Scuba vs snorkeling ?

Traveling on the loop or in Bahamas would it be practical to get certified
in scuba and buy the equipment or just snorkel for under water
cleaning, checking, anchor retrieval and cutting away crab pots ?
I'm sure the scuba equipment in general has a decent start up cost.
Any recommendations for a very good mask ?
Any particular brands better then others ?

under water cleaning: Scuba
checking: Snorkle
Anchor retrieval: Scuba
Cutting away crab pots: Scuba (snorkle is possible, but it will take a long time. You have very little time to get down there and start working before you need to come up for air again).

Anything that is going to have you underwater more than 15 seconds at a time, or doing any kind of exertion, then the answer is scuba. Any kind of cold water will have you out of air in seconds.

I tried to dive just to check to see if my generator intake was clogged. Water was in the low 60's. I was practically out of breath while taking a breath. It took me 5 tries to even find the intake.

A thin drysuit greatly extends comfort time in cold water. Even if breathholding ability is limited enough to make snorkeling unfeasible, it's worth considering a hookah rig (compressor on the boat) rather than SCUBA.

Echo the comments on cold water.
Any kind of under boat work in the Puget Sound area for me was miserable and less than complete before tanks and dry suit. Now it is part of the entertainment segment of boat ownership and we stay down long enough to actually do a decent job of whatever it is we are trying to do. Once I go in the water I am going to consume the whole tank anyway. My tank lasts almost twice as long with the dry suit than when I was cold. Really nice.

Start up costs are not insignificant but I feel like a more survivable boater with this cold open water skillset and equipment. I expect that between the training and gear, the pair of us likely have around 10K in it. I am not qualified to comment on brands.

I'll also add that whether you choose Scuba, Hookah or snorkle, if you want to effectively work below the surface, you're going to need a weight belt. Taking a deep breath while free-diving will make you very, very boyant. Exhaling will reduce boyancy, and also most of your ability to stay underwater.

Shrew said:

I'll also add that whether you choose Scuba, Hookah or snorkle, if you want to effectively work below the surface, you're going to need a weight belt. Taking a deep breath while free-diving will make you very, very boyant. Exhaling will reduce boyancy, and also most of your ability to stay underwater.

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+1
I have been a diver for 30 years. Also. I bought a Kayak helmet so that I wouldn't hurt my head while cleaning the boat bottom.

Depends on how far you want to take this in regards to money, time, etc.

If you are only doing periodic dives, then snorkel may be enough. You will be in warmer water, so holding your breath to descend should not be a major issue. Practice hypoxic conditioning in the pool to increase your under water hold time. On one breath, swim 1/2 length, 1 length, etc. It takes a while but depending on your current conditioning level, you can do 2-3 laps on one breath. IE, that translates to being under the water a decent time when you see something on top to dive down on.

Wet suit: even for warmer water upper 70's you should get one. 2mm should be fine, spring or full. I would also rec a neoprene head cover, because you lose a lot of heat through your head. Being warm will allow you to hold your breath longer, and enjoy the experience more in general.

Masks - any decent one from a dive shop will do for recreational purposes you describe.

I am scuba certified but I sold most of my gear. For working under the boat I have a scuba tank and a regulator with a 50 ft hose. That way I don't need a BC and dive with the tank.
I use a weight belt, but with only a small amount of weight.
This works for cleaning the bottom if necessary, changing zincs, etc.

jleonard said:

I am scuba certified but I sold most of my gear. For working under the boat I have a scuba tank and a regulator with a 50 ft hose. That way I don't need a BC and dive with the tank.

I use a weight belt, but with only a small amount of weight.

This works for cleaning the bottom if necessary, changing zincs, etc.

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Get a tank, regulator with mini screw in air gauge and a 50’ hookah air hose with regulator. That’s all you need. Tank stays on the boat.

Simple

https://airlinebyjsink.com/products/12v160-3



https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/nwe-Air...239227?hash=item2ccfa4b5fb:g:ZsoAAOSwdJ9aRFHl

Pgitug said:

Get a tank, regulator with mini screw in air gauge and a 50’ hookah air hose with regulator. That’s all you need. Tank stays on the boat.

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Before you buy a tank verify that you can get it refilled without a dive certification. I have been repeatedly asked for mine whenever I had a tank filled.

Take a class and get certified. Would hate to have to recover your body. A simple thing like holding your breathe and coming to the surface can kill you. Scuba diving under your boat is very easy. That's why 1 or 2 people manage to kill themselves each year doing it. Personally I use a scuba tank with a 50' hose and whatever wetsuit or drysuit is required for the conditions.

Ted

I'd vote for getting the scuba certification. You can save a lot if you buy used equipment. Lots of people buy top of the line stuff and then never use it.....so its a few years old but in great shape. Another money saver is to find a dive shop that rents out gear. They will usually sell it off at the end of the season.

Diving is a great activity and will add to your appreciation of the ocean. Certification is pretty easy, but really important.

For a mask the fit is the most important thing. Get a good snorkel, it makes a big difference. You'll want one that has a way to get the water out of it. Think of fins as gears on a bicycle, except you can't change gears. Big stiff fins are great for going fast and far, but they'll wear out your legs. Smaller flexible fins are easy to push, but you might have a hard time going against a good current or towing your buddy. Classes are usually held through a dive shop so you should be able to try out the gear during your pool sessions to see what works best for you.

Bay Pelican said:

+1
I have been a diver for 30 years. Also. I bought a Kayak helmet so that I wouldn't hurt my head while cleaning the boat bottom.

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Helmet mandatory if you stick your head under the stern while it's moving up and down 10' or more. Not a safe place to be but if your prop is wrapped around a pot warp...

Hockey helmet, ski, kayak, bike, foam duct taped to your head, anything is better than nothing.

(SCUBA cert if you are fit and healthy)

If you use tanks, most places won't (should not) refill them without showing a SCUBA certification. However, maybe you know someone who can get the tanks filled for you.

If you are only doing boat maintenance a hooka may be sufficient because you are still close enough to the surface if the pump fails. However, you can still F yourself up with a hooka if you are more than a few feet deep and you come up suddenly. Some training is recommended.

ssobol said:

If you use tanks, most places won't (should not) refill them without showing a SCUBA certification. However, maybe you know someone who can get the tanks filled for you.

If you are only doing boat maintenance a hooka may be sufficient because you are still close enough to the surface if the pump fails. However, you can still F yourself up with a hooka if you are more than a few feet deep and you come up suddenly. Some training is recommended.

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Agree have a hooka but I have been diving for 40 years (certified) but for boat work the hooka is the best

I'm certified but I too sold off most of my equipment for the ease of putting on a mask and snorkel for cleaning, changing zincs though you need a positive air supply.

All great information from previous posters, take away; get certified...

What’s the likelihood of it being far less expensive for a couple of years and rely on divers? It could be a cool new hobby tho.....

ctbarbarian said:

Any recommendations for a very good mask ?
Any particular brands better then others ?

Click to expand...

This is a fit question and we're all different (our face/nose shape). Go to a big diving store and have them help you try on different masks. If you're diving for more than 15 or 20 minutes...a poor fitting masks can start hurting. Might not be an issue with a short snorkling job under the boat but if you're spending the weekend in/underwater on a scuba/snorkling trip...a mask that hits the bridge of your nose is going to be a real pain after the first dive.

Sidney

Pgitug said:

Get a tank, regulator with mini screw in air gauge and a 50’ hookah air hose with regulator. That’s all you need. Tank stays on the boat.

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That is what I meant, my tank stays on the boat.

I'd also add that scuba is way cooler than snorkling if you're comfortable underwater. I spent some time in Cozumel the winter of 2016 and by April 2017 my wife and I were certified and by July my 3 teenage boys were certified. I swore in Cozumel I wouldn't be anywhere that cool ever again and stuck on the surface. We drove down to Key Largo over Thanksgiving for our first reef/boat dive and loved it. Since we're not retired yet and still live in Illinois...our diving will be limited to 2 or 3 times a year hunting shark teeth off Venice and a 4 hour drive from the condo down to the Keys.

So...get certified. It just adds another dimension to the experience of being on the water in warm/tropical places.

Sidney

An advantage to a hooka is that you don't have to keep hauling the tank(s) somewhere to get them refilled and hauling them back. A disadvantage is that a hooka is a mechanical device that needs care and maintenance.

A hooka air supply can be quite long (as long as the compressor keeps running). A tank supply duration varies with your level of fitness and the depth you are using it at.

Tanks require a hydrostatic check every 5 years.

underwater is not a natural human environment

markpierce said:

underwater is not a natural human environment

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Flying through the air isn't either, but people do it all the time.

Bay Pelican said:

Before you buy a tank verify that you can get it refilled without a dive certification. I have been repeatedly asked for mine whenever I had a tank filled.

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must be at "resort' centric shops. I have not been asked in the last 30 years to produce a C card, except at Ginnie springs, FL. This includes a self service shop where you can get nitrox fills to 4000psi without C card, without Vips, and the tanks can stay in your car. Oh, yeah, 100% oxygen fills, and helium fills too. Nope, I'm not going to squeal on them, they shall remain nameless.

markpierce said:

underwater is not a natural human environment

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hey; those are fighting words.

I have a 120Vt 3rd Lung.
I sort of figured if was tethered to the boat, I can always find my way back. Sort of, follow the yellow hose.

Now, the only thing I can say bad about the Hooka is, no matter where you go, you always have that long yellow tail to drag along with you. Gotta take the good with the bad, I guess. Now, where did I leave my boat? Ah, I know.....

I am scuba certified. When I clean my boat, I anchor it at a hull depth of around 6' off the bottom. I use additional weights to keep me solidly on the bottom, but not so much that I can't inflate my BCD if I need to come up. It's very comfortable working at "eye level", I can take my time and not get too tired out.

I too am certified and keep 3 charged tanks on board. The Hooka has the advantage of never running out of air, so long as I have AC power.

For those of you with Hooka's....can you use them to fill a tank ?