Hooka Diving Systems for Boat Maintenance!

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B

Bil Thomas

other dangers

One other issue when diving on your boat in a marina is the possiblity of stray currents. They can cause paralysis and under water can lead to drowning. Even running a 12 volt electric model still requires watch of the air in the area. These pick up air and pump it down to the diver. if the air is contaminated with exhaust, CO, etc, it can be delivered to to diver. I am certified diver and dive on our boat to clean it very often, but definatly away from marinas. My first maintenance dive to replace the zincs on the saildrives paid for the scuba certification. Not to sound totally negative one of our friends uses a Brownie to maintain his bottom and it works very well. I believe the flexiblity of diving makes it a good choice, but the hooka system works. Just learn the dangers of diving, it is not hard and opens up other worlds besides work!
 
B

Bil Thomas

other dangers

One other issue when diving on your boat in a marina is the possiblity of stray currents. They can cause paralysis and under water can lead to drowning. Even running a 12 volt electric model still requires watch of the air in the area. These pick up air and pump it down to the diver. if the air is contaminated with exhaust, CO, etc, it can be delivered to to diver. I am certified diver and dive on our boat to clean it very often, but definatly away from marinas. My first maintenance dive to replace the zincs on the saildrives paid for the scuba certification. Not to sound totally negative one of our friends uses a Brownie to maintain his bottom and it works very well. I believe the flexiblity of diving makes it a good choice, but the hooka system works. Just learn the dangers of diving, it is not hard and opens up other worlds besides work!
 
J

jmcclain

.
Jan 18, 2004
221
Beneteau 321 Houston
Thank so much for the Comments!

Thanks Tom, Fred, Jack & others, for your comments. While I do have some fresh water and sea diving experience, I certainly plan to look into certification. (I'm giving away my age, but certification wasn't required back in those days.) The "Brownie" link was only an example. As an old engineer and pilot, I have a healthy respect for Ma Nature. Rest assured, I will do my homework. Thanks again! Jon
 
J

jmcclain

.
Jan 18, 2004
221
Beneteau 321 Houston
Thank so much for the Comments!

Thanks Tom, Fred, Jack & others, for your comments. While I do have some fresh water and sea diving experience, I certainly plan to look into certification. (I'm giving away my age, but certification wasn't required back in those days.) The "Brownie" link was only an example. As an old engineer and pilot, I have a healthy respect for Ma Nature. Rest assured, I will do my homework. Thanks again! Jon
 
N

ncgarya

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Jun 2, 2004
23
Hunter 34 Oriental, NC
I Use ...

A hooka system very similar to this one along with a standard SCUBA tank in my lazarette. All off-the-shelf equipment. Gary
 
N

ncgarya

.
Jun 2, 2004
23
Hunter 34 Oriental, NC
I Use ...

A hooka system very similar to this one along with a standard SCUBA tank in my lazarette. All off-the-shelf equipment. Gary
 
S

Sam Bocchicchio

DeckSnorkel

Jon: I bought a system called a "Deck Snorkel". It works great. I use it all the time to clean my hull & change my zincs during the season. Because it is 12 volt I could use it when sailing if I ever foul a net or line around my prop. I keep it on the boat for that purpose. Other divers on the dock borrow it because it is so much easier than lugging the tanks around. The price is around $960.00.
 
S

Sam Bocchicchio

DeckSnorkel

Jon: I bought a system called a "Deck Snorkel". It works great. I use it all the time to clean my hull & change my zincs during the season. Because it is 12 volt I could use it when sailing if I ever foul a net or line around my prop. I keep it on the boat for that purpose. Other divers on the dock borrow it because it is so much easier than lugging the tanks around. The price is around $960.00.
 
Fred Ficarra

Fred Ficarra

.
Dec 2, 2003
4,245
- - Seabeck WA
I just figured out why I've never bought one of

these systems. For my H34, I just hold my breath. I clean the hull in warm water at Desolation Sound and free dive with fins, mask and one of those suction cup handle thingys. Oh, and a deck brush of course. One year at a local hydroplane race (yes, in Poulsbo, John, or maybe Silverdale, wherever.), my wife and I were off in the dingy. We had lots of party animals aboard. We returned to find a friend hanging in the rig, halfway up. He couldn't move. He was hanging on the main halyard in our bosuns chair. The halyard was led to my homemade hydraulic primary winch (ok so far) but then it went over the side. And of course, was wrapped around the prop/shaft. (another drunk put the boat in gear not knowing what those little levers do on the side of that white thing! (pedestal)) OK, picture the scene. A drunk hanging 30 feet in the air with no backup line. The line he's hanging from is locked around the shaft. The only way to get him down is to untangle the wrapped halyard, or call for an airlift. Oh, the drunks were also diving on the shaft but were unable to get even one wrap undone. No one thought to try reversing the engine. It was dead, locked in gear. Good thing. Well another good thing was that my wife Linda and I were sober. Hey, we're in charge. (I know, we shouldn't have left the boat in the first place but we had no idea these people would do this) Another good thing was that it was summer. The water was warm. I dove under the stern to check the damage. I had no mask. The blur was not good. I came up and started to hyperventilate (on purpose) and dove again. I was down about a minute or so. (Who knows?) Got that halyard off in one dive. It was wrapped into a 'yarn ball',6-8 inches in diameter, around the shaft. Because Linda was able to put the trany in neutral, I was able to pull a lot of the halyard free buy unwinding the ball, but, there were still about a half dozen wraps around the strut and prop. That was the tricky part. But it came off. One dive. The drunks were stunned when I came up. They were thinking I drowned. Linda and I lowered the drunk from the mast. The halyard was ruined. Several feet of it was melted flat. All because the engine was,,,,No,,,,all because we left the boat with drunks aboard. Oh, several years later, in Key West, I learned the shaft was bent too. I have never told this story either on-line or in person. I don't need to explain why not! Oh, and thanks to my parents for the lung capacity.
 
Fred Ficarra

Fred Ficarra

.
Dec 2, 2003
4,245
- - Seabeck WA
I just figured out why I've never bought one of

these systems. For my H34, I just hold my breath. I clean the hull in warm water at Desolation Sound and free dive with fins, mask and one of those suction cup handle thingys. Oh, and a deck brush of course. One year at a local hydroplane race (yes, in Poulsbo, John, or maybe Silverdale, wherever.), my wife and I were off in the dingy. We had lots of party animals aboard. We returned to find a friend hanging in the rig, halfway up. He couldn't move. He was hanging on the main halyard in our bosuns chair. The halyard was led to my homemade hydraulic primary winch (ok so far) but then it went over the side. And of course, was wrapped around the prop/shaft. (another drunk put the boat in gear not knowing what those little levers do on the side of that white thing! (pedestal)) OK, picture the scene. A drunk hanging 30 feet in the air with no backup line. The line he's hanging from is locked around the shaft. The only way to get him down is to untangle the wrapped halyard, or call for an airlift. Oh, the drunks were also diving on the shaft but were unable to get even one wrap undone. No one thought to try reversing the engine. It was dead, locked in gear. Good thing. Well another good thing was that my wife Linda and I were sober. Hey, we're in charge. (I know, we shouldn't have left the boat in the first place but we had no idea these people would do this) Another good thing was that it was summer. The water was warm. I dove under the stern to check the damage. I had no mask. The blur was not good. I came up and started to hyperventilate (on purpose) and dove again. I was down about a minute or so. (Who knows?) Got that halyard off in one dive. It was wrapped into a 'yarn ball',6-8 inches in diameter, around the shaft. Because Linda was able to put the trany in neutral, I was able to pull a lot of the halyard free buy unwinding the ball, but, there were still about a half dozen wraps around the strut and prop. That was the tricky part. But it came off. One dive. The drunks were stunned when I came up. They were thinking I drowned. Linda and I lowered the drunk from the mast. The halyard was ruined. Several feet of it was melted flat. All because the engine was,,,,No,,,,all because we left the boat with drunks aboard. Oh, several years later, in Key West, I learned the shaft was bent too. I have never told this story either on-line or in person. I don't need to explain why not! Oh, and thanks to my parents for the lung capacity.
 
P

p323ms

.
May 24, 2004
341
Pearson 323 panama city
Impressive Fred!!

I have scrubbed my hull free diving while at anchor. But at the marina it's too dangerous. It is also a lot of work. I have dove to 55' or better freediving and stayed under over 3 minutes but while scrubbing with a brush it's more like 30 seconds and a minute or two to recover. Work demands air!!!!! Once while salvaging and using a hacksaw on a chain I burned up a 80 cubic foot tank in about 10 minutes!!! normally a 80 will last me about an hour at 60'. I humbly suggest starting at the bottom of the keel and working your way up. Tom
 
P

p323ms

.
May 24, 2004
341
Pearson 323 panama city
Impressive Fred!!

I have scrubbed my hull free diving while at anchor. But at the marina it's too dangerous. It is also a lot of work. I have dove to 55' or better freediving and stayed under over 3 minutes but while scrubbing with a brush it's more like 30 seconds and a minute or two to recover. Work demands air!!!!! Once while salvaging and using a hacksaw on a chain I burned up a 80 cubic foot tank in about 10 minutes!!! normally a 80 will last me about an hour at 60'. I humbly suggest starting at the bottom of the keel and working your way up. Tom
 
E

eds928gt

.
Jun 7, 2004
91
Hunter 34 Selby Bay
I like my friends method.

He takes his (full keel) boat to a sandy spot that is about a foot deeper than the keel during high tide and in an area with a 4' tide range. He then anchors from both ends, and waits for low tide. He and his family then scrub the exposed side. They repeat the process the next day for the other side. BTW, he doesn't recommend this be done on fin-keeled boats. :^( ~ Happy sails to you ~ _/) ~
 
E

eds928gt

.
Jun 7, 2004
91
Hunter 34 Selby Bay
I like my friends method.

He takes his (full keel) boat to a sandy spot that is about a foot deeper than the keel during high tide and in an area with a 4' tide range. He then anchors from both ends, and waits for low tide. He and his family then scrub the exposed side. They repeat the process the next day for the other side. BTW, he doesn't recommend this be done on fin-keeled boats. :^( ~ Happy sails to you ~ _/) ~
 
N

ncgarya

.
Jun 2, 2004
23
Hunter 34 Oriental, NC
Funny Story ...

... about free diving with those suction cups things. Years ago a friend with a Hunter 31 got tired of always losing those suction cups while cleaning his boat's bottom. He felt he had already bought and lost too many of those things at the Boat US store. One afternoon while anchored in Biscayne Bay he tied a short length of strong line to that yellow handle and then a bowline through the belt loop on his cut-off jeans. EUREKA! No more lost suction cups! Twenty minutes later he was almost finished and was making a final few dives to clean his keel. As he tells it, he left his suction cups attached near the bottom of the keel and came up for air --- only to find that when the line went taught, he was about one or two inches below the surface. He always describes trying to purse his lips together to make them reach the surface while making a face like a very affectionate blowfish. No matter what lip configuration he tried, he couldn't quite reach the air. So he had to shuck his shorts off and come up for air. Then he dove back down to retrieve his suction cups (and his shorts). Hee hee. My apologies to Mike for telling your story if you happen to read this. It was too good to keep to myself.
 
N

ncgarya

.
Jun 2, 2004
23
Hunter 34 Oriental, NC
Funny Story ...

... about free diving with those suction cups things. Years ago a friend with a Hunter 31 got tired of always losing those suction cups while cleaning his boat's bottom. He felt he had already bought and lost too many of those things at the Boat US store. One afternoon while anchored in Biscayne Bay he tied a short length of strong line to that yellow handle and then a bowline through the belt loop on his cut-off jeans. EUREKA! No more lost suction cups! Twenty minutes later he was almost finished and was making a final few dives to clean his keel. As he tells it, he left his suction cups attached near the bottom of the keel and came up for air --- only to find that when the line went taught, he was about one or two inches below the surface. He always describes trying to purse his lips together to make them reach the surface while making a face like a very affectionate blowfish. No matter what lip configuration he tried, he couldn't quite reach the air. So he had to shuck his shorts off and come up for air. Then he dove back down to retrieve his suction cups (and his shorts). Hee hee. My apologies to Mike for telling your story if you happen to read this. It was too good to keep to myself.
 
E

eds928gt

.
Jun 7, 2004
91
Hunter 34 Selby Bay
You may not need to clean the bottom, if...

the paint is Ablative (meant to wear off with time and use). It shouldn't be cleaned while the boat is in the water. If your boat's bottom is protected by a "Hard" paint - nevermind. You can clean it (carefully) in or out of the water. ~ Happy sails to you ~ _/) ~
 
E

eds928gt

.
Jun 7, 2004
91
Hunter 34 Selby Bay
You may not need to clean the bottom, if...

the paint is Ablative (meant to wear off with time and use). It shouldn't be cleaned while the boat is in the water. If your boat's bottom is protected by a "Hard" paint - nevermind. You can clean it (carefully) in or out of the water. ~ Happy sails to you ~ _/) ~
 
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