Black Water Treasure Boats and Equipment

[starsplitter]

Greetings Old Hands:

For locating and salvaging small items (possibly a cannon if smaller), what sort of boat is recommended? I am talking rivers and other sheltered areas. Size? Material (fiberglass, steel, aluminum)? Equipment?

Thanks.

 

[Darren in NC]

For rivers, even a bass boat would work for surveying. Use a magnetometer for cannon (if it's iron), side scan (or Hummingbird 987c) for imaging the bottom, and/or a pulse induction sled for ferrous and nonferrous targets. Make sure your boat is fiberglass or else you'll drive the equipment crazy. The mag will need an A frame to keep the engine interference away. I'll leave you to sort out and research each of these items. Use your search feature above and you'll find more than you care to know Now a recovery vessel is a whole 'nother animal!

 

[starsplitter]

Thanks Darren.

Great advice! On a recovery boat... I was thinking of a large pontoon boat. It could be used for baseline mapping and recovery - just enough to be sure that I'd found what I was searching for. Then, if it's a go, move on to something bigger/heavier.

By the way, have you had any experience working with local or state historical societies/agencies? Someone else responded to a previous post of mine - basically, they recommended building a relationship/getting them on board to begin with. Such a relationship would pay dividends later. What are your thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[coin_diver]

or you can make it really easy.... I've lifted items up to 10 tons w/ bags, then towed them to shore and trailered out from there. And with a bass boat...
Remember, big boats=big money

 

[rgecy]

By the way, have you had any experience working with local or state historical societies/agencies? Someone else responded to a previous post of mine - basically, they recommended building a relationship/getting them on board to begin with. Such a relationship would pay dividends later. What are your thoughts?

From what is sounds like, you will be opperating in State waters. And of course the state has control over all submerged cultural resources. I think you will find that most states are going to require a permit to survey and recover artifacts of this nature.

So the answer to your question is, Yes, you will definitely need to establish a good standing relationship with the state and state authorities.

If you let me know what state you are in it may save you some trouble.

Good Luck,

Robert in SC

 

[starsplitter]

Thanks CoinDiver and RG. CD, I have thought of inflated bags too. Any suggestions on what to use? I thought of military fuel bladders, but even surplus is very expensive. RG, I will be starting in Ohio and western PA. I sent an inquiry to KY (the ODNR here referred me there). I have not received an answer.

 

[coin_diver]

Hello again, hope this helps...
As far as state jurisdiction is concerned, GENERALLY, at least here in NY, only border waters are controlled by the state (Office of General Svcs. OGS) Many waters actually convey ownership to water body midline, others stop at MHL Mean High Water Line, so you can see there is no clear cut line. Also, know the answer before asking because I guarantee most others do not. Many tens of thousands has been spent educating them on the laws of ownership.
Per the lift bags, all depends on the intended lift. Overblowing can kill a diver, seen it happen. So match the bag for the job, this can be pontoon, pillow or open bag. Hope this helps! Also, bags can be p/u 2nd hand fairly cheap.

 

[starsplitter]

CoinDiver:

Excuse my ignorance, but what sort of "bags" are you talking about? Can you provide some examples? Thanks.

Starsplitter

 

[ThTx]

If you plan to use lift bags, get some proffesional instruction. You can easily die if you make a mistake.

I took a great course last summer. The final exam consisted of planning, staging and moving a submerged jet. Awesome experience.

 

[divedigger]

I have gotten a good variety of bags from Leisurepro,very reasonable and very quick

 

[starsplitter]

ThTx:

Where do you get the sort of instuction you mentioned? Just goes to show ya... I figured for a river, all that I needed was scuba certification and a couple of hookah lessons. The rest? On the job training. Thanks... ending up dead is not my idea of a treasure hunt.

Just a note... I want to keep this on the cheap side - cheap, but safe. I figure I am not looking at big returns on the typical river wreck.

Starsplitter

 

[ScottyLee]

I bought my lift bags from these people. They treated me right and have any kind of bag you need.

http://www.proliftbags.com/

 

[starsplitter]

Thanks Scotty, great site.

 

[coin_diver]

I, like Scotty, endorse ProLift. I had a dozen bags built to my specs when lifting logs, snowmobiles, cars, etc. and they treated me well. That doesn't mean cheap, but they held up pretty well.
Per the river lift, these can be very dangerous, almost got killed by a rookie diver once in the Ohio w/ a good 3 knot current during a lift. If you are doing a lift in a river, bring in a pro because dying sucks even though it is a learning experience. I spent years as a commercial diver and spent alot on my education. I don't want to discourage you and like most people here, glad to help if possible. Good bunch of guys on this board, take heed!

 

[starsplitter]

CoinDiver:

Thanks for the encouragement. Ditto on the "dieing would suck" part.

Starsplitter

 

[crzhors]

Hello Starsplitter, You can try <subsalve.com> for quality lift bags...

 

[ScubaFinder]

I took a great course last summer. The final exam consisted of planning, staging and moving a submerged jet. Awesome experience.

I may very well know THTX...assuming the TX is for Texas...my guess is he took the lift bag class at Athens Scuba Park...Calvin Wilcher (a treasure hunter) teaches lots of different classes in addition to SCUBA. I've taken several from him, including Side Scan Sonar, Proton Magnetometer, and I was there helping when they moved the jet, more as an advisor than actually taking the class. I helped Mark rig the harness and inflate the bag under the nose. We rode in the aircraft while Calvin towed it across with the pontoon boat. Sound familiar THTX?? That's be cool if you were there, as far as I know that is the only time the jet (C-140) was relocated so I bet you were! Cool...

Jason