Halloween diving

[Far_X]

Ok, we have a pumpkin carving dive towards the end of October. Considering that the time limit on this is only 45 minutes, at most, what additional weight needs to be added assuming the pumpkin is quite positvely bouyant? Does it get less positive the more you carve out the middle? What are the best ways to hold that pumpkin under the water. I expect we are going to be about 10 - 15 feet deep.

All serious answers most appreciated, silly answers had better be funny! :11ztongue

 

[teknitroxdiver]

I've never done that before, but many have said that they are positive, and I've seen them float, so you would need to have some kind of ballast for it. Possibly a weight on a anchor bolt screwed into the bottom or have someone hold it for you. It would seem that it should get less negative as you carve it, so you would need to be able to correct for that.

 

[andrep1]

Pumpkin dives are fun. If you get the chance, jump in. Carving at the bottom is just plain fun and the pumpkin "meat" attracts fishes.

Anyways, an object buoyancy is defined by the weight of the volume of water it displaces to which you substract the object's weight. The calculation are easy in metric 1 litre fresh water is 1 kg. If the pumpkin displaces 1 litre of water and weighs 1 kg, you will need an extra kg of lead. Adjust to 1.03 for salt water.
Do the calculation, you will be surprised.

Once the pumpkin is pierced, it does get easier because it displaces a lot less water. But it's really a team sport. Also, help yourself by putting the weigths in the pumpkin as soon as you can.

Ok, we have a pumpkin carving dive towards the end of October. Considering that the time limit on this is only 45 minutes, at most, what additional weight needs to be added assuming the pumpkin is quite positvely bouyant? Does it get less positive the more you carve out the middle? What are the best ways to hold that pumpkin under the water. I expect we are going to be about 10 - 15 feet deep.

All serious answers most appreciated, silly answers had better be funny! :11ztongue

 

[DementialFaith]

ITs even more fun when the vis is one inch and there's a 10 swell.... just make sure you're not using a sharp knife.

 

[jbd]

Ok, we have a pumpkin carving dive towards the end of October. Considering that the time limit on this is only 45 minutes, at most, what additional weight needs to be added assuming the pumpkin is quite positvely bouyant? Does it get less positive the more you carve out the middle? What are the best ways to hold that pumpkin under the water. I expect we are going to be about 10 - 15 feet deep.

All serious answers most appreciated, silly answers had better be funny! :11ztongue

The easiest thing to do is open up the pumpkin and clean it out before getting in the water. Put a few small rocks in it to help with the buoyancy. You will need something to skewer the lid on with since it will float away

Once finished carving put some cylume sticks in ti to light it up and then line up the UW jack o lanterns and take some pictures. They look prety neat UW.

 

[Poogweese]

Ok, we have a pumpkin carving dive towards the end of October. Considering that the time limit on this is only 45 minutes, at most, what additional weight needs to be added assuming the pumpkin is quite positvely bouyant? Does it get less positive the more you carve out the middle? What are the best ways to hold that pumpkin under the water. I expect we are going to be about 10 - 15 feet deep.

We've always dumped the innards before going in the water with them. Put the top in a small goody bag and it won't go away...as far as weight, just stick a lead dive wt. inside it-I think I used a 10 lb'nder the last time, of course it depends on the size of the pumpkin. Think about using natural flora and fauna-we had one guy surface with his jack o' lantern that had kelp hair, it was pretty cool. Have fun

Poog

I liked the idea about the cylume stick too-gonna have to try that

 

[CUunderH2O]

Our pumpkin-carving dive has strict rules that won't allow us to take extra weight with us, which sucks, since I signed up as a single, not a team. I guess I may have to sneak a couple of rocks or extra weights in my bc pocket. But I don't know whether we have the option to open up the pumpkin +before going in, that would help a lot.

Anyone have any good ideas for tools? My dive knife is a blunt-tip titanium 3 inch blade, but I'm thinking I may need something a bit sharper and/or longer.

 

[Poogweese]

Our pumpkin-carving dive has strict rules that won't allow us to take extra weight with us, which sucks, since I signed up as a single, not a team. I guess I may have to sneak a couple of rocks or extra weights in my bc pocket. But I don't know whether we have the option to open up the pumpkin +before going in, that would help a lot.

Anyone have any good ideas for tools? My dive knife is a blunt-tip titanium 3 inch blade, but I'm thinking I may need something a bit sharper and/or longer.

The best carvings I have seen were done with a fillet knife!

 

[jbd]

Anyone have any good ideas for tools? My dive knife is a blunt-tip titanium 3 inch blade, but I'm thinking I may need something a bit sharper and/or longer.

Around here they sell pumpkin carving kits that have a couple of different tools in them.