sailing and diving

[Jenn Chisholm]

Stow diving equipment is one thing. How are people diving from sailboats?

- Get an air compressor or get more tanks?

I have set the limit on two tanks each and possibly a pony for what I will keep onboard. Filling the tanks is not too bad from my yearly berth. We plan to go sailing long term, by boat it will be a pain to get the tanks filled. The only practical way forward would be an onboard air compressor. I am looking for a small compressor on electricity that can do 232 BAR or 300 BAR. The compressor can take it time to fill the tanks. Its more important that the compressor is small, easy to maintain and reliable. It will not be a huge amount of tank fillings. At times we might fill tanks a few times every week, other times the compressor could be unused for a month or two. My usage pattern might change, but this is how I see it right now.

- Difficult to get in and out of the sea from a sailboat?

My yacht got a high freeboard and no swimming platform. Going in and out of the wet is done jumping, stainless ladder or using the rib. Whatever you do, it is not easy to get back on board with your diving gear. Last time I left the wing, hardness, tank and more floating next to the boat, where I attached it to the spinnaker halyard. Got onboard and winched it in. If using the rib, I will do the same.

- Difficult to clean and dry the diving gear?

That has not been a problem. With a watermaker onboard, we got plenty of fresh water — the gear drys outside, or in one of the heads with a permanent fitted dehumidifier and heater. By closing the door to the heads, it dries quite quickly. All the gear got its own storage space onboard. The fins are under the floorboards.

- Save to store tanks on deck?

The tanks are stored on deck fitted to a bespoke stainless steel stand just in front of the mast. It is a good place since they are out of the way, just over the keel and not in the way for tacking, sailing or spinnaker runs. The will be wet by rain and seawater. The only concern is that they are in view. There are always people who want to take stuff that is in view. Been thinking of making a cover, and found a place for them down below. In exposed areas, I should probably not keep them on deck.

Happy days

Stow diving equipment is one thing. How are people diving from sailboats?

- Get an air compressor or get more tanks?

I have set the limit on two tanks each and possibly a pony for what I will keep onboard. Filling the tanks is not too bad from my yearly berth. We plan to go sailing long term, by boat it will be a pain to get the tanks filled. The only practical way forward would be an onboard air compressor. I am looking for a small compressor on electricity that can do 232 BAR or 300 BAR. The compressor can take it time to fill the tanks. Its more important that the compressor is small, easy to maintain and reliable. It will not be a huge amount of tank fillings. At times we might fill tanks a few times every week, other times the compressor could be unused for a month or two. My usage pattern might change, but this is how I see it right now.

- Difficult to get in and out of the sea from a sailboat?

My yacht got a high freeboard and no swimming platform. Going in and out of the wet is done jumping, stainless ladder or using the rib. Whatever you do, it is not easy to get back on board with your diving gear. Last time I left the wing, hardness, tank and more floating next to the boat, where I attached it to the spinnaker halyard. Got onboard and winched it in. If using the rib, I will do the same.

- Difficult to clean and dry the diving gear?

That has not been a problem. With a watermaker onboard, we got plenty of fresh water — the gear drys outside, or in one of the heads with a permanent fitted dehumidifier and heater. By closing the door to the heads, it dries quite quickly. All the gear got its own storage space onboard. The fins are under the floorboards.

- Save to store tanks on deck?

The tanks are stored on deck fitted to a bespoke stainless steel stand just in front of the mast. It is a good place since they are out of the way, just over the keel and not in the way for tacking, sailing or spinnaker runs. The will be wet by rain and seawater. The only concern is that they are in view. There are always people who want to take stuff that is in view. Been thinking of making a cover, and found a place for them down below. In exposed areas, I should probably not keep them on deck.

Happy days

Thanks for all the great tips! Were you able to find a compressor solution? If so, I would be very interested in what you went with and how it has been working out filling up tanks on the water. How were you able to supplement power?

I am thinking of doing the same thing to mine before taking off to circumnavigate the world, so would appreciate any advice you may have to give!

 

[Bert van den Berg]

The family spent two years+ sailing the S. Pacific. Instead of tanks we used a hookah system. Two divers down to 60 feet. Takes very little space and in warm climates where you don't need a wetsuit it's just you, your mask and fins ( no weightbelt). A quart of gasoline runs the unit for about two hours. It floats on a canvas covered inertube and you tow it behind you. Very reliable. The son and I dove almost every day for those two years.

Here is a video using the hookah at the Poor Knights islands, New Zealand:
The wife is using a small pony bottle on her back in case of issues with the hookah. Never had one except when a friend and I dove for so long that it ran out of fuel!