SSA/ Hookah Diving

[santelmo]

is anyone into SSA (Surface Supplied Air) or HOOKAH diving where in air supply to one or more divers come from a motor driven compressor that pumps clean air through a hose to the divers below? at the end of the hose is a demand regulator, much like a scuba regulator.

does anyone know any other info regarding this kind if diving? im in Palawan right now and we encountered a brochure/ company that offers this kind of hobby/sport. and according to many, hookah diving has been banned because local fishermen-divers (the ones who use cheap air compressors w/ ordinary water/garden hose) die from it or get paralyzed. and now it seems that this so called BROWNIE'S THIRD LUNGS (SSA/ Hookah diving) has improvised or modernized compressor diving...

just imagine... no air tanks, no BCD, no air gauge, etc??? all u have is your wetsuit, fins, mask, possibly weights, and a long hose connected to a floating gas powered air compressor (that i think you will drag throughout your dive)

to understand more of what i am saying try visiting their website at http://jdaviddivers.palawan.net OR http://www.palawan.net/jdaviddivers

im interested to try this and my dad and his co-workers are planning to use this new method in their work which is underwater archeology. although we are not sure on the accuracy, SAFETY and efficiency of this new method.

[seasnake]

Nothing wrong with it, as long as the equipment is in good working order, and you remember you are affected by the same gas laws as on scuba. This doesn't usually affect NDL since hookah systems don't usually even come with enough hose to dive very deep, but observe safe ascent rates for sure.

[Zero]

Everything is the same as SCUBA. NDL included. Some will go to about 50m. If you neglect filters its the same as a bad fill. If the intake is near a running engine you will clog the filters and all sorts of nasties coming down the line. If you are doing long bottom times bailout is a must. If your doing deep dives for a decent length of time that might mean still wearing an 80cf for emergencies. There are lots of different types from small battery powered units that sit in a small float you can tow around to large boat mounted petrol/diesel driven units.
As with anything get proper instruction on it. It may seem all the same but there are differences.
As an alternate you can bank cylinders and run the reg on a very long hose.

Matt

[santelmo]

thank you guys. great help...

[Zero]

http://www.divers-supply.com/SearchR...RLINE+JOE+SINK
Help from a friendly site sponsor just when you need it.

Matt

[santelmo]

http://www.divers-supply.com/SearchR...RLINE+JOE+SINK
Help from a friendly site sponsor just when you need it.

Matt

thanks. we'll check it out... ;p

[seasnake]

Sorry, didn't mean to make it sound like no deco limits were different from scuba, just that the systems I've had experience with only had enough hose for diving to depths of 20 to 25 feet (7 or 8 metres?), so deco diving is probably not going to be necessary.
The bank system is another option. We have tried that here with success, but again on shallow commercial dives. Someone needs to be topside though to monitor things, and we use com gear.
Another option would be what they call SNUBA, where you float your tank on a little raft and run a long hose to your second stage. Again this would be more for shallow diving. I did a 10m on this system and thought it worked great.
If you want to do deep diving and extended deep diving, I really don't think surface supplied is the way to go unless you are talking a commercial set up with a helmet, surface supplied gas and a team topside for surface support. I have done a bit of underwater archeology work and we always used open circuit. I guess it would really depend on the situation. If you are working on a particular site that is in 10m or less, hookah might be effective.

[santelmo]

yeah, we've checked their office the other day and found out that they offer up to 150 feet of hose but you would be required to bring a sort of pony bottle and a 2nd stage. for recreational hookah diving they only allow up to 30feet.

their next archaeological site would be in 180feet so i think they will have a problem when it comes to depth issue.

[diverep]

Ingat kayo ni Alex !!!!!
Quite deep 180ft why not use tri mix .

[seasnake]

yeh, 180' off a little hookah compressor is not a very good idea, I would think. If you want surface supplied than go with helmet diving on trimix.

If you want to do it cheaper (and I use that term loosely), rebreather or open circuit with trimix.