over another boats anchor line in the middle of Delaware Bay in May. Maybe 60F water temp. Make sure you are tied off so you don't float away. Hold your breath and go under with a really sharp knife like a Dexter Russel Tiger blade. Cut the one end of the line as close to the shaft as possible by feel. The Tiger Blade will do it in one swipe. Get the other end up to the boat cockpit or swim platform with a long boat pole then get out of the water. Pull the cockpit end as tight as you can and tie it off to a sturdy cleat so the line is perpendicular to the shaft. Start the engine and give a fraction of a second bump into reverse then back to neutral. With any luck the line will slack a couple inches. Pull the line tight again, re-tie, and bump it forward this time. Again you are just trying to gain an inch at a time. After a few bumps it will come out. You will be amazed what you can do in just 30 seconds and being under 40 YO!
Now if to wrap up a plastic crab trap or its really cold, just call Sea Tow.
__________________
Archie
Irish Lady
1984 Monk 36 Hull #46
Currently in Cape May, NJ
High Wire is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 06:05 PM   #37
Guru
 
Lepke's Avatar
 
City: Between Oregon and Alaska
Vessel Name: Charlie Harper
Vessel Model: Wheeler Shipyard 83'
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,023
A hookah is the way to go for someone that's not going to do other diving. Everything on the average boat should be within easy reach of the hose. I was a commercial diver but use a hookah for checking zincs, etc. I use a dry suit, but you could probably find a wet suit for a lot less money. Or a used one if you're average size. Dry suit is just more comfortable, just your head and hands get wet. And you can have more or less clothing for insulation.
Lepke is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 06:25 PM   #38
Guru
 
diver dave's Avatar
 
City: Palm Coast, FL
Vessel Name: Coquina
Vessel Model: Lagoon 380
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,570
There are really a lot of variables in this equation. Maybe the worst case, is a prop replacement offshore. Done that one, but it was warm water. You will be spending time upside down, feet on the hull. Pushing off with a large box wrench and keeping a wedge on the prop to hull gap. After about 10 minutes of that, you will acclimate entirely to being upside down, and can work effectively. No fins on, obviously. Upside down also puts your head further out of harms way from the u/w metal, and of course, the hull itself. A rogue wave isn't as dangerous. Tank inside the boat or strapped to the aft platform. Try very hard to not wear a tank for under hull work, when things get sloppy. Also goes for simple scraping jobs.
If its just a rope wrap, note that these don't always spin off, sometimes sharp things are necessary; and this is between the prop hub and the strut. Not much clearance usually there.
I'm on my second dry suit now, but since I'm a warm water diver, I can't talk to that one directly as far as boat work. My dry suit is for extended diving in 70 deg water. My new 7mm semi-dry with attached hood doesn't do it for me beyond an hour in 70 deg. I'm a woos. I got ice certified 20 years ago, but no more. I guess I could do 60 deg for 30 minutes in the semi dry. Gloves are usually an issue when dealing with tools; btw, what is the water temp of interest? I'm in FL now and am shocked at how cold my canal water is; sometimes just below 60, yikes

oh, one last thing. dry suits are FAR less reliable than wet suits. Thin seals, trick zippers, and more. But still, there is no way i'm jumping into sub 60 without one.
diver dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 06:25 PM   #39
Guru
 
OldDan1943's Avatar
 
City: Aventura FL
Vessel Name: Kinja
Vessel Model: American Tug 34 #116 2008
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 10,595
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lepke View Post
A hookah is the way to go for someone that's not going to do other diving. Everything on the average boat should be within easy reach of the hose. I was a commercial diver but use a hookah for checking zincs, etc. I use a dry suit, but you could probably find a wet suit for a lot less money. Or a used one if you're average size. Dry suit is just more comfortable, just your head and hands get wet. And you can have more or less clothing for insulation.
and when one pees in a dry suit, sort of makes life more complicated.
__________________
Two days out the hospital after a week in the hospital because of a significant heart attack.
OldDan1943 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 06:34 PM   #40
Guru
 
diver dave's Avatar
 
City: Palm Coast, FL
Vessel Name: Coquina
Vessel Model: Lagoon 380
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,570
I have a pee valve

and no pictures avail of the complete assembly

and for completeness, both my wife and 20 y/o daugher have pee valves in their suits too.
diver dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Trawler Port Captains
Port Captains are TF volunteers who can serve as local guides or assist with local arrangements and information. Search below to locate Port Captains near your destination. To learn more about this program read here: TF Port Captain Program





All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:05 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2006 - 2012