Tell me why this is a bad idea - Suspended light / dive support platform

[Cthippo]

Before I started diving I did a lot of work with various underwater camera rigs suspended in the water. Not ROVs, just drop cams of various types.

Ever since, I've been toying with the idea of a large, surface powered light array that can be lowered from the boat over a target (wreck, etc) to illuminate an area with much more powerful lights than a diver could reasonably carry. I imagined a ladder type frame with arrays of high intensity LEDs powered from the surface. One could even mount a bailout tank on it or baskets for carrying tools, rigging etc. The idea would be to create a work platform to illuminate a work area and support whatever you are doing. Getting it to stay put in current would be a challenge, and you would have to watch out for stray currents, but otherwise is there a reason this would not be feasible?

 

[jborg]

You would need very high quality surface support to keep station like that over a target with <1m precision.

 

[tr3a]

I believe that Cousteau and his team was doing that in the early 50's.
Watch the "silent world", if I remember correctly electrical cables from the surface were powering the lights.

 

[tr3a]

I also have some books on underwater photography written in the late 50's.
The author talks about early attempts at underwater photography (1900 ish). Shows pictures (hand drawings) of helmet divers on the bottom with 8x10 view cameras on tripods.
Also cables heading to surface for lighting (don't know if it worked).

 

[bvanant]

I think the big issue will be money and reliability. The movie guys do this reasonably well but not cheaply.
Bill