Suggestion Hookah/SNUBA/Recreational Surface Supplied Air Subforum?

[high_order1]

I know how the majority of you feel about this topic.

The number of these systems is increasing every year.

Licensing or gatekeeping is non-existent, and the systems seem to be pointed towards people that don't desire the SCUBA OW experience.

There doesn't really seem to be a 'right' forum to ask questions and provide advice for these systems.

I haven't been here long, perhaps this already has a better answer, but seems like SB would want to be the go-to place for people trying to decide if this is right for them. Equipment reviews, tips and tricks, a lot of things someone who just wants to play in the pool with one of these and would be reticent to post in the deep end of the forum here for the truthful and blunt responses they would get. (shrugs)

I'd bet the manufacturers would want to advertise there as well...

Just a thought.


Edit: I had a thought. For years, most firearm forums have resisted 'airsoft' because it has a reputation of being childish, sub-par imitation toys that no Real Gun Guy would be caught dead around.
Recently, concessions have been made, as points that make airsoft attractive to people that like to train cause them to be more and more frequently discussed.

I can see a parallel with 'hookah' and people that want to make a living doing husbandry without the negatives of wearing a tank during manual labor. Or people doing aquaculture but concerned about tank filling. (shrugs)

 

[Cthippo]

I vote yes.

I'm interested in another option and see no use for gatekeeping.

 

[lowwall]

Why? But since there is no where else why not help out those seeking answers? The SNUBA/Hookah systems have been around since at least the mid 70's. Yes, they are unlicensed but so is SCUBA. The problem that I see with them, is that there is no real instruction. The systems are sold as being a cheap and no training required alternative to SCUBA diving. The little pump up tank systems aren't much better. So why not use your great expertise to help some of those unfortunate people who bought one of those systems but is smart enough to realize that they need help before they kill themselves? Why make them feel unwanted?

I've participated in a few of those threads. It seems the whole reason most people get interested in this topic is they want to do scuba, but want to skip the time and expense of actual scuba certification.

The people asking about them are rarely interested in anything we say that doesn't agree with their preconception that training and learning about the basics of breathing under pressure are not needed for this type of diving.

To be clear, I'm not suggesting we keep out the people who occasionally find their way here and post on the topic. They don't come that often and the few that are genuinely seeking information seem to get it. But I don't see why we would actively seek to become a destination for this. If we did I suspect the people who make money off of it would end up dominating the conversation.

 

[Waterwulf]

I've participated in a few of those threads. It seems the whole reason most people get interested in this topic is they want to do scuba, but want to skip the time and expense of actual scuba certification.

The people asking about them are rarely interested in anything we say that doesn't agree with their preconception that training and learning about the basics of breathing under pressure are not needed for this type of diving.

To be clear, I'm not suggesting we keep out the people who occasionally find their way here and post on the topic. They don't come that often and the few that are genuinely seeking information seem to get it. But I don't see why we would actively seek to become a destination for this. If we did I suspect the people who make money off of it would end up dominating the conversation.

Well then, why participate in those threads at all? Why not just skip over them? Besides, your response is kind of self conflicting. On the one hand, you don;t want to deal with them at all and actually want to discourage them from coming to this site. Then you say you don't want them to be kept out. You can't have both and who made you the Judge anyway? What gives you the right to discriminate against somebody just because they get their air from the surface versus carrying it with them? Why not actively seek to become a destination for it? Traffic is life to a web site. They breath compressed air too!

 

[rongoodman]

I'm in the process of converting my SCUBA gear over to SNUBA/Hookah. A dedicated sub forum would be a great resource for info.

Why do you want to do that?

 

[high_order1]

I've participated in a few of those threads. It seems the whole reason most people get interested in this topic is they want to do scuba, but want to skip the time and expense of actual scuba certification.

Maybe it's neither of those reasons? I've read every hookah thread on this board. Every. Single. One. And on a half a dozen other boards, too.

What my board survey found is most want one to scrub their own boat. Then people playing in pools, and then people trying to get to a place, like aquatic gold or treasure seekers or workers.

Perhaps they can't pass? Or want to invest in the gear or rent it? (maybe a great first post for the sub!)

The people asking about them are rarely interested in anything we say that doesn't agree with their preconception that training and learning about the basics of breathing under pressure are not needed for this type of diving.

Counterpoint, while I concede some do, there is a reason there is a newbie sub here, and in my opinion it is to cut down on the... curmudgeonly (?) responses and thicker skin needed outside of it.

I can take the piss, but there are many who are just wanting answers and not what they perceive as naggy, 'that-will-never-work' 'it's-your-funeral-pal' quippy responses.

If we did I suspect the people who make money off of it would end up dominating the conversation.

Then, we set ground rules. I'm on a board where all the night vision is dominated, and moderated by, a vendor. It's contentious to say the least.

Proposal: people cannot post until they have read a post that describes, in lurid detail the potential negative outcomes, and if they mean to persist, some best practices for the topic?

That sets a baseline, reduces liability, and then the moderator can ensure the various vendors play nicely. Doubtful, but if the need presents itself, they can have their own sub-sub rooms to **** in?

Why do you want to do that?

Search his threads. He makes it pretty clear

Anyways, thank everybody so far for not derailing this discussion.

 

[lowwall]

You can't have both and who made you the Judge anyway? What gives you the right to discriminate against somebody just because they get their air from the surface versus carrying it with them? Why not actively seek to become a destination for it?

Nobody made me the judge. I'm just posting my opinion. Isn't that the point of this thread?

Traffic is life to a web site.

This is completely wrong. Traffic is easy, just post pictures of celebrities in bathing suits or stupidity memes.

Life to a special interest website is high quality on-topic content. That's what ultimately drives the organic search engine results that bring people to the site and keeps the core group of helpful contributors coming back.

Diluting the topic in an attempt to chase views rarely works out. Scubaboard has survived reddit and Facebook's general destruction of active forum sites largely because it has stuck to its guns. IMO, trying to turn it into underwatertoysboard would be counterproductive. But again, that's just my opinion. I'm not the one making the decision.

 

[Waterwulf]

Why do you want to do that?

I took my first underwater breath in about 1969 or so. I loved it then and still love it to this day. Fast motorcycles, fast boats, one really fast woman, thirty years as a front line Law Enforcement Trooper have all resulted in a whole bunch of assorted broken bones. I'm a little wobbly in my old age but I still like to get underwater. I have no problem carrying a tank on my back but I do have a fair amount of trouble maintaining my balance on a boat carrying one. I worried about squashing somebody. This way I drag a hose instead.