Blowing holes in the sand!!!!!

[makahaman]

Just wondering if there is a inconspicious way of doing this? I wanted to use my outboard engine and was wondering if there is any kind of set up out there that I could use? I don't want anyone knowing what I am doing underwater but need to move sand around to find some goodies underwater, can one make a smaller version of the propwash tube coming off the engine and have it underwater? Just curious?? Thanks for everyones comments!!!

 

[ScubaFinder]

Yes, you can make a blower for an outboard...a simple search here will reveal everything you need to know.

I have to ask though, have you even checked into the legalities and permitting process there? I assume you are trying to stay under the radar of the authorities, since there aren't a lot of pirates operating around your islands. This is exactly the type of activity that makes it harder for law-abiding treasure hunters like 90% of the people on this forum to get permits. Maybe I'm mis-reading your post, but there really is no reward at the end for treasure hunting illegally, at best you get away with it and sell your hard found artifacts for pennies on the dollar, at worst you go to jail and give the rest of us a bad name. Done correctly, you give a percentage of your artifacts to the state (where they can be studied and hopefully displayed to the public), and in turn get certified artifacts that command 10-20 times the price of black market artifacts...it doesn't take a math whiz to choose the right course...a few here disagree with me, but I say they need to repeat 3rd grade math.

Jason

 

[grizzly bare]

What Jason said. Good advice for all of us.

grizzly bare

 

[tac512ltd]

Well said, and thoroughly explained, Jason.

 

[stevemc]

I think where he's at its all modern jewelry and new coinage recovery. There may be a law in Hawaii about dredging, I dont know. If you want to blow sand, a personal diver propulsion unit will do that. Lots of guys do that for sharks teeth here. You blow off the sand and reveal the heavier objects. I saw one the other day at Boater's World for $250 or so, and it looked real nice, and was small.

 

[wreckdiver1715]

There may still be a need to maintain a level of secrecy, even when working within the letter of the law.

Tom

 

[makahaman]

Jason relax, I am not disturbing some treasure galleon here in Hawaii since there isn't any!! Talking about treasure hunting in general we do get a bad name no matter what!! If you call yourself a treasure hunter even if you do everything possible to be legal people in the community oppose you especially the archeologist!! Look at what Mel Fisher did in Florida when he was looking for a wreck in the sanctuary down in the Keys the government were upset because he disturbed some sea grass!! Just imagine sea grass, he made big blow holes looking for a galleon in the so called state sancutary!! So don't give me any crap about making holes in the sand, by the way sand moves every day from waves!! Do you know what waves are or should I explain what they are, I am not distroying coral like what some treasure companies have done in the past!! So don't give me any kind of shit about moving sand!! Thank you very much!!!!!

 

[rgecy]

Temper, Temper!

Jason does get a little preachy about the ethical side of Treasure Hunting and may not have thought out or thought to ask, what it is you were trying to do before posting! I don't blame him for being ethical. As the saying goes, A few bad apples will spoil the bunch! (or something to that effect) As a group we need to be carefull in how we approach projects and the legalities of what we do!

I am sure he didn't mean any disrespect.

Its not just about destroying sea grass or coral. Most states have guidelines on what you can and cant do in regards to disturbing the bottom sediments. And its not all about looting a treasure wreck. There are turbitity issues, and small animals that live in the sand, etc, etc. Blowers move alot of sand quickly!

Anyway, I have an outboard blower on my Yamaha 225. Its 18" in diameter. As for being inconspicuous, that it is not! It kicks up quite a cloud of sand and is pretty bulky. Not to mention, you have to put out three anchors to keep the boat positioned in one spot.

The underwater Scooter seems to be a better solution, or maybe a pvc elbow on a jetski!

Let me know if I can help!

Good Luck,

Robert

 

[FISHEYE]

makahaman,

When i left oahu in 1981 there was only 1 game warden for all of the islands.No marine patrol.The fire station in kailua went out to rescue people in the ocean in thier rubber zodiac.The coast guard didnt mess with anyone unless they were 3 miles out past the reefs.Sometimes the marines were called in to blow up large sharks that got inside the reefs with rocket launchers.So for me an my diver friends it was pretty much a free for all.Wether we were taking machine guns off a crashed sunken jap zero or cutting the props off ww2 airplanes in the ocean or getting lobsters by the hundreds.We even spear fished in hanauma bay at night!Any place all over the island no one bothered us.We donated the machine guns to the bishop museum.Im sure times have changed there.You could always dive at night.Lots to see an not be seen.Like you said,theres no shipwrecks there.Just modern stuff.Lots of treasure at the tourist beaches an in the water.an thats all legal.I lived on oahu for 12 years an spent dam near every day in the water.Mostly shell hunting,spear fishing,lobsters,surfing and windsurfing.When i wasnt in the water i was jumping off the molikai cliffs above sea world in my bamboo an plastic hang glider.I dont miss hawaii.Its a nice place to visit,i wouldnt want to live there again.

 

[Salvor6]

Hey makaman,
I have a Christmas present for you. Send me a PM with your mailing address and I will send you the plans and blueprints of my hand-held blower. I will also send you one of my waterproof switch boxes. Then you can have your own project to work on.