I need to be able to dive to do some inspections of a rig in the north sea. I can't hold my breath for very long and am terrified of drowning so I am thinking an air supply and a piece of string to find my way back to the surface will be the safest / most confidence inspiring. On the video I have watched the diver uses a BCD, some cylinders of compresses air and a combination of electronic sensors and kevlar rope to guide him back.
https://uk.aqualung.com/en/dive/bcd%27s/omni---dive-bcd-BC150.html
But they are over £100, can anyone recommend a cheaper set up? I have thought of using my Bontrager Airshot for the air supply as it holds tonnes, and my mum's washing line as it only costs £30, but not sure if these pass any quality standards. Is there any commercial cheaper commercial kit available for deep sea diving work. Real life recommendations please.
PS, soz
Get on of those James Bond mouthpieces or or you can’t find one, just a couple of CO2 canisters filled with air and gripped between your teeth and you’re good to go. Top tip: tie a 32kg kettlebell to your feet as it will help you reach greater depths more quickly.
If you’re going by What Would James Bond Do?, buy a Lotus Esprit- you can do the inspection without getting wet nor worry about holding your breath.
Too Cool for the Kids !
Piece of string! Bubbles go up, right? Just exhale then follow them up.
You might get away with some Heath Robinson setup in shallow water but any deeper than 6m you need proper training and gear, mate.
Balloons hold air AND can be followed to the surface. Win/win! 🙂
Surely you need to go on a gills course
My cousin is a pro-diver, the effort he went to in order to qualify and train..... there's no way you should be doing this on any sort of Heath Robinson set up.
In fact so mad a suggestion, this has to be the start of some sort of allotment / fence setup.
Whatever the OP has been snorting, I’d like some please.
You don't need to buy any diving kit, just get an ROV instead.
Why bother with CO2 cartridges when you can just have someone on a Decathlon SUP using a track pump….better for the environment…
This will work fine….I’ve had two beers so that’s make me an expert (and I’ve been scuba diving on holiday once….only once as I didn’t like it, Nevertheless,I’m now considering myself an expert)
https://www.instructables.com/Homemade-Diving-Apparatus/
Health and Safety Warning::: You’ll need to be careful when cutting the office water bottle up, don’t want any sharp edges.
In fact so mad a suggestion, this has to be the start of some sort of allotment / fence setup.
My thoughts exactly.
As an actual professionally (just about) qualified diver I can advise that this is not a good idea.
Most people pay for ROVs to do inspections these days anyway 🙂
PS: the pro kit is pretty expensive... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175418580299
On the subject of diving. One place I would like to see divers go down and film is the Bolton Strid.
As an actual professionally (just about) qualified diver I can advise that this is not a good idea.
See the other Climbing gear thread. It took me a minute!
Poe's Law.
ICYMI: https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/climbers-fall-arrester/
Surely a length of garden hose to draw air through affixed at the surface will suffice for such a simple dive, and if you want to get back up to the surface quickly and safely I would consider a few uninflated inner tubes tied around your waist along with a few co2 canisters, a quick blast of co2 into the inner tubes and you’ll pop right up like a cork from a bottle.
I should mention I’m not a professional diver but I used to play in the burn behind my house as a kid and didn’t drown so I’m pretty clued up regarding water
What if the rig was on top of Everest and we needed to get air there for the inspection but only had a slice of buttered toast and a turnip. How would we get there?
I Don't Believe You
I'm All Out of Love for this thread
Goodbye
Why are you making this so complicated OP?
Just take a bike pump - I’ve got a cheap halfords one that gives out unlimited supplies of fresh air when i pump it, so would be ideal and saves on all that hassle with gas, hosepipes etc.
I guess because it’s safety critical you should splash out for a fancier one, lezyne or something to be on the safe side?
Why has nobody suggested taking an ex-NHS ventilator down on an extension lead? They breathe for you, negating the need for you to do it yourself, and so reserving more brain space to focus on the task at hand. If you can't find a waterproof one just wrap it in a large bin bag.
Honestly you guys, start thinking outside the box! Tchoh.
😉 [Poe's Law winky]
I think this may be one of the best first posts I've ever read on here 🙂
Surely a length of garden hose to draw air through affixed at the surface will suffice for such a simple dive,
I used to work for a company that made breathing apparatus and this included a thing called a Fresh Air Breathing Apparatus which was basically a face mask connected to a hose pipe. For the purposes of testing (shit and giggles) we did test it in a swimming pool - I jumped in the deep end and found that it was pretty difficult to breathe as the water pressure significantly reduces the volume of your lungs.
Those old hose-fed diving suits would have been hellish - they need a positive air pressure to allow you to breathe and lots of weights to keep you down.
I jumped in the deep end and found that it was pretty difficult to breathe as the water pressure significantly reduces the volume of your lungs.
Is this true? Anybody with any understanding of water pressure would this would never work.
Any company that made BA would know this.
"Pretty difficult" - absolutely impossible.
Those old hose-fed diving suits would have been hellish
What do you think commercial divers use today? It may look different but the principles behind the equipment has not changed.
What do you think commercial divers use today? It may look different but the principles behind the equipment has not changed.
ye cannae change the laws of physics Jim
One place I would like to see divers go down and film is the Bolton Strid.
I recommend Bikini Bottom as a test-dive for OP.
As long as he brings some crabbie-patties back for us STWs.
I jumped in the deep end and found that it was pretty difficult to breathe as the water pressure significantly reduces the volume of your lungs.
Is this true? Anybody with any understanding of water pressure would this would never work.
Any company that made BA would know this.
“Pretty difficult” – absolutely impossible.
No. Breathing feels exactly the same at depth. It's just that the air/gas you are breathing is compressed by atmospheric pressure making it hard for the body to process which causes other physiological issues ie decompression sickness, oxygen toxicity, nitrogen narcosis.
Breathing feels exactly the same at depth.
Yes if the air is at the ambient pressure. That's what a regulator does.
Trying to breath air at atmosphere when you are even at a very shallow depth is impossible.
I can’t hold my breath for very long and am terrified of drowning
I seem to remember DOCTOR (of marketing) Gillian McKeith recommending eating salad because the chlorophyl oxygenates your blood. Just don't chew your food too much and stick a torch up your arse.
There's an obvious soundtrack for these worthwhile efforts
Surely Gillyweed is the way to go....
You're in luck! Not only am I a commercial diver but a dive supervisor to boot 😁 I'd suggest a Halfords foot pump for the supply and a hose straight to your gob, exhale out of your nose and it'll be fine, remember, breathe out on the way up 👍
On the subject of diving. One place I would like to see divers go down and film is the Bolton Strid.
It was dived by cave diving group members some time in the late 80’s early 90’s (I don’t have the reference to hand) to confirm that there was no enterable cave below water. Even in very low water conditions it took considerable effort to fin against the current
I've dived in the old standard dress withe the long hose, it's excellent, comfortable and dry apart from your hands 👌
What if the rig was on a treadmill?
the old standard dress
Here you go. £8.49 on amazon
If the OP will forgive a tangent, I do recall having concerns about the possible conflict between divers and climbers in Majorca.
We were deep water soloing in this bay and realised there were a fair few divers exploring the seabed underneath. The dive master in the boat seemed completely oblivious to the danger, or perhaps thought they had the moral highground, if not the physical...
I can't imagine the pain and devastation that a 80kg climber would inflict on the spine of a diver if he landed on him at approx 37mph.
Not sure if the divers are visible in this photo...
https://flic.kr/p/Z192zA
Perhaps they were Navy Seals. I've heard they sometimes get a little Crazy.
they are in this one
(Muff being in Ireland, on the coast and, I understand, with a large and active underwater swimming community.)
I can’t imagine the pain and devastation that a 80kg climber would inflict on the spine of a diver if he landed on him at approx 37mph.
Things slow down pretty quickly when they hit the water, especially if you hit it in an "aaaaaargh I'm going to die" pose rather than like Tom Daley. If the divers were more than 4m down they'd most likely be fine.
Surely you need to go on a gills course
Needs recognition.
As is it's gills that's missing?
Things slow down pretty quickly when they hit the water, especially if you hit it in an “aaaaaargh I’m going to die” pose rather than like Tom Daley. If the divers were more than 4m down they’d most likely be fine
Indeed hence the attraction of soloing above deep water.
The ones we had were quite near the surface
