Anyplace I can get steel HP 80's on Catalina?

[davidbaraff]

I'm going diving at Casino Pt. in 2 weeks, and I realize I've become a wimp from using my HP steel 80's. The thought of strapping on an extra 8 lbs of lead (plus the extra 6lbs an aluminimum tank weighs compared with what i normally use) is making my muscles ache just thinking about.

None of the dive shops rent steel 80's --- at least that they'll admit. Anybody know anyway I could rent HP steel 80's in Avalon for 3 days of diving at the beginning of June?

(Otherwise, I'm seriously considering draining one tank completely and actually flying with it. I think baggage is still free on Southwest. Anybody flown with a tank recently and want to tell me it's a stupid idea?)

 

[muddiver]

You can not fly direct to Catalina Island from anywhere in a plane larger than a Piper Cub. So, since you will be transisioning from a commercial airline to either the Catalina Express or a small death-glider, stop by a local dive shop like Pacific Wilderness, New England Divers, Sports Chalet, Coral Reef or Redondo Dive and Surf and rent what you need and haul it over with you. Holywood divers is another good bet because they do a lot of tech stuff out of that shop.

Welcome to Pacific Wilderness Online!
Sport Chalet

 

[drbill]

Have you called SCUBA Luv (310-510-2350) or Catalina Divers Supply (310-510-0330) to see what they have to rent?

MudDiver... the Airport-in-the-Sky was designed for Philip Wrigley's DC-3 and the Wrigley corporate jet (a Falcon 10 I think) used to fly in there.

 

[Takenumbrage]

If you're diving the park, I'm pretty sure the fill shack rents steel 72s. Not sure how many they have, so it's probably good to get there early.

 

[fnfalman]

Catalina Divers Supply has steel tanks for rent.

 

[davidbaraff]

You're right: CDS does have a few steel 77's for rent. But they're low pressure. My understanding is that I'd lose about 4 lbs of lead diving with it BUT the tank itself weighs more than an aluminum, by a few pounds. So I'm walking around with exactly as much total weight on my body as if I had just gone with the aluminum (to within a pound or two).

With the HP steels, the tank actually weighs less than an aluminum one AND I take off a lot more weight in lead. So objectively, on land, I truly am 14 lbs lighter (8lbs less lead, 6 pounds less in tank weight -- I know, I've measured). That's actually significant for wrestling with my rig, since I'm weight integrated.

Thanks for the idea of renting tanks when I land at LA though, that one hadn't occurred to me.

 

[muddiver]

Have you called SCUBA Luv (310-510-2350) or Catalina Divers Supply (310-510-0330) to see what they have to rent?

MudDiver... the Airport-in-the-Sky was designed for Philip Wrigley's DC-3 and the Wrigley corporate jet (a Falcon 10 I think) used to fly in there.

Who are the charters flying DC-3's and Falcon 10's out of L.A. to the island? My understanding was that unless you had your own plane, the only air service was the helo from the Express terminal in San Pedro.

 

[drbill]

Why, I was assuming he's just rent a plane on the mainland and fly in (but, of course, wait an appropriate amount of time to fly out). I thought all divers were rich enough to own their own planes... except me! Seriously, was just pointing out that larger aircraft can also land there.

 

[stakanak]

The only DC 3 is the supply/mail plane out of LB airport. It is parked on the tarmac off of Spring St. and Redondo Blvd. I have landed a twin Cessna Seminole there and know someone who landed a Citation IV private jet there, although I heard he did four go a rounds and it was not "advised."
Good Diving!

 

[fnfalman]

You're right: CDS does have a few steel 77's for rent. But they're low pressure. My understanding is that I'd lose about 4 lbs of lead diving with it BUT the tank itself weighs more than an aluminum, by a few pounds. So I'm walking around with exactly as much total weight on my body as if I had just gone with the aluminum (to within a pound or two).

With the HP steels, the tank actually weighs less than an aluminum one AND I take off a lot more weight in lead. So objectively, on land, I truly am 14 lbs lighter (8lbs less lead, 6 pounds less in tank weight -- I know, I've measured). That's actually significant for wrestling with my rig, since I'm weight integrated.

Thanks for the idea of renting tanks when I land at LA though, that one hadn't occurred to me.

At Casino Point, you're walking 20-ft to get to the water. Consider that you have to lug an HP100 tank from the Catalina Express parking lot, to the boat, and transport it from the boat to the Dive Park and then re-do everything all over again...

Anyway, I'm just throwing out some scenarios for you. If you think it's worth the hassle of carrying a tank from mainland, then do it. If not then just go with the steel 77 rental and call it a day.