SCUBA
- Thread starter C-Hawk
- Start date
I started diving in 1984 & my son is a SCUBA instructor for Penn State University and Juniata College. He also runs a dive shop here in PA.
Right now he & his wife are in the Bahamas. An email I received from him a few hours ago says, "Out of all the places I’ve been, Half Moon Cay is the most beautiful. Unbelievable I can’t even explain it. I have taken over 500 pictures...".
Evidently the divng is good in Half Moon Cay. Anyone up to a cruise to the Bahamas this winter?
You have to admit Tyboo, I stayed on topic for 87.3% of this post! :wink
Right now he & his wife are in the Bahamas. An email I received from him a few hours ago says, "Out of all the places I’ve been, Half Moon Cay is the most beautiful. Unbelievable I can’t even explain it. I have taken over 500 pictures...".
Evidently the divng is good in Half Moon Cay. Anyone up to a cruise to the Bahamas this winter?
You have to admit Tyboo, I stayed on topic for 87.3% of this post! :wink
Wow, how did I miss this thread? I guess because it started before I was a member I must have overlooked it. Add me to the C-Brats diving fraternity.
Swee Pea: I, too, am a NAUI instructor, now on retrired status, but also held PADI and YMCA instructor cards. In my years of teacing diving I certified about 1500 students. I also dove with the local Sheriff's dept for over 15 years, getting a lot of experience that, in retrospect, I wish I didn't have.
John, see if you can figure out when I took my NAUI ITC; my instructor number is 5459.
Nick
"Valkyrie"
Swee Pea: I, too, am a NAUI instructor, now on retrired status, but also held PADI and YMCA instructor cards. In my years of teacing diving I certified about 1500 students. I also dove with the local Sheriff's dept for over 15 years, getting a lot of experience that, in retrospect, I wish I didn't have.
John, see if you can figure out when I took my NAUI ITC; my instructor number is 5459.
Nick
"Valkyrie"
There's a little loop on the Brownie inner-tube float handle you just coil and hang it on.
On the dredges we simply coil it on the dredge, and sometimes aren't using the air at all (note the snorkel). The long tube coming up above the engine is the air compressor snorkel (Keene system), the little blue spot just fwd of the engine is the compressor (T-80: good for one diver working to 30 feet). Anyone ordering a Keene system will need to go to their website and order the system with the air compressor tailored to your needs.
This dredge working on the Smilkameen River (3 oz nuggets not uncommon) in Wa.)
20 feet under working a 5" dredge on the Umpqua River vacuming up gold from the bedrock crevices in Oregon (2002 -- 6lbs of gold):
Some of the Umpqua River gold:
On the dredges we simply coil it on the dredge, and sometimes aren't using the air at all (note the snorkel). The long tube coming up above the engine is the air compressor snorkel (Keene system), the little blue spot just fwd of the engine is the compressor (T-80: good for one diver working to 30 feet). Anyone ordering a Keene system will need to go to their website and order the system with the air compressor tailored to your needs.
This dredge working on the Smilkameen River (3 oz nuggets not uncommon) in Wa.)
20 feet under working a 5" dredge on the Umpqua River vacuming up gold from the bedrock crevices in Oregon (2002 -- 6lbs of gold):
Some of the Umpqua River gold:
Anyone seriously interested in a Surface Air Supply (Hookah) should really look at the AirLine by J. Sink. Go to www.airlinebyjsink.com. Joe used to work for Brownies. Joe introduced the first direct drive Hookah and in my humble opinion, the best. All others, including Brownies, is a copy using cheaper parts.
I have owned and sold Brownies and now sell the Airline (and own one) and in my humble opinion far outshines the rest in quality, ease of use, design, and cost.
As in a previous post, you must be trained to use Hookah just like you would for scuba.
A BCD is not necessary for use with Hookah, but this depends on the depth, type of exposure suit you are using and other factors. As for an alternate air supply in case your unit shuts off (not as common as one thinks) you should use one if the depth you are diving is beyond your ability to make a safe ascent to the surface.
If you are using a 60' hose in 20' of water, the rest of the hose floats on the surface. The Airline uses individual 60' hoses that give each diver a direct ascent to the surface. If your unit does shut off, each diver is breathing the residual air from their individual hose. A safety resivor is availabe for any of the Hookah units. Brownie uses one feed hose and branches 20' of hose to each diver. So for instance, three divers are breathing off of one feeder hose. Connectors are plastic - the Airline's are brass. Aftercare for the Airline is a snap.
I could go on and on, but this IS NOT a commercial. Like any product we talk about on this forum, we need to research and look at the pros and cons of any item. In the long run, be better informed and buy the one you like.
Again, visit the Airline site. If anything, Joe Sink is a funny guy and you will enjoy his sense of humor. There is a video uploaded that will talk more about Hookah.
My offer still stands. If anyone wants an Airline by J Sink, I will get you one at the Brats' special price.
Nick: my Naui Instructor number is 16459 and is 12 years old. You are giving away your age at number 5459. I have much respect and admiration for the early NAUI Instructors, true leaders in the dive community. NAUI has come a long way - teaching divers to scuba dive since 1959. Ever think about getting back into instructing?
John
Swee Pea
I have owned and sold Brownies and now sell the Airline (and own one) and in my humble opinion far outshines the rest in quality, ease of use, design, and cost.
As in a previous post, you must be trained to use Hookah just like you would for scuba.
A BCD is not necessary for use with Hookah, but this depends on the depth, type of exposure suit you are using and other factors. As for an alternate air supply in case your unit shuts off (not as common as one thinks) you should use one if the depth you are diving is beyond your ability to make a safe ascent to the surface.
If you are using a 60' hose in 20' of water, the rest of the hose floats on the surface. The Airline uses individual 60' hoses that give each diver a direct ascent to the surface. If your unit does shut off, each diver is breathing the residual air from their individual hose. A safety resivor is availabe for any of the Hookah units. Brownie uses one feed hose and branches 20' of hose to each diver. So for instance, three divers are breathing off of one feeder hose. Connectors are plastic - the Airline's are brass. Aftercare for the Airline is a snap.
I could go on and on, but this IS NOT a commercial. Like any product we talk about on this forum, we need to research and look at the pros and cons of any item. In the long run, be better informed and buy the one you like.
Again, visit the Airline site. If anything, Joe Sink is a funny guy and you will enjoy his sense of humor. There is a video uploaded that will talk more about Hookah.
My offer still stands. If anyone wants an Airline by J Sink, I will get you one at the Brats' special price.
Nick: my Naui Instructor number is 16459 and is 12 years old. You are giving away your age at number 5459. I have much respect and admiration for the early NAUI Instructors, true leaders in the dive community. NAUI has come a long way - teaching divers to scuba dive since 1959. Ever think about getting back into instructing?
John
Swee Pea
And if you want the commercial hookahs we use on the dredges:
>>Keene Engineering<<
I would definately recommend the heavy duty units. The smaller T-80 can be sucked dry by one diver working hard (we're moving rocks and boulders underwater with prybars). These are units you build up to suite your individual needs. Mark/Pat Keene could give guidance if you need it.
I have 4 dredges, the oldest is 8 years old -- still diving with the same compressor and it has withstood many 4-6 hour diving days.
Brownie:
I would definately go with the 390 for gasoline, or an electric model on a bigger boat with genset:
>>Brownie's Systems<<
I'm sure the unit described earlier is great as well. They all do what they're supposed to do and the engines now are really good. Sorry I can't give anyone a CD break -- I just use the stuff . . .
>>Keene Engineering<<
I would definately recommend the heavy duty units. The smaller T-80 can be sucked dry by one diver working hard (we're moving rocks and boulders underwater with prybars). These are units you build up to suite your individual needs. Mark/Pat Keene could give guidance if you need it.
I have 4 dredges, the oldest is 8 years old -- still diving with the same compressor and it has withstood many 4-6 hour diving days.
Brownie:
I would definately go with the 390 for gasoline, or an electric model on a bigger boat with genset:
>>Brownie's Systems<<
I'm sure the unit described earlier is great as well. They all do what they're supposed to do and the engines now are really good. Sorry I can't give anyone a CD break -- I just use the stuff . . .
John,
I took my NAUI ITC in 1976 and it doesn't seem possible that it was 30 years ago.
I retired from education last year and have thought about teaching diving again, but the local politics involving dive shops is something that I really don't want to be part of again. I might just check it out though.
Nick
"Valkyrie"
I took my NAUI ITC in 1976 and it doesn't seem possible that it was 30 years ago.
I retired from education last year and have thought about teaching diving again, but the local politics involving dive shops is something that I really don't want to be part of again. I might just check it out though.
Nick
"Valkyrie"