mottle33 said..
Hi
I am using an older arb compressor, which they tell me is oil free. It is the RDKA?? model. I bought a reg, flexible hose and harness from powerdive for $280 (ouch) and will get the rest of it soon, I will try it out and report back.
Hope it works well!
Ramona suggestion for a inline tank made of pvc sounds like a good plan as well.

Damn, did that include a taxi fare as well! I can't remember what I paid for the reg from powerdive but it was about $50. The flex hose I bought from Britain for $30 and is probably the best $30 I have spent. The harness is a strap and ring I sewed to my weight belt. The regs are all from China and all the USA built units use them but it is hard to work out what pressures they use. I simply bought the Powerdive unit because it matched the pump.

PhoenixStar said..
Just wondering Ramona why a pony wouldn't be a better bet. I now 19 cf would only be good for 10 minutes or so but it would give you the option of a short dive onto an anchor.An it would be easy to carry on board.

Recently I set up my normal dive reg onto a 10m hose attached to a 85CF bottle sitting in the dinghy. I leave the pressure gauge hanging in the water so I can check how much air is left. I only dive to 8 feet max.

I only use it for cleaning my hull and works fine. The other day I decided to breathe the bottle empty and I could tell it was about to run out. Dunno how. I get about 3 or 4 hull cleans out of it working hard.

BTW... probably said here often enough; but there are dangers in using this setup without proper dive training etc etc. An embolism isn't pretty.

Ramona said..

PhoenixStar said..
Just wondering Ramona why a pony wouldn't be a better bet. I now 19 cf would only be good for 10 minutes or so but it would give you the option of a short dive onto an anchor.An it would be easy to carry on board.

More convenient but needs refilling. OK for an emergency and most of my dives are only 10 minutes. If you have a compressor to fill the bottle yourself why not go straight to a hookah.

Thanks Ramona. I was thinking about something to clear a foul prop or anchor, and getting a refill when next near a dive shop. I guess the cost would be similar to a hooker.

Ramona said..
Your pony bottle is ready sir!

Not far from reality, Ramona. I went on a dive out of Cairns, happened to look at the gauge of the woman next to me, they had given her an empty bottle. replaced it without comment. Next dive after lunch, 5 minutes down and the woman next to me on the bottom signaled out of air, they had done it again. Couldn't believe it.

HG02 said..
I can recall many years ago I had a week off in 17 years took my kids up to the gold coast and my daughter and I went diving had a crash course in a swimming pool ( maybe an hour)along with a group of Japaneses .
we then went out passed the bar and we went diving with this mob . before long there were a few Japanese being dragged up on the beach. It must be a bit better now
I cant go down very far because of my head injury dam it so I'm a snorkeler only

You left yourself wide open for this one HG

http://blogs.abc.net.au/files/wally-snorkels.mp3

HG02 said..
I can recall many years ago I had a week off in 17 years took my kids up to the gold coast and my daughter and I went diving had a crash course in a swimming pool ( maybe an hour)along with a group of Japaneses .
we then went out passed the bar and we went diving with this mob . before long there were a few Japanese being dragged up on the beach. It must be a bit better now

Not really, back in the 90's I was teaching a couple to dive and soon realized that their water skills were excellent. Upon questioning them I found that they had been diving all over the world on those introduction dives. Had even been to 30m in Queensland.

Scary