To hookah or not to hookah

[makahaman]

I wanted to get some feed back concerning a hookah. I used to have one but it got ruined being outside and I want to purchase one again. How safe is it to use because of the fumes that the engine creates when using one. I would like to hear the pros and cons before spending $2,000 dollars to purchase one again. And a last note is there one that isn't so noisey!!!!

 

[Saturna]

I have a 12VDC version (with 25ft line) that I use mainly for diving under my boat, so it's not really the same I guess, as it's not portable.

The air pump definitely is noisy. Mine is the single diaphram model.

http://www.seabreathe.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=2


I'm sure the gas ones are fine as long as the intake is up high and you aren't in large waves. They are certainly more pricey. If I had a couple of batteries, and a special raft, rather than the boat deck, I could use mine portable, but I'd only want to do it if it was calm.


Jay

*This is the kind of hookah you meant, .... right ?

 

[Sandman]

I've used one from Kneen Eng. and if you get the Honda engine is is fairly quiet. The air intake is high and the flag makes the intake be upwind. The ones by Jsink are very good and lots cheaper than a Brownie.

 

[mlayers]

If you had one before how did it work. Was it noisey. I am just wondering as I would also .like to get one for next spring hunting....Matt

 

[KEYSHUNTER]

all units are outside ?? If it is shallow just go with a tank and approved line dont do overkill oOOooooo

 

[Sundancer]

I use both a hookah and SCUBA to dive the rivers here in N. Florida. Mine is a unit called a 'HookaMax' and has a Honda GC 160 engine on it. It's fairly quiet. I suggest NOT trying to make one like I've seen some other guys here want to do.. BUY a GOOD unit. Your life depends on it. If you have not already, I strongly recommend getting a Basic SCUBA open water cert. too.
Anyway, the hookah diving is great! I can put two divers down on 100 ft. lines for three hours for the cost of 1.8 qts. gasoline. There is a third hookup as well but I only have two lines/regulators.
There are situations where I prefer SCUBA though. Logs, snaggy bottom and boat traffic are some.. The water in the rivers is usually shallow ( up to maybe 15 feet ) but there are holes much deeper.. those I SCUBA because of sharp limerock. Also, I don't use an inflatable raft. I either have it in a 16' boat or in a little 10' engineless johnboat I can just pull around. It's very lightweight. I was worried the inflatable would get punctured by some sharp stick or whatever.
Anyway, should you buy one, have FUN diving!

~Mike

 

[Sandman]

If you had one before how did it work. Was it noisey. I am just wondering as I would also .like to get one for next spring hunting....Matt

It worked very well and about a might less noisy that your lawn mower at idle. That is one reason to get the Honda engine as they have a better mufflef system. If you want real quiet, the 12 volt battery ones only give the noise of the compressor. However the transportation of the heavy batteries was a downside for me when I used one with a buddy.

The things that bottered me the most were idiot boaters that either came to close to the dive flag or thought the hookah was something free that they could take aboard their boat. It was at times like those that I wished I had brought a Boom Stick.

By all means get a scuba certification and carry a spare air tank on your BC for emergencies. A good dive knife is a must. If you are a charter member type Hookah into the search feature to bring up all the past posts on it.

 

[Sundancer]

Here are some threads concerning hookah diving that have been posted here in the past..

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,293081.0.html

~Mike

 

[FLauthor]

I have an old one that I will probably sell one day. It has a 5 hp Briggs and a T-80 compressor mounted on a donut tube that takes a truck tube with 30 feet of hose. I'm keeping the air bottle and regulator for my new one. Watch for it in Classifieds here or on Craigslist/Orlando.
I never bother with Spare Air, I put a inline air bottle on the air line. It held about 90 seconds of air which was more than enough to reach the surface. As for SCUBA lessons, never took a one but chatted with Hal Watts, a famous diver and he told me common sense was all that was needed with a hookha as long as you remained within 1 atmosphere or 30 feet. In other words, don't be 30 feet down and swim to the surface without exhaling or you'll get the bends.
I was hunting near a pier and the kids started jumping near my rig. I was 15 feet down when a chunky kid landed right next to me. I grabbed his ankle and held him for a second. I surfaced and chewed them all out. Had that kid struck me on my back, he'd probably killed me or broke my back. Then I held up a broken beer bottle and a filet knife that was found with the point up in the vicinity of where they were jumping. I saved someone from a trip to the hospital. After that little Show and Tell, they respected what I was doing.
Most of my best finds were found in 10 to 15 feet of water and I broke the cardinel rule of diving. I dove alone since at that time I had no choice as I had no partner. I used Common Sense and it served me well. Do what you want to do. Start out in shallow water until you feel confident in moving out in deeper water.
PS: http://www.octopumps.com/ultrafloat.htm will be the unit I'm getting.

 

[Sundancer]

One of the selling points for me to purchase the HookahMax unit is the two 2 gal. air tanks incorporated. We tested it with two divers at about 10 feet.. had about 10 mins before air was gone after deliberate shutdown.. unlike a kink in the line which is immediate airflow stoppage, the tanks afford air but at an increasingly difficult to breathe situation.. also, you can hear the engine running.. and when things go silent, just head back to shallow water.

~Mike

 

[billn1956]

I use the octo pump.Honda engine and 60 foot of air line.Bought it new this year about 1100. to my door. I Always dive alone and just use common sense.always carry a good sharp knife.water is very murky here, lucky if i can see 3 foot.and trout lines or such is why i carry a knife.Start off in shallow water and STAY there until you are happy with where you are. pratice losing your mask and getting it on and cleared before Evan thinking about going deeper.I never go deeper then about 20 feet.be safe and always let some one know where you will be.HH

 

[Jason in Enid]

As for SCUBA lessons, never took a one but chatted with Hal Watts, a famous diver and he told me common sense was all that was needed with a hookha as long as you remained within 1 atmosphere or 30 feet. In other words, don't be 30 feet down and swim to the surface without exhaling or you'll get the bends.

You should have listened to Hal a little better. The deadliest thing you can do when breathing underwater is to come up ANY amount while holding your breath. Either actively breath, or exhale during ascents. It only takes a few feet of rising to rupture your lungs, causing an air embolism and likely death. As long as you stay shallower than 30 feet, it's almost (not impossible though) impossible to get the bends. At the typical treasure hunting deapths of 15 feet and less, you could stay down all day long and never worry about the bends.