Today's Gold put me Over Four Grand for the Year.

[ScubaDetector]

I made a gold monster out of my new son-in-law. He wanted to get back out today so we went to the same spot we went yesterday. Made one dive. He has a blast and found two cents.

A wader was there that lurks here. I want to thank him for throwing his stupid round pull tabs back. I pick one off the surface and get a mid tone right after. Found a nice 14k 5 gram gold ring. That is my 36th gold ring for the year and my 38th gold for the year. No complaints here.

One silver ring and the gold, Three quarters, 4 dimes, a nickel and 11 pennies were my coin finds. The live 30 cal is from 1917.

Hopefully I will get over 5 grand in gold before the season ends.

 

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[BagLady]

Sweet! Love the coral inlay on the silver ring! The gold is ok too...

 

[against the wind]

Very nice, , congrats on reaching the $4K mark.

 

[kcm]

 

[trapperart]

Congrats on some nice finds

 

[ScubaDetector]

Beauty, Scuba! Congrats on the great find. Curious question. What's it been costing you to dive? I'm always curious the return. I know you don't do it for the money, it's a hobby like the rest of us, but I'm curious what your outlay is.

First you are right as of this year. I do not do it for the money. However, I will tell you that in the past I lived off my finds after my computer shop closed down and my wife died.

Yesterday we made one dive. The dive shop was giving me free air. But I was feeling guilty because even though I had done him a couple of favors, I didn't feel I deserved that much in return.

So I bought another air card. They cost me 45.00 for 10 fills. Which is 4.50 cents a tank. A tank lasts me 3 hours. Yesterday I couldn't dive that long. My neck was killing me so I stopped after a little more than 2. Air, gas, and batteries are my only expendables. I have 15 scuba tanks, most of which I bought on Craigslist for 30.00 each. They need inspected every 5 years which costs 18.00 for the hydro. They need a visual every year however I do them myself. The stickers cost 1.50 each on fee-bay. Otherwise a dive shop charges 15.00 a year for each tank.

BEFORE any diver decides that is wrong. You need to be aware that a yearly visual is a SCAM from the dive shops. It is NOT a mandated requirement for safety. People use scuba tanks for paintball. They do not require them to be visualized. Only hydro'ed as per the Department Of Transportation. The SCUBA shop industry made visual's a requirement ONLY for revenue.

So if I make two dives a day, I am looking at my cost as 9.00 for the air, and what ever gas it takes me to get to one of my many play areas. That is my daily expenditures. Yesterday we took my Sea Ray out but only went around half a mile. It has a small block Chevy engine in it. The day before yesterday we went out in the lake around 8 miles. So a 16 mile round trip.

I do agree it is a hobby. However, this hobby pays me. With all the business cards out there and people calling me to recover anchors. rings, watches, wallets and other things, I have a wonderful summer and always look forward to the heat!

One last side note. The scuba shop in my town closed down last fall. There is no place to get air here. I drive half hour away to Clinton Township to get it. I am buying my own compressor to fill my tanks next spring. They run used around 4500.00. I know it will pay for itself after a few years, saving me gas and time.

 

[vpnavy]

Nice finds! Thanks for sharing...

 

[TrashureSeeker]

First you are right as of this year. I do not do it for the money. However, I will tell you that in the past I lived off my finds after my computer shop closed down and my wife died.

Yesterday we made one dive. The dive shop was giving me free air. But I was feeling guilty because even though I had done him a couple of favors, I didn't feel I deserved that much in return.

So I bought another air card. They cost me 45.00 for 10 fills. Which is 4.50 cents a tank. A tank lasts me 3 hours. Yesterday I couldn't dive that long. My neck was killing me so I stopped after a little more than 2. Air, gas, and batteries are my only expendables. I have 15 scuba tanks, most of which I bought on Craigslist for 30.00 each. They need inspected every 5 years which costs 18.00 for the hydro. They need a visual every year however I do them myself. The stickers cost 1.50 each on fee-bay. Otherwise a dive shop charges 15.00 a year for each tank.

BEFORE any diver decides that is wrong. You need to be aware that a yearly visual is a SCAM from the dive shops. It is NOT a mandated requirement for safety. People use scuba tanks for paintball. They do not require them to be visualized. Only hydro'ed as per the Department Of Transportation. The SCUBA shop industry made visual's a requirement ONLY for revenue.

So if I make two dives a day, I am looking at my cost as 9.00 for the air, and what ever gas it takes me to get to one of my many play areas. That is my daily expenditures. Yesterday we took my Sea Ray out but only went around half a mile. It has a small block Chevy engine in it. The day before yesterday we went out in the lake around 8 miles. So a 16 mile round trip.

I do agree it is a hobby. However, this hobby pays me. With all the business cards out there and people calling me to recover anchors. rings, watches, wallets and other things, I have a wonderful summer and always look forward to the heat!

One last side note. The scuba shop in my town closed down last fall. There is no place to get air here. I drive half hour away to Clinton Township to get it. I am buying my own compressor to fill my tanks next spring. They run used around 4500.00. I know it will pay for itself after a few years, saving me gas and time.

That was a lot of useful information for questions I had for a while now, thanks for answering them. I always had this image about diving being super expensive, but the more I read the more affordable it looks. Maybe I will get a license myself in the near future.

 

[ARC]

Why not just go full compressor ?
I gave up tanks 20 years ago at least.

For the same price you can have a nice industrial portable with dual lines and regs.
Then...
No more lugging and filling and restricted movement etc etc etc.
Only tank you will need after that is spare air / pony... Which... never needs filling unless you use it.
I have 2 ponies... one for backup.

This... enables you to dive more for less... all the way around.
AND...
You can achieve all this for roughly the same amount of $$ ... perhaps even a bit less.

Here is my portable buggy mount...
Winterized.

 

[ARC]

Gasoline Powered Diving Systems |

 

[ARC]

OR...
you can jump even higher...

 

[ARC]

Oh... if noise is an issue... and do not want to opt for gas...

 

[TrashureSeeker]

Oh... if noise is an issue... and do not want to opt for gas...

I'm not really sold on the idea of having a line to the surface, takes only one outboard motor, right?

 

[ScubaDetector]

I had a Brownies hookah with a gas motor. Sold it after one use. Yes NOISE was the issue. I could not see myself diving around multi million dollar homes with that thing on the surface. You think in the past I was harassed by home owners? LOL, that thing would have brought them out of the wood work.

Since I already have my tanks, I am thinking snuba. I was going to look today for a float that would hold two and I could hook two together once I get them to the waters edge. I have all the parts for double tanks.

If that doesn't work, you are right. A Hookahmax electric with a reserve tank is what I have been eyeing.

I don't like a line to the surface either. Kevin had to come up and push a boat away from him on Monday and had words with the captain. We called 911 and all they did was talk to him. It is CWAP that boaters do not know the law and they can get away with it. We were in 4' of water.

Just watched the Brownies video. Awesome and leaves me a few questions. I need to visit their website to see how much more information I can get. THANKS

GASP!! That critter for two divers is 4270.00 Without a second set of batteries!! Can I start a go fund me thread?? LOL

 

[CASPER-2]

my snuba

my gas hookah


electric hookah

 

[CASPER-2]

my electric was a Keene engineering - lot cheaper than Brownie
HydroAir: Keene Engineering Online
Hose, Tank & Regulator Kits: Keene Engineering Online

 

[WHADIFIND]

Great finds, and a nice tip for the irs people watching.

 

[treblehunter]

My 12 volt Hookamax, hard to see
I keep the motor running, keeps battery charged, unlimited time approx

 

[treblehunter]

The outboard is four stroke can't even tell it's running

 

[kcm]

Wow! Talk about an informative thread...THIS IS IT!!