Hookah and bcd?

[pistolpete]

Is anybody that's using a hookah unit using a bcd or snorkeling vest with it? If so, could you tell me what model, any issues encountered, etc. Thanx

[niffler]

Hi Pistolpete, yeah I use a Dacor "carribean" BCD with my hookah. I have a Gast teflon piston air pump I traded a couple of samurai swords for and hooked it to a 24v DC electric scooter motor I salvaged out of the dumpster, with 2 deep cycle 12v batteries. I got a small reserve air tank at a local military surplus/ junk store. It works great for 2 divers too, but the whole rig is heavy. Hope this helps...

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

HI, before the BCV etc came around, I simply used chest expansion to control boyancy, breathing was by diaphram. It worked after fine after one became used to it, the difference in tissue displacement was sufficient to control minor boyancy problems. However, a Bcv is simpler and has a far wider range..

Don Jose de La Mancha

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Nice work Foiled. appears to be a winner. May try that myself if I start to dive agaiin..

Don Jose de La Mancha

[pistolpete]

Thanx for the tips guys, much appreciated

[divewrecks]

...there alot of people dont relize that they will need alot more weight than useing scuba but with that extra weight you also need more lift...

That's where RdT would have problems. It would mean ditching your weights and retrieving them later. I kind of like the idea of a snorkeling vest or a vintage "horse collar" BCD. Check ebay for any good buys.

Divers Supply sells a modern horse collar made by Sea Elite that looks pretty cool. Storage, D-rings, and emergency C02 inflator.

http://216.139.227.45/Sea-Elite-Hors...r-P503C96.aspx

Stan

[grumpyolman]

I have two of the Sea Elite horse collars. You'll need to get a C02 cartridge for them. I looked the C02 cartridges up on line and ordered some that were bigger than most you see. That way I know the vest will fill completely if I trigger it and the excess air will just bleed out of the release valve.
I have a Airline hookah. I did buy that brass T fitting so I could add a place to hook my inflator line into the hookah line. I know the thread on most all the inflator hoses is 3/8 X 24. I drilled and tapped the brass T so I could screw the inflator hose into it. I got the lathe and turned a little grove so the inflator hose O ring would not squeegy out of the way when tightening it. I use the horse collar with the CO2 as my primary emergency up elevator. I have the inflator hose hooked into my DRY suit and that is another lift device. If all that fails, I dump the weights, too. I actually use air in and out of the dry suit for buoyancy compensation and the C02 horse collar for emergency flotation. I have a dry suit that has little neoprene in it so I don't have the changing buoyancy problems because of neoprene compression at depth.
Also...I rarely go over 3' deep. Looking for stuff with an U/W detector in lakes. Jim

[divewrecks]

Sounds like a very well thought out approach Jim. Of course, in an emergency you wouldn't have to blow a bottle or ditch lead - you could just stand up (assuming you aren't shorter than 3').

Stan

[grumpyolman]

Dang! I practiced all those emergency procedures and all I have to do is stand up. That's too simple. Seriously I sometimes fudge a little and get 6-8' deep the truth be known. But unless there is a diving platform or a swim platform anchored in deeper water I really don't find much once I get over 3' deep. I know you have done it, but for those who haven't, watch the water and the people on a busy warm day. Note where most of them are. They go in about navel deep, and I won't speculate why just that deep, and frolic and play with each other and the kids. Watch where moms are playing with their kids. I think those are the highest probability areas. My wife found 14K with ice in 6" of water, after our dive, just messing around with the detector. Jim