Diving Equipment

Don't think it is good advice, especially from a dive skipper.
Any person using diving equipment needs training.
An experienced diver may be ok with just a harness but how is anyone meant to know 'the correct amount of lead weight' without training and experience.

Mark

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Hi tcm

On holiday - one day diving course- theory no problem - spent 3 minutes under water at dock sitting on bottom in 5m with an instructor, empty mask etc. That was it.

Next step off the boat in 80 foot of water! .... watched one novice surface fast in trouble from about 20 feet.. that caused a big panic .... and then decided to get out of the water and sit on the boat.... I took no further part in it. I frankly thought it was dangerous the way it was being taught .... and still do.

After that I have had goes in swimming pools etc where I was comfortable.

I really want to be able to do things second nature and be comfortable before I do it for real. My club teaches the BSAC way which I think is slower than that trip abroad!

I have no real interest in scuba diving as such. After my rope experience when my boat was tethered to the bottom with a 1.5 inch rope, I decided to get the kit and get trained. Under boat is all I really want to do.

I will get a Kollision Kit - thanks for the advice.





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Phil

Answer to your question is probably no she would not. However If my boat is stuck to the bottom with a 30 foot rise in tide to come and there is noone else around what else can I do?

I do have a ScubaScope so the wife can probably sit back and watch me clearing the rope on TV :-) Then if I get caught up ... I guess all she could do is watch!!


<hr width=100% size=1>Paul
 
the cylinder capacity is 2 ltrs and they reckon it gives 20min at 3mtrs. Well, that's fine if you're just admiring the view but scrubbing 'er bum needs a fair bit of effort and you'll burn air quite quickly ...

some advice:

with a dark hull, it is difficult to see what you are doing. the water quickly gets clouded with muck.

water visibility in s coast is awful. i've dropped to the bottom (for a rest) and can't see the hull at all.

i have a fairly big hull (long keel 35') and it's at least an hour with a 15ltr cylinder

you need decent warm clothing (and dry suit - could try it with a wetsuit but i have not ever done so and am sure i wouldn't be warm enough) but you can't do it with thick fleeces as buoyancy goes to hell (trapped air) and you begin to feel v. restricted by the thick clothing. try to use many thin layers - keeps buoyancy under control and lets you move more easily

for price of a bit more than 500 euros, you might be able to get all that deep-andy recommends second-hand from dive school (one in Nortampton is v. good) ... and enough training to get you started ...

hope that helps ..


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"In the old days (before BCDs) divers used a lifekacket as their buoyancy device, and the cylinder was strapped to your back on a small backpack" Gord luv us!!!"

In my day a life jacket was made of cork and only used by lifeboatmen wearing "souwesters" :o)) To increase or decrease your boyancy you either hit the "Knock off" valve or screwed the feed adjustment screw open further! ( Siebe Gorman hard hat rig) When using the early SCUBA The boyancy was ajusted by the correct use of the appropriate weights, with the addition of the odd stone or bit of Wrekage, stuffed into your belt and ditched before ascent, it can still be done quite easily. I do however reccomend proper training and a jacket or ABLJ as I knew them to be called (ajusted boyancy life jacket) being used it makes it a lot easier and of course more importantly Safer. DeepAndy`s point of a 3 litre pony bottle seems to me to be a good one, as on modern fibreglass boats heavy lumps of steel (tanks) can do a lot of damage, when getting into and out of the sea checking out a fouled prop, when not properly held to windward ( wife in charge symdrome) and rolling like a pig etc etc.
Rob

Rob

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If you intend using the dry suit suggest you practise in a pool first and try getting out of an inverted situation - this happens when air migrates (can be rapid!) to your boots. Have seen some quite experienced divers end up inverted, heading for the surface like a polaris missile, in a bit of a panic! If you remove most of air from suit first not such a problem but you lose the benefit of the air as an insulator - if suit neoprene still warmish but membrane type will be cold.

Re. air depends on lots of factors, your physical size, work rate, temperature etc. Typically you would get between 15 and 30 mins I would guess depending what you are doing. Calculation goes something like - with cyl@ 200 bar and 3 litres this is 600 litres of air. Taking a very average consumption of 25 litres/min at surface (this would be 50 l/m at say 10m) means 600/25 = 24 mins.

Hope this helps and haven't bored you with all this detail!!

p.s. BCD would certainly make it easier working under boat - and some training as well.





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Drysuit takes some practice to get used to ... but more comfortable in our climate than wetsuit ... Also agree about the inverted part .. you need to know what to do ..and do so without panicing... Have Neoprene, but had a membrane for the first 900 dives.... Finding Neoprene stronger and less prone to tear or leak. (on avout 1000 now on this one without any significant wear signs...

Also as small tip if you are working on a hull ... find the autoglass lifters (suction pads) being quite good to set in and have a holding point to for leverage...

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Alf
 
glass lifters ... v. good idea. hadn't thought of that although only clean hull once (maybe twice) a year but somebody round these parts does this professionally and i wonder if that's what he's got ....

otherwise, string rope from opposite side, round and under boat, and set buoyancy to give a comfortable position?

one other little tip is make sure you can get out the water ... boarding ladders can be both too short and not that strong ... try with no gear etc first. you do get v. tired after a good scrub ...

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Looks like you want a Mini-Breather - self contained tank, reg, weights and bcd in one backpack.

sport.jpg


Details: http://www.mini-b.com
Don't have one, and have no connection with the company either.

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PHIL F.......


Now all the others have recommended you NEED training and gave options on how to gain it ......

I'll Give you the profession and experince advise NOW,,,,,, as al the others failed to give .

1). As it is your own vessel, seek advice and premission from the marina, that you are OK to dive under your boat.
2). If possible get your stern as close as you can against the pontoon, a). easy to pass up , rope and tools etc etc . b) have a small line to hold onto if needed,or clip your kit to.

3) DON'T just remove the engine key. HIDE THE THING, ( Most of us take it down with us , to stop ANY nugget trying to start the engine.
4) Put into ASTERN,,,,, if rope round prop, it has a tencey to wind up forward against gearbox , when the pressure is released ( seen and helped SPORTIE WRECK DIVER types get caught out by this ) .
5) Even though a lot of boat owners don't know the meaning , FLY YOUR 'A' FLAG, because if the brown stuff hits the fan or you want to complain , at least you are complying with the 'A' flag rule.


if you want me to give more advise ,( waiting for flaming and see what the others can carry on from here ) then ask.....

Andy


<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.taurusdiving.co.uk>http://www.taurusdiving.co.uk</A>
 
no, cause in trying to get your bouancy you will inevitably use some air from the cylinder. If you were a very experienced diver, you might be able to get away with it, but you are not!

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Had very good deal on a pony sized cylinder and regulator at the Southampton boat show a couple of years ago.Saw them again this year the company is called "YO-YO" divers of Southhampton can't remember the actual price, give them a ring, also bought a weight belt at the same time.Apart from a buddy jacket ( gives you the negative weight combined with the weight belt) a wet suit and face mask is all you will need. My first year of having the kit saved me the price of it ,having had two lots of stuff rond my props within weeks of puchase.Wouldn't be without it now

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why you writing to me?
I've had training, I wouldn't go down in the Solent mire anyway, esp in the marina,
it was Gludy who wants to dive, I just inquired about the neat bit of kit I saw in a french magazine

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Would never recommend an inexperienced diver using a dry suit, too much to potentially go wrong, also scrubbing a boat gets to be hot work, even in a wet suit!

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aaar yerss ... not many round these parts go diving with their parrot stuffed down the leg (after youse unscrewed the wooden yin) .....

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Paul

Can't add much to what's been said except to speak a liitle about the comparisons between BSAC and PADI. BSAC was originally founded by ex Royal Navy divers and they teach to a very high technical level with quite advanced free swimming requirements before they will let you go under water. PADI is aimed far more at the recreational diver and concentrate on getting you under water quickly and safely. Each has its merits but in my experience they don't have many good words to say about each other and it can be difficult to get an objective comparison from either. The main point is that they come at it from very different angles.

I would suggest speaking to both (there are many PADI schools in the area) about your plans and decide for yourself which organisation is likely to offer training which is most relevant to your requirements.

Hope that helps.

<hr width=100% size=1>Of all the things I've lost - I miss my mind the most.
 
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