Search results

There are all kinds of red flags here. 1. A 5/7 wetsuit is totally inappropriate for a 90 ft dive in 39 F water. Why was the OP even attempting to do this dive without proper exposure protection? Why did the instructor not require his students to be in dry suits? 2. The OP was using a...

Here is my boat. It is 40 feet long and has plenty of room, both inside and out. I operate it as a six pack. It is never overcrowded.

The Coast guard enforces federal and international laws and regulations, not state laws. Diver down flags are specified by state laws and these laws vary widely. You should look up the local and state laws that apply where you are diving and make sure that whatever you do meets their specific...

My Funk and Wagnels lists the spelling of the past tense of spell as, "spelled." "Alfa" is the spelling given for the phonetic word used in the phonetic alphabet for the first letter of the Roman alphabet, "A," in the International Code of Signals. It is not the name of the first letter of the...

I usually like to dive to the same depth as the shipwreck I'm visiting.

The minimum lift you need is: The amount of lift you need to remain comfortable at the surface (About 10 to 11 lbs.) Plus The weight of the gas in your tanks (6 lbs. for an Al 80 filled with air.) Plus The compression of your wetsuit. Plus The compression of any other compressible components...

No, a vessel at anchor is not necessarily considered restricted in the ability to maneuver. A vessel at anchor must display a black ball in the foreward part of the vessel during the day and an all around white light at night unless in a designated anchorage.

The letter "A" does mean, "I have divers down" as specified in the International Code of Signals. A ridgid replica of the alpha flag as specified in the COLREGS and Inland Rules means "Restricted in the ability to maneuver" but is only specified for boats engaged in supporting divers. Vessels...

I happen to agree that a captain who jumps into the water to effect a rescue himself is doing an incredibly stupid thing. That said, I also think that putting your own , incorrect definition on words that already have very specific legal definitions will only serve to get you into legal...

This gets a bit complicated and a bit technical. The red and white "Diver Down" flag is not mentioned in any federal or international regulation but is in common useage throughout the US, Canada Mexico and the Carribean. Most states have laws requiring its use but they vary from state to...

Actually, the required size of an Alpha flag is one meter (39") square.

It can be dangerous to start redefining words that already have very precise definitions in the law and regulations. For example, "not under command" does not mean "without a captain on board" as you seem to think. "Not under command" means "disabled such that the vessel is maneuvering with...

My favorite is S.S. Wisconsin, off of Kenosha. It sank as the result of a storm in 128 feet of water in 1929. A steel, steam powered freighter, It is 215 feet long and mostly intact. I have made hundreds of dives on / in it and have not even come close to exploring all of it. We dove it last...

A vessel which is tied in a dock, at anchor, tied to a mooring, aground or being held by a person standing on the bottom is, by definition, not "underway." A vessel is "underway" when it is free to move, whether being propelled through the water by any means or adrift.

Nose bleeds are common in new divers. Don't worry, they will stop happening after a few dives.

Most of the time I use double 72's. When I need more gas I use double LP 95's.

Yes, she should consult with a doctor who is knowledgeable in both her disease and diving.

Like most everything, there is a lot more to the price of helium than just the cost of the commodity. State and local taxes, delivery charges and storage tank rentals are just a few of the extra charges that you are likely to encounter.

How about amoebas that eat your brain.

I have a couple of E cylinders on board, with a DAN regulator and masks. I also have two 125CF storage cylinders in the fo'c's'le. I have a welding regulator mounted on one tank with a long hose attached, routed through the hawse pipe and over the side. On the end of the hose is a three-pound...