Hooka and Small Pontoon Boat?

[bigscoop]

A small pontoon boat and a hooka? Seems whenever I'm in chin deep water I'm always hitting good targets just beyond my maiximum ability to dig them. Sometimes I can reach out and sort of drag them back to me with my scoop, but most often I simply have to leave them. And those that I do find in the chin deep water are a real pain to recover because of the buoyancy issue. If they're very deep at all sometimes I have to leave them as well. I don't get to go as much as I use to so when I do get to go I sure hate having to leave anything behind. Anyone use a similar setup? And if so, how's it working out for you?

 

[Sandman]

I got into using a hookah to extend my down time with using scuba. Being a diver it is a pain to haul all that gear and always getting tanks refilled. I got my hookah from Kneene Eng. http://www.keeneeng.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=ACS There are other nice hookah brands like J-sink. http://www.airlinebyjsink.com/ Get the Honda engine because it starts easy and is quiet. You should definitely get scuba trained for safety even if diving in shallow water like 6 ft. There are electric models for use in private areas or at night hunting. Not safe in saltwater though.

Those targets that are just out of reach are still there because all the other hunters can't reach them either. I've seen guys lashing plastic milk crates to their feet just to get out deeper.

 

[FLauthor]

Go on Craigslist under boats and search for Bass Hunter or mini-Bass hunter boats. These are pontoon boats. You can buy the entire Hooka rig from Super Snorkle, Brownie 3rd Lung, Keene and a few others. If you really want to save money, go to Keene's catalog: buy a motor/compressor plate, plastic donut to mount the motor and compressor in. T-80 compressor, Go to Freight Harbor and get a 5hp motor for about 1/4 what Keene charges, a pigtail hose that connects the compressor to the air reserve bottle to 30 feet of air line with quick connectors to the harness/regulator. Pulleys can be purchased from hardware store or Keene. Sit down and assemble the unit. Some people say to get SCUBA trained. I went to Hal Watts, a famous diver and asked him. He told me that it wasn't really necessary as long as I could swim, stayed within one atmosphere 0-30 and don't hold your breath when you surface. Just common sense. I dove like that for many years without a problem, only mechanical problems. Building my own rig taught me how to fix problems when they occurred and gave me more dive time. Like when the pulley came off the compressor. When the compressor stops, your air stops and that is not comfortable at 20 feet down. Hence the reserve bottle gives the diver about 2 minutes of air enough to surface safely. Always carry a SCUBA knife in case you get tangled in discarded monofilament fishing line. Braided line is even tougher to break and has to be cut. And a quick disconnect to your harness rig in case your hose gets tangled and you need to surface.
I haven't dove in years but I still have my rig ready for use. Fire up the motor once in a while to keep everything working. Talk to a SCUBA master about hooka use. I had one accident that nearly cost me my life. My hooka unit pulley fell off. I surfaced and started for shore when my air line became tangled. I did a quick disconnect and started breast stroking for the dock. I had forgotten my snorkle and during the swim, inhaled a mouth full of water, dropped my weight belt, metal detector and swam for my life for a pier piling where I cleared my airway. Learned a valuable lesson: never dive without a safety man, a CO2 snorkle PFD and especially a snorkle.
Use common sense, listen to Sandman and talk to a SCUBA master and enjoy the sport.

 

[Da Sand Crab]

Too much gear to carry and maintain. I have made a 9 foot shaft for my Sandshark and use snorkeling gear. It takes practice to build up your down time (holding your breath), but you can get good at it in no time.

 

[spez401]

Breath hold is great... for shallower targets. I got a chance to use a hookah rig earlier this summer. Small swimming hole near where i grew up... maybe 50' in diameter, with a bridge (for jumping) and a huge oak tree with a rope swing over it. Only reason i never hit it before - the hole is about 20' deep.

I was planning on hitting it with the scuba gear, but a buddy said i could borrow the rig (he uses it to clean boats at a marina). I wouldn't have been able to recover 1/2 of what I got with a breath-hold (i've got around a 2 min bottom time - years of spearfishing and freediving). I only had 2 problems... 1. I ran out of gas, 2. I froze my butt off... even with a wetsuit, after being in the water for 3+ hours.

But... I found a ton of coins, rings, a few watches, pocketknives... It was MD HEAVEN! I also pulled out a ton of trash - neer bottles, cans, pop tops, iron bars, a broken shovel, a tire, what looked like 1/2 of a motorcycle frame...

After that haul, I seriously considered finding a hookah system. If only i had more time, and fewer hobbies....

steve

 

[Frank1960]

I got into using a hookah to extend my down time with using scuba. Being a diver it is a pain to haul all that gear and always getting tanks refilled. I got my hookah from Kneene Eng. http://www.keeneeng.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=ACS There are other nice hookah brands like J-sink. http://www.airlinebyjsink.com/ Get the Honda engine because it starts easy and is quiet. You should definitely get scuba trained for safety even if diving in shallow water like 6 ft. There are electric models for use in private areas or at night hunting. Not safe in saltwater though.

Those targets that are just out of reach are still there because all the other hunters can't reach them either. I've seen guys lashing plastic milk crates to their feet just to get out deeper.

do you need to be scuba certified for one of those?

 

[kaptainkosmic]

If you're breathing compressed air

you really need to know what you're doing. It doesn't matter if it is coming from a scuba tank or a hookah it's still compressed air. I'm not trying to be snotty or condesending, it comes down to a matter of living or dying!

Steve :-)

 

[Frank1960]

Re: If you're breathing compressed air

you really need to know what you're doing. It doesn't matter if it is coming from a scuba tank or a hookah it's still compressed air. I'm not trying to be snotty or condesending, it comes down to a matter of living or dying!

Steve :-)

Snot snotty at all lol I asked a question about something i didn't know and got a reply. No hookah for me before scuba lessons Thanks for the reply

 

[erikk]

Re: If you're breathing compressed air

you really need to know what you're doing. It doesn't matter if it is coming from a scuba tank or a hookah it's still compressed air. I'm not trying to be snotty or condesending, it comes down to a matter of living or dying!

Steve :-)

Snot snotty at all lol I asked a question about something i didn't know and got a reply. No hookah for me before scuba lessons Thanks for the reply

SMART MOVE

 

[greydigger]

Is it true that you have to show your open dive card to get SCUBA tanks filled ?
Grey

 

[Sturgell]

Is it true that you have to show your open dive card to get SCUBA tanks filled ?
Grey

I know you have to show some sort of cert card. I shoot precharged pneumatic air rifles which I fill out of a scuba tank and I had to sign a waiver saying I wasn't going to dive with the tank. Plus I get to argue with everyone that works there except the little old man who sold me the tank.

 

[Diver_Down]

Is it true that you have to show your open dive card to get SCUBA tanks filled ?
Grey

I know you have to show some sort of cert card. I shoot precharged pneumatic air rifles which I fill out of a scuba tank and I had to sign a waiver saying I wasn't going to dive with the tank. Plus I get to argue with everyone that works there except the little old man who sold me the tank.

Grey, yes. A c-card is necessary. Sturgell, don't abuse the privilege. The waiver that you sign wouldn't hold up in court if you were to use the tank for diving and were injured. The shop could still be sued and their professional liability insurance wouldn't back them as they violated their terms. The shop's owner and employees would be up a creek without a paddle.

 

[Sturgell]

Grey, yes. A c-card is necessary. Sturgell, don't abuse the privilege. The waiver that you sign wouldn't hold up in court if you were to use the tank for diving and were injured. The shop could still be sued and their professional liability insurance wouldn't back them as they violated their terms. The shop's owner and employees would be up a creek without a paddle.

I don't dive, I shoot precharged pneumatic airguns. As proof I have had it filled twice and it is about due for its second visual inspection since I have owned it.

I would like to learn to dive but there are other things that are more important to me right now.

 

[Sandman]

It is not really necessary to be scuba certified to use a Hookah rig but I highly recommend it for your own safety. You learn more than just how to use the regulator and tanks. There is the use of proper weight belts, floatation BC's which I think you should use even with hookah for holding a SpareAir tank. ( small air tank with regululator) Use of dive knives for cutting fishing line which can entangle you as even 6 lb test can kill you. The most important thing you might get from the training is confidence in your abilities and breathing control. The use of underwater drinking of water for the dry throat is one example of the training that isn't covered in a lot of dive shops.

 

[Diver_Down]

Grey, yes. A c-card is necessary. Sturgell, don't abuse the privilege. The waiver that you sign wouldn't hold up in court if you were to use the tank for diving and were injured. The shop could still be sued and their professional liability insurance wouldn't back them as they violated their terms. The shop's owner and employees would be up a creek without a paddle.

I don't dive, I shoot precharged pneumatic airguns. As proof I have had it filled twice and it is about due for its second visual inspection since I have owned it.

I would like to learn to dive but there are other things that are more important to me right now.

I wasn't attempting to accuse you of impropriety. and I apologize if it came out as such. I just wanted to convey the risks the owner has taken on despite trying to alleviate the risks by having you sign a waiver. Enjoy the side-deal that you have, and it wouldn't hurt to share a box of donuts the next time it needs to be filled to show your gratitude. Good luck.