Hookah/Snuba Setup

[Wet Spreaders]

My diver does a pretty good job, but in multi-day regattas it would be nice to be able to give the hull a wipe. I don't want to frig with tanks, or gas-powered compressors. What's a good setup for direct supply down to 8 ft or so that runs off a battery or shore power?

wiping down a hull under water looks hard to do - never tried it. Are there techniques for staying in touch with the hull with min effort, or is it just a shit load of finning?

 

[Zonker]

Simplest might be just get a scuba tank + 1st stage regulator, then a 50' long hose and the regulator for your mouth. You leave the tank on deck, swap from port to stbd as needed. Otherwise oil-less compressors are used.

Like this but smaller because you don't need 50' of depth

https://www.browniedive.com/product/e150x-electric-series-compressor-system/

It's not hard if the growth isn't hard. You're wiping along the hull not pushing yourself away. Still have to kick but pretty gently. 

 

[Wet Spreaders]

Growth won't be bad - I will still have a diver do his thing the day before the regatta. It's just for slime build up between days of 4 -day regattas.

 

[Mizzmo]

 SIs should prohibit this. You should just drink more dark and stormies.

 

[ryley]

get one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Dog-490050-1-Suction-Cup-Handle/dp/B082BLVPPB

or do what fastbttms does and use a modified toilet plunger with a short handle. It is much less tiring to do the wipedown holding onto the handle than trying to use fins to stay close enough to keep enough pressure. 

 

[Wet Spreaders]

 SIs should prohibit this. You should just drink more dark and stormies.

Yeah - although this is a morning chore. I doubt that it's a great hangover cure.

 

[Shenanigan77]

+1 on a suction cup to hold your position.  If you're wearing a wet suit, you'll be very buoyant if you don't have weights to compensate. Getting to the keel will be a lot of work. Strongly consider getting scuba training even if you never plan to go deep.  It's not that hard.  You can absolutely damage your lungs if you accidentally hold your breath while ascending even from bottom cleaning depth.

 

[fstbttms]

 

[fstbttms]

I doubt that it's a great hangover cure.

You'd be surprised  :lol:

 

[fstbttms]

or do what fastbttms does and use a modified toilet plunger with a short handle. 

 

[fstbttms]

What's a good setup for direct supply down to 8 ft or so that runs off a battery or shore power?

 

[gkny]

I find that a wetsuit provides enough buoyancy to keep me up against the hull.  Kicking down to the keel is not hard and I grab on to it once I am there.

I would be really careful about air filtration on any hookah setup

 

[slug zitski]

The port divers I use arrive in a rib , the air supply stays in the rib, the diver wears a helmet with air hose connected 

the helmet  has a video camera and a microphone so that the divers can communicate ,  record work and observations 

for a simple do it yourself rig you should speak to a pro dive shop for info and regulations 

in many areas unlicensed divers are prohibited from underwater work in the harbour

Port divers are plagued by infection from polluted water and the organisms they remove from the bottom 

you should investigate the best protection 

 

[foamy1946]

I don't know how big your boat is, but for the last 30 plus years, I do my own hull touch up with mask, fins and snorkel.  Start around the waterline and reach under the hull about 3 feet, then do the rudder, hanging on to the bottom edge.  Then some deeper dives for the hull and keel.  My 38 footer takes about half and hour.  I'm 75 now and still do it , but then again I've scuba dived for many years, and swim a mile three days a week, so you have to be in some sort of condition.

 

[ordkhntr]

Blu3 has a pretty cool setup called the Nomad:

https://www.diveblu3.com/nemo/

 

[Kenny Dumas]

It seems one could use a pony bottle of air to power a pneumatic air compressor pump for a very small light efficient system. Use the power of 1000+ psi air to generate 10x air at 90 psi (assuming 10% efficiency loss) rather than waste all that energy in your first stage regulator. 

 

[Zonker]

The air isn't "wasted" by the first stage regulator. A given mass of air is reduced in pressure so you can breathe it. 

Using it to power a compressor makes zero sense.

 

[chuso007]

What's done around here on the J70s  is to wipe it with a long sling covered with a soft cloth, holding it from both sides of the boat by two people. For the keel you'll have to dive.

Of course, a fixed rudder will make it harder but not impossible, just tie a rope to one side and let it sink far enough.

 

[Feisty!]

Given the OP's premise of removing one day's accumulation, and the habit of growth focusing on the shallowest part of the hull where the sun can penetrate, I'd think one could do a 95% job keeping one's head above water and wielding scotchbrite with one hand while hanging on to the gunwale or suction gizmo with the other ...