SCUBA Odd Jobs

[SharkRider]

Electricity (in theory) will only zap you in the water a couple of ways.

1. Instant shock (possible death) if there is an exposed electrical wire contacting the water and you at the same time you become grounded... meaning touching something like the pier or a piling.

2. Shock (possible death) if there is a short in the electrical system of the boat (and the power is on) sending current out of the boat through the metals (shafts/props, rudders, trim tabs, intake grates) and if you have sustained contact (holding onto the shaft prop etc..) for more than seconds at a time. This type of shock takes time to build in your body and usually just before a deadly shock you will feel the current and must let go of your grounding source.

The best way to ensure electrical safety when working on a boat in a marina is to make sure the shore power lines connected to the boat are 1. not hanging into the water 2. The shore power breaker is shut off and tagged out) and 3. You have a surface support safety person to ensure the power is not turned back on (is also there to make a rescue if needed.) In addition if the owner is present or if you have access to the interior of the boat, to turn the breakers inside the boat to off.)

Boats in the immediate vicinity do not pose a threat, even if leaking electrical current so long as you do not contact them for extended periods.

 

[Gary D.]

Seems that I’m not the only one some of you can say are nuts reference getting zapped in the water.

The “National Boating Accident Investigation Field Guide” 8.5, 8.6 and 8.7 covers Stray Current in the water. So much so that they diagram the plans to build a meter to detect it and advise rescue divers not to go into the water until it has been tested.

So hold off on sending the white coats for me.

Gary D.

 

[DiverBuoy]

Lakes employ divers all the time for all manner of object retrieval. Community recreation and community living spaces employ divers to make minor repairs and installations. Keep in mind your basic training may not be sufficient for the type of diving involved, be sure to ask other who have done the specific dives you are planning in order to learn of any required - special dive equipment, techniques, mechanisms, signaling, surface support, surface equipment, tools, paperwork (registrations, notifications, licensing, filings etc).

 

[PaulChristenson]

A buddy and I were brainstorming earlier trying to come up with ways to make a little spending money by diving. I don't mean by opening a shop or becoming a dive master, but by "odd jobs" if that makes sense.

This may not turn into a long post, because the only thing we could think of was cleaning the bottoms of boats at local marinas, but does anybody have anything else?

Thanks for the input,

B

Well if you have any golf courses with water hazards...

You just have to practice your night diving skills without lights...

Just kidding...Country Clubs take their exclusivity very seriously...

Paul in VT

 

[Gary D.]

Here is another one that explains it better.

http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache...y+electricity+deaths&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=3

Gary D.

 

[Squidboy]

I've worked at Lake Powell,Ut at Halls Crossing as a diver working for the marina. Yes this job can be very dangerest I've see 420 electric cable short out on the dock and I'm thankful no one was in the water at the time. Docks move at times specially when there is bad weather and electrical cables can get wore through. Working with steel cables underwater can be risky the anchors we use are 6 ton and 12 ton blocks and I've been down there by them some are setting on angled slopes that could roll over on you or the cables can trap your fingers where you can't get loose. If you are thinking of doing this kind of work, work with divers that have done this work before. I have been lucky! I got a great team I work with and we trust each other and if we are going to do something I don't fill good about then I won't do it. Working in marinas remember there is lots of boat traffic and you have got to have someone on topside keeping a eye on them. Most new boaters don't even know what a dive flag means and in most cases they'll boat right up to where you are working. If you work like I do I don't seem to get out and just do a rec dive as much as I would like. But this year I'm going to dive alot more for fun then work. So if you decide to dive the for a job remember to be safe and use all you senses and watchout for anything cause anything can happen.

 

[SharkRider]

Most new boaters don't even know what a dive flag means and in most cases they'll boat right up to where you are working. .

For this reason we advise all divers working in marinas to use FLOATS that read all the way around... DIVER BELOW. This small $19.95 investment is a beautiful thing. We also place stantions on the docks that read DIVER WORKING BELOW - DO NOT START ENGINES... Just some ideas for you... Stay safe.

 

[MikeC]

Well if you have any golf courses with water hazards...

You just have to practice your night diving skills without lights...

Just kidding...Country Clubs take their exclusivity very seriously...

Paul in VT

Paul, on the Discovery Channel show "Dirty Jobs" they did a segment a while ago about these guys in Florida that do country club golf ball retrieval dives. It isn't fun. They deal with snapping turtles, gators and poisonous snakes as well as the runoff from all of the chemicals they use to keep the grass so nice. Of course, the chances of gators drops when you get farther north. Not sure of the turtles or snakes, but the nasty chemicals still are there. I could see a country club that uses "environmentally safe" methods demanding too much money for access.

Another issue is, after you get the golf balls you have to either sell them or set up your own resale operation.

 

[critson]

A neighbor's pool (above ground) lining sprung a leak and they had to call in a diver to look for the hole. Not exactly exciting work, but safe and well-paying (got charged $150 and it only took a short time to find the tiny hole).

 

[HeatherFougnier]

I know a couple who got certified as instructors so that they could pick up work at a local dive shop every time they had a long stint in the Caribbean. At first, the dive shop owner said she didn't think she'd need them, but within two days, she called them to teach a couple of classes. Now they do this every year -- just teach classes to make extra money.

These 2 aren't jobs where you would dive, but they are a good way to get free diving:

My husband barters web design and technology work for dives, so he can bank free dives for us.

You could also start a dive blog or a dive newsletter and sell advertising space if it's popular & you get a lot of hits/subscribers.