Going through diving withdrawal -- Need help

Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of our
pool which is 12 feet? I just have this urge when swimming in the lane to
start going down when the pool depth starts to drop off.

I figure I need at least a mask, fins and weights. Is there a minimum of
other stuff I can get (smaller tank with some kind of tank holder) that will
allow me to just dive in the pool swimming up and down the lane adding depth
to the procedure? Don't want to spend a fortune on full blown dive
equipment, but I know I can transfer a decent regulator over to a "normal"
setup. Pretty much only used my BC for resting at the top when I passed my
OW test, and getting a smaller tank that has to be filled more often isn't a
big deal. This is just for fun and to scratch that itch.

Thanks.

Sheldon

"Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote in message
news:3aWdnSaj-p0ieFHbnZ2dnUVZ_sKqnZ2d@comcast.com...
> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of our
> pool which is 12 feet?




12 foot and 6 inch snorkel? ( and a great lung capacity to overcome the
dead space)


I just have this urge when swimming in the lane to
> start going down when the pool depth starts to drop off.
>
> I figure I need at least a mask, fins and weights. Is there a minimum of
> other stuff I can get (smaller tank with some kind of tank holder) that
> will allow me to just dive in the pool swimming up and down the lane
> adding depth to the procedure? Don't want to spend a fortune on full
> blown dive equipment, but I know I can transfer a decent regulator over
> to a "normal" setup. Pretty much only used my BC for resting at the top
> when I passed my OW test, and getting a smaller tank that has to be filled
> more often isn't a big deal. This is just for fun and to scratch that
> itch.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Sheldon
>

On Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:27:16 -0600, "Sheldon"
<sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote:

> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of our
> pool which is 12 feet?

Yeah, assuming that you are too naturally buoyant -- a couple of lead
weights... 20 or 30 lbs should work quite nicely... <evil-grin>

If you want to stay longer than a single breath will entail (and not
drown in the process), you are going to need some sort of air
supply... The cost of an AL80 is not that much more than the smaller
tanks, so I would suggest staying with it or perhaps an old
steel-72... You can get a plastic backplate and put the tank on it or
for only a couple more bucks, go with an aluminum backplate...

Here's a plastic backplate on ebay right now:
http://cgi.ebay.com/SCUBA-DIVING-DIV...QQcmdZViewItem

You don't need a BC if you are weighted correctly... Check ebay out
for gear... Sometimes you can even find tanks on ebay that are local
and as such you'll be able to avoid paying shipping... Shipping costs
tend to eat up whatever deal you can get on tanks usually... You will
need a minimum of a single 1st and 2nd stage... SPGs are not really
needed... Just go with an unbalanced 2nd stage and you'll be able to
tell when the tank starts getting close to empty by the fact that it
gets a bit more difficult to breathe from...

Or you can just use a stainless steel hose clamp around the base of
your tank with a rope or nylon strap attached between it and the neck
of your tank valve and toss this over a shoulder... Some of us have
used even less than this when working over the side on our boats
clearing a prop or whatever...

"Grumman-581" <grumman581@DIE-SPAMMER-SCUM-gmail.com> wrote in message
news:65qpc3hvgclh7l163lbun8fdlmotokjg23@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:27:16 -0600, "Sheldon"
> <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote:
>
>> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of
>> our
>> pool which is 12 feet?
>
> Yeah, assuming that you are too naturally buoyant -- a couple of lead
> weights... 20 or 30 lbs should work quite nicely... <evil-grin>
>
> If you want to stay longer than a single breath will entail (and not
> drown in the process), you are going to need some sort of air
> supply... The cost of an AL80 is not that much more than the smaller
> tanks, so I would suggest staying with it or perhaps an old
> steel-72... You can get a plastic backplate and put the tank on it or
> for only a couple more bucks, go with an aluminum backplate...
>
> Here's a plastic backplate on ebay right now:
> http://cgi.ebay.com/SCUBA-DIVING-DIV...QQcmdZViewItem
>
> You don't need a BC if you are weighted correctly... Check ebay out
> for gear... Sometimes you can even find tanks on ebay that are local
> and as such you'll be able to avoid paying shipping... Shipping costs
> tend to eat up whatever deal you can get on tanks usually... You will
> need a minimum of a single 1st and 2nd stage... SPGs are not really
> needed... Just go with an unbalanced 2nd stage and you'll be able to
> tell when the tank starts getting close to empty by the fact that it
> gets a bit more difficult to breathe from...
>
> Or you can just use a stainless steel hose clamp around the base of
> your tank with a rope or nylon strap attached between it and the neck
> of your tank valve and toss this over a shoulder... Some of us have
> used even less than this when working over the side on our boats
> clearing a prop or whatever...

"Grumman-581" <grumman581@DIE-SPAMMER-SCUM-gmail.com> wrote in message
news:65qpc3hvgclh7l163lbun8fdlmotokjg23@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:27:16 -0600, "Sheldon"
> <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote:
>
>> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of
>> our
>> pool which is 12 feet?
>
> Yeah, assuming that you are too naturally buoyant -- a couple of lead
> weights... 20 or 30 lbs should work quite nicely... <evil-grin>
>
> If you want to stay longer than a single breath will entail (and not
> drown in the process), you are going to need some sort of air
> supply... The cost of an AL80 is not that much more than the smaller
> tanks, so I would suggest staying with it or perhaps an old
> steel-72... You can get a plastic backplate and put the tank on it or
> for only a couple more bucks, go with an aluminum backplate...


surely a pony bottle or a spare air is all that is needed they are really
great






>
> Here's a plastic backplate on ebay right now:
> http://cgi.ebay.com/SCUBA-DIVING-DIV...QQcmdZViewItem
>
> You don't need a BC if you are weighted correctly... Check ebay out
> for gear... Sometimes you can even find tanks on ebay that are local
> and as such you'll be able to avoid paying shipping... Shipping costs
> tend to eat up whatever deal you can get on tanks usually... You will
> need a minimum of a single 1st and 2nd stage... SPGs are not really
> needed... Just go with an unbalanced 2nd stage and you'll be able to
> tell when the tank starts getting close to empty by the fact that it
> gets a bit more difficult to breathe from...
>
> Or you can just use a stainless steel hose clamp around the base of
> your tank with a rope or nylon strap attached between it and the neck
> of your tank valve and toss this over a shoulder... Some of us have
> used even less than this when working over the side on our boats
> clearing a prop or whatever...

"dechucka" <dechucka@vomithotmail.com> wrote in message
news:46ccec80$0$27768$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>
> "Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote in message
> news:3aWdnSaj-p0ieFHbnZ2dnUVZ_sKqnZ2d@comcast.com...
>> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of
>> our pool which is 12 feet?
>
>
>
>
> 12 foot and 6 inch snorkel? ( and a great lung capacity to overcome the
> dead space)
>

Tried that and screwed up my ears. I have to descend slower than I can hold
my breath.

"Grumman-581" <grumman581@DIE-SPAMMER-SCUM-gmail.com> wrote in message
news:65qpc3hvgclh7l163lbun8fdlmotokjg23@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:27:16 -0600, "Sheldon"
> <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote:
>
>> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of
>> our
>> pool which is 12 feet?
>
> Yeah, assuming that you are too naturally buoyant -- a couple of lead
> weights... 20 or 30 lbs should work quite nicely... <evil-grin>

One instructor tried that already.

>
> If you want to stay longer than a single breath will entail (and not
> drown in the process), you are going to need some sort of air
> supply... The cost of an AL80 is not that much more than the smaller
> tanks, so I would suggest staying with it or perhaps an old
> steel-72... You can get a plastic backplate and put the tank on it or
> for only a couple more bucks, go with an aluminum backplate...

Thanks for the tip. Shipping on that backplate is a little high. Might
shop around, but something like that should do it.

>
> Here's a plastic backplate on ebay right now:
> http://cgi.ebay.com/SCUBA-DIVING-DIV...QQcmdZViewItem
>
> You don't need a BC if you are weighted correctly... Check ebay out
> for gear... Sometimes you can even find tanks on ebay that are local
> and as such you'll be able to avoid paying shipping... Shipping costs
> tend to eat up whatever deal you can get on tanks usually... You will
> need a minimum of a single 1st and 2nd stage... SPGs are not really
> needed... Just go with an unbalanced 2nd stage and you'll be able to
> tell when the tank starts getting close to empty by the fact that it
> gets a bit more difficult to breathe from...
>
> Or you can just use a stainless steel hose clamp around the base of
> your tank with a rope or nylon strap attached between it and the neck
> of your tank valve and toss this over a shoulder... Some of us have
> used even less than this when working over the side on our boats
> clearing a prop or whatever...

"dechucka" <dechucka@vomithotmail.com> wrote in message
news:46cceef2$0$27802$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>
> "Grumman-581" <grumman581@DIE-SPAMMER-SCUM-gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:65qpc3hvgclh7l163lbun8fdlmotokjg23@4ax.com...
>> On Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:27:16 -0600, "Sheldon"
>> <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of
>>> our
>>> pool which is 12 feet?
>>
>> Yeah, assuming that you are too naturally buoyant -- a couple of lead
>> weights... 20 or 30 lbs should work quite nicely... <evil-grin>
>>
>> If you want to stay longer than a single breath will entail (and not
>> drown in the process), you are going to need some sort of air
>> supply... The cost of an AL80 is not that much more than the smaller
>> tanks, so I would suggest staying with it or perhaps an old
>> steel-72... You can get a plastic b ackplate and put the tank on it or
>> for only a couple more bucks, go with an aluminum backplate...
>
>
> surely a pony bottle or a spare air is all that is needed they are really
> great
>

Might be a plan. I'll have to see how much air they hold and how I would
attach it myself. At least I could use it when I dive.

"Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote in message
news:mY2dnRkWJrkTlVDbnZ2dnUVZ_hadnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>
> "dechucka" <dechucka@vomithotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:46ccec80$0$27768$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>>
>> "Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote in message
>> news:3aWdnSaj-p0ieFHbnZ2dnUVZ_sKqnZ2d@comcast.com...
>>> Is there a minimum of equipment I can buy to get down to the bottom of
>>> our pool which is 12 feet?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> 12 foot and 6 inch snorkel? ( and a great lung capacity to overcome the
>> dead space)
>>
>
> Tried that and screwed up my ears. I have to descend slower than I can
> hold my breath.

I told you before never hold your breathe when diving
>
>

"Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> wrote in message
news:mY2dnRsWJrkTlVDbnZ2dnUVZ_hadnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>
> >> tanks, so I would suggest staying with it or perhaps an old
> >> steel-72... You can get a plastic b ackplate and put the tank on it or
> >> for only a couple more bucks, go with an aluminum backplate...
> >
> >
> > surely a pony bottle or a spare air is all that is needed they are
really
> > great
> >
>
> Might be a plan. I'll have to see how much air they hold and how I would
> attach it myself. At least I could use it when I dive.

Uh oh . . here we go . . .