Ever built a Hookah?

[Garret]

Sounds like one needs to choose diving buddies carefully, and be clear about expectations.

Yes indeed. I was on a dive in Fla. and was alone so the divemaster on the boat assigned me a buddy. Along with us were 2 women from Montreal, obviously a couple & experienced divers. After being down a while, I noticed that the 2 women were often separated & that one was obviously upset with her partner - as one kept swimming off & leaving her buddy (the one who seemed upset). My buddy was fine - good diver & stayed in visual range at all times. About 25 min. in, the woman who had seemed upset started waving frantically at her partner - but the partner was 50' away & oblivious. I signaled to my buddy to go to the "missing" buddy while I went to the woman in trouble. He flashed me the OK & took off. I went over to the struggling woman & realized she was out of air. I handed her my mouthpiece & grabbed my pony tank reg. She immediately (well after 3 or 4 deep breaths) calmed down & hung on to my BC strap. I signaled us up & we made a simple controlled ascent - including a short stop @ 10'.

We got back to the boat & she thanked me, the captain thanked me & we waited for the others to come up. A few minutes later my buddy & the other woman came up & she immediate started yelling at him about making her come to the surface. The woman I had helped yelled at her to STFU & get on the boat (I know that much French ). She did & immediately started getting really chewed out.

Anyway, the rest of the divers came up with the divemaster (who had problems rounding everyone up) & we headed on to the next dive site. The 2 women were told that they were not going down & my buddy & I were told that there'd be no charge for the trip. I'll take a wild guess that the 2 split up before getting back to Montreal...

[Phil Y]

Ive only ever done 2 resort dives. The first was not much fun. I had not enough weight or too much buoyancy, and my instructor didn't seem inclined to do anything about it, so it was a constant battle to stay down. That was in the Whitsunday islands I think. The second was in Vietnam. My instructor was gorgeous. She was an aussie girl working to save up to buy a boat to go sailing around the world. I fell in love immediately. I don't remember much about the dive.

[RFNK]

Good grief! In PNG I was asked if I'd like to train to be a divemaster, instructor etc. I considered it but declined. Most of my career was in management and I decided that the last thing I really wanted to do was try and manage people underwater. These days, I prefer to dive alone anyway. But I've dived with plenty of buddies and really only had good ones nearly all of the time. The only times I've had problems have been when assigned buddies on boat trips where they sometimes insist that you have a buddy. These days, if they insist, I just don't go. But in sinkholes and caves, it's mandatory, so I accept that, but I'd only dive in a cave with someone I knew very well anyway, and that's always been good.

For someone learning to dive, I'd strongly recommend training and doing the first few dives with someone you know and trust, as that's a time when you're likely to find out if you have any physiological issue with diving, and that you follow the rules carefully. The rules are based on experience and that experience hasn't been good. Most diving deaths occur within the standard recreational 18m limit.

By the way, Phil. I learnt to dive in the pool at the Ela Beach Hotel. It's only 1.5m deep and very warm. Probably not ideal but the training was really good.

Rick

[RFNK]

Ive only ever done 2 resort dives. The first was not much fun. I had not enough weight or too much buoyancy, and my instructor didn't seem inclined to do anything about it, so it was a constant battle to stay down. That was in the Whitsunday islands I think. The second was in Vietnam. My instructor was gorgeous. She was an aussie girl working to save up to buy a boat to go sailing around the world. I fell in love immediately. I don't remember much about the dive.

That's hopeless - buoyancy is so fundamental to diving enjoyment. The latter - Nha Trang? Whale Is?

Rick

[RFNK]

I decided I'd better stop harping on this thread .... but then I decided, ah, what the hell, I might as well keep it up .....

Two more reasons to go with scuba Phil:

1. You live in one of the best diving areas in Australia. Not only do you have good clean water quite close to Adelaide but you're also within striking distance of Mt Gambier where you could train and dive in the sinkholes there. If you really enjoyed that, you could join an expedition to the Nullarbor for some of the best cave diving in the world. But the freshwater diving around Mt Gambier is really beautiful - Piccaninnie Ponds, Ewen Ponds, in particular.

2. You're close to Rapid Bay where you can find the leafy seadragon - a fish that I'd really love to photograph!

Rick

[skuthorp]

My first 'night dive' was in about 10ft of water over a clear sandy bottom in broad daylight...........in a blackout mask.
More terrifying than the real thing. I have dived in a pool in a cave near Picaninny on a friends property, just a slit in the floor, lower tanks first, then yourself. Underneath a long deep bell shaped cave full of water. Tether diving of course.
In those days Picaninny and Ewans Ponds were wide open and you just drove up and dived in.

[PeterSibley]

My night dives were in 4m of water off the Brighton jetty in SA. Almost total sensory deprivation, just the light on the end of the jetty to indicate which way to swim for up. God Help us if the globe had blown. 16 years old.

[Tom Christie]

This thread has gotten really good, I love it!I'
I've been a padi instructor, commercial diver, recovered bodies from diving accidents while with CCG, and am very familiar with the science and psychology of under water operations.
The risks involved with a home made hooka are beyond the scope of the OP.
It'll work, but there is a much greater chance that he will die than he realizes, otherwise, he wouldn't do it.
One doesn't know, what they don't know.

[Phil Y]

So I was going to get a pressure switch. But when I thought about the specifics of plumbing and wiring it in, i went looking for a ready made oil free compressor.

I found this for $120. Also got some bigger diameter hose. At home it cycles on for about 10 seconds and then off for 20 with me breathing normally. If I switch it off it seems to hold a good reserve of air. Haven't had time to test that properly yet, but a couple of minutes breathing with it switched off hardly reduced the tank pressure at all. Life keeps getting in the way of this project, but I guess thats a good thing.

Now just got to get a day under the boat before winter sets in.

[RFNK]

Looks good. How do you know that it's definitely oil free? What's it supposed to be used for?

Rick

[PeterSibley]

https://sydneytools.com.au/ferrua-ve...FUsKKgodr5YLvA

No mention of oil free air.

•  Add to Cart

The Vento is the ideal compressor for applications requiring a compact and lightweight compressor for general use that is powerful enough for smaller air tools and spray guns. Compact and lightweight which makes it easily transportable and easy to store.
Is this product for you?

• Take care of all your DIY applications quickly and easily with the powerful and quiet Ferrua Vento Air Compressor
• It has a powerful 1.5HP motor producing an impressive 1100 watts and it is capable of producing 180 litres of air per minute with a maximum output of 116 PSI
• This machine is low maintenance and generates clean air as it is oil free

What is this product used for?

• This machine runs on a standard 240 volt domestic outlet making it ideal for pumping up car tyres, blow-up pools, air mattresses, sporting balls and other sport equipment
• It can alternatively be used for stapling and air-brushing applications and can be used with most small air tools

How easy is it to use?

• This compressor is compact, light weight and portable and is easy to use with its simple ON/OFF switch
• The Vento is fitted with a tool carrying hook and power cord holder for neat and tidy storage

Features :

• Easy to use with a simple ON/OFF switch operation
• Engineered in Italy
• Easy to read gauge
• Tool carrying hook and electric cable holder
• Light weight and compact
• 8 bar maximum pressure output
• Oil free
• Powerful 1.5 HP/1100 Watt motor

Specifications :

• Tank Capacity : 6 L
• Power : 1.5 HP / 1100 Watts
• Max pressure : 116 PSI / 8 bar
• RPM : 3400
• Air displacement : 180 l/min
• Voltage : 240v
• Weight : 9.5 kg
• Dimensions WxDxH : 355x315x370mm

Warranty

• 12 Months Warranty

[RFNK]

It says the air is clean. Maybe it is!

Rick

[Larks]

• This machine is low maintenance and generates clean air as it is oil free

seems pretty clear

[PeterSibley]

https://sydneytools.com.au/ferrua-ve...FUsKKgodr5YLvA

No mention of oil free air.

•  Add to Cart

The Vento is the ideal compressor for applications requiring a compact and lightweight compressor for general use that is powerful enough for smaller air tools and spray guns. Compact and lightweight which makes it easily transportable and easy to store.
Is this product for you?

• Take care of all your DIY applications quickly and easily with the powerful and quiet Ferrua Vento Air Compressor
• It has a powerful 1.5HP motor producing an impressive 1100 watts and it is capable of producing 180 litres of air per minute with a maximum output of 116 PSI
• This machine is low maintenance and generates clean air as it is oil free

What is this product used for?

• This machine runs on a standard 240 volt domestic outlet making it ideal for pumping up car tyres, blow-up pools, air mattresses, sporting balls and other sport equipment
• It can alternatively be used for stapling and air-brushing applications and can be used with most small air tools

How easy is it to use?

• This compressor is compact, light weight and portable and is easy to use with its simple ON/OFF switch
• The Vento is fitted with a tool carrying hook and power cord holder for neat and tidy storage

Features :

• Easy to use with a simple ON/OFF switch operation
• Engineered in Italy
• Easy to read gauge
• Tool carrying hook and electric cable holder
• Light weight and compact
• 8 bar maximum pressure output

• Oil free

• Powerful 1.5 HP/1100 Watt motor

Specifications :

• Tank Capacity : 6 L
• Power : 1.5 HP / 1100 Watts
• Max pressure : 116 PSI / 8 bar
• RPM : 3400
• Air displacement : 180 l/min
• Voltage : 240v
• Weight : 9.5 kg
• Dimensions WxDxH : 355x315x370mm

Warranty

• 12 Months Warranty

My mistake, it must be a diaphragm compressor. Are there any other kinds of oil free compressors ?

[artif]

Italians build lots of oil free piston compressors, I believe the cylinder is Teflon coated.

[Phil Y]

As Artif says. Piston. Teflon. Oil free. Simple. It's one thing that I'm pretty sure won't kill me. Now if I don't dive to 30 metres and hold my breath while I surface as fast as I can, I think we may be in business. Did I mention bluebottles have been seen in the marina?

[RFNK]

As long as the air really is clean, then the only issue I can think of that you might want to beware of, is that at about 5m, you might find the tank will not deliver enough air just before the compressor kicks back in. You won't find this out until you've breathed out and are then trying to breathe back in. That's when you will want to hit the surface pretty quickly. So, at least until you've tested this thing in the water, at about 5m, pretty thoroughly, don't go under anything or into any area where entanglement is possible. Remember, DCI is very possible from 5m or even less.

Good luck! Where did you get the hose from, by the way?

Rick

[PeterSibley]

Italians build lots of oil free piston compressors, I believe the cylinder is Teflon coated.

Thanks Artif, I live and learn!

[PeterSibley]

Italians build lots of oil free piston compressors, I believe the cylinder is Teflon coated.

Thanks Artif, I live and learn.

[Phil Y]

Thanks Rick. I will indeed take things very slowly and cautiously. I've no immediate plans to go deeper than than 2 metres. Hose I got on eBay. It says it's Australian made, which I think is comforting.

[RFNK]

You'll need weights to be comfortable. Check your weightbelt buckle to make sure you can dump the weights quickly - usually no problem. I find two ordinary diving weights is about right for me in a surfing wetsuit. Start with a minimum then add more for comfort.

Good luck! If this all works well, I might set up a similar system. I prefer tanks but this could be good to keep on the boat.

Rick

[Larks]

Phil, you could (if you ever felt the need or inclination) probably run a second hose off of a Y valve and drag an air sander/polisher down there with you to help you with the cleaning. Maybe something like a scotch-brite disc on it. You’d just need to give it a good rinse in fresh water afterwards and maybe have a bucket of Inox or something that you could dunk it in.

[artif]

Phil, you could (if you ever felt the need or inclination) probably run a second hose off of a Y valve and drag an air sander/polisher down there with you to help you with the cleaning. Maybe something like a scotch-brite disc on it. You’d just need to give it a good rinse in fresh water afterwards and maybe have a bucket of Inox or something that you could dunk it in.

Think I would use a second compressor For that as the small ones struggle to keep up with a sander in ambient pressure

[PeterSibley]

Phil, you could (if you ever felt the need or inclination) probably run a second hose off of a Y valve and drag an air sander/polisher down there with you to help you with the cleaning. Maybe something like a scotch-brite disc on it. You’d just need to give it a good rinse in fresh water afterwards and maybe have a bucket of Inox or something that you could dunk it in.

What a great idea Greg !!

[Phil Y]

I'll file that one away for later.

[Larks]

And then you could run a 3rd and 4th hose down each leg and use them like little “Iron man” jets to hold you against the hull while you scrub ..........

[RFNK]

Unless there's plenty of current, just scraping with a scraper destroys any visibility. With a power sander ....

Rick

[Phil Y]

I'm claiming success! Spent about an hour under the boat yesterday. It took a few minutes to get comfortable breathing through the regulator, but that done, the setup worked like a charm. Haven't finished scrubbing the bottom yet, I was a bit cold and a bit tired after about an hour and 20 minutes. But very happy with the way it works.

[RFNK]

Excellent Phil!

Did you use a wetsuit?

How long is the hose?

Rick

[Larks]

Great stuff!!! So will this now be a new hire concept??

[Phil Y]

Excellent Phil!

Did you use a wetsuit?

How long is the hose?

Rick

I just have a lightweight short wetsuit, wore that. The hose is 20m

[Phil Y]

Great stuff!!! So will this now be a new hire concept??

No, but with what it cost compared to what the available brands seem to sell for, Im thinking I could have an ebay store.....Being 240 volts is limiting, but perfect for boat scrubbing on a berth.

[PeterSibley]

No, but with what it cost compared to what the available brands seem to sell for, Im thinking I could have an ebay store.....Being 240 volts is limiting, but perfect for boat scrubbing on a berth.

Would it run on the average boat's inverter ?

[Phil Y]

Would it run on the average boat's inverter ?

I didn't try but I think not. The startup draw on an electric motor is pretty high.

[PeterSibley]

True, always a problem.