My kids are still too young to SCUBA, but they’re both itching to try. On a few occasions, I’ve rigged my tank and regulator, inflated the BC, and tossed the whole thing into the pool so that it floats on the surface. The kids love to swim next to the floating tank, each one with a regulator in his mouth, swimming along the surface and dipping down the two feet that the length of the air hoses will allow.

So recently I started thinking about purchasing a 40 or 60-foot hose (maybe longer) and creating my own Snuba rig -- both for the kids in the pool (after the proper training, of course), and for me on the boat. This sort of setup would be perfect for much of the shallow-water reefs and secret lobster spots in South Florida.

Has anyone else tried this?

Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snuba
http://www.keeneeng.com/pamphlets/introHooka.html
http://www.airlinebyjsink.com/scubagear.html

Comments:

	Posted by mk21cb, Oct-18-2006 @ 02:15 PM CDT That will work ((ONLY)) if you bump up the overbottom on the 1st stage to 175psi. use caution with set up you are now diving surface suplied. limited air sourse can put you in a real fix. be very aware of you asent rates
	Posted by oceano, Dec-14-2006 @ 12:33 PM CST I am certain you already know, but make sure you have a check valve in line. Loss of pressure to the surface at minimal depth can cause trauma, especially to a young person. Surface supplied divers have been severly injured in the past when they lost pressure and had no or a faulty check valve. This check valve should be inspected before each dive.
	Posted by oceano, Dec-14-2006 @ 12:34 PM CST best of luck your children will love it.
	Posted by daricarroll, Apr-26-2007 @ 08:35 AM CDT I am new to scuba, getting my open-water certification this weekend. I am also a new published author. Visit my site: daricarroll.blogspot.com "Free Of Me".
	Posted by bigdon, Mar-18-2008 @ 09:52 AM CDT I have used an 8' hose with a third 2nd stage for my daughter who is 7. We keep it above 15ft. We are always reviewing safety before and as we dive. When she is old enough to get her C card, I will feel more Comfortable with her than some others
	Posted by bkosinone, May-2-2008 @ 09:58 AM CDT Not sure where you live. you can come scuba with us.
	Posted by CaptJim, Aug-21-2008 @ 01:25 PM CDT For the last 30 years I've been using a tank and regulator 1st stage outfit on the surface and a 50' hose with a second stage for thousands of hours of diving. I'll even use 100' hoses on many occasions. Tips. 1. Secure the hose with a clip to a d-ring on the divers harness/BCD not the weight belt...if you dive with a weight belt! If you do, and had to ditch the weight belt, you would find the second stage getting pulled out of your worried looking face! A divers harness/BCD such as the types made by Zeagle have an intigrated weight pocket design that allows for dumping your weights without the need for a belt, QD buckle and the possible trouble of the buckle ending up in the small of your back. It's going to be hard to reach it back there! 2. Attach a "T" fitting to the end of your supply line and run an inflator hose to your BCD on one outlet and supply your second stage hose from the other outlet. 3.Remind all SNUBA/SSUBA newbies to practice the 1st Rule of SCUBA as well... "Never Hold Your Breath, Always Keep Breathing"...stressing that the ascent is especially important, as that's when a lung expansion injury is most likely to occur if the diver fails to breathe normally throughout the ascent. 4. As long as your 1st stage output pressure is in the 145 -160 psi range, you'll be fine for dives to depths of 35'. Go deeper if you are fully aware of your time limits for nitrogen loading, possible decompression obligations and the fact that water pressure will counter the hose pressure at some point where the second stage performance will be reduced and it gets difficult to breathe from. Time to ascend to a shallower and more user friendly depth. 5. Have a HP pressure gauge on your 1st stage. (I use a SPG) When you turn on the air, check to see how much air you have. You need to pay attention to how long it will last, as there will not be a gauge to use underwater for monitoring the surface tank supply. I use my dive watch to plan, moniter and record the duration of the dive. After a few dives you will get a feel for how long is too long before running low. Be safe, try to end your dive with around 500psi still in the tank. 6. Your 2nd stage serves as an OPRV (overpressure relief valve). In the unlikely event your 1st stage high pressure seat fails, the resulting increase in pressure to the 2nd stage will cause it free-flow rapidly. Using carefull breathing techniques, a diver can simply breathe from a free-flowing 2nd stage by holding the mouthpiece close to the corner of your mouth and inhaling the air flow as needed and just exhale out in to the water as needed. Time to come up and shut down if this this happens. The only time an OPRV is needed on the 1st stage is when your 2ng stage is equiped with a hose shutoff device. If you did not have an OPRV on your surface supply 1st stage, the high presure seat could fail and rupture your supply hose. Not good. Have a bail out plan, I have used my BCD as a temporary counterlung for emergency ascents. Good for only about 2 or 3 breaths before your CO2 level gets too high. It can help you get to the surface when you need that extra breath. I've trained thousands of divers for these types of scenarios. Drop your weights if you can not establish floatation on surface. Rest, secure the situation and recover any dropped gear later, when conditions allow that to be done safely. I also sell several types of dive hose fittings to 1/4" NPT adapters and long regulator hose assemblies, not to mention everything diving. Feel free to ask more questions so all can learn more. Semper Deep, Capt. Jim Mims www.oceandiving.com
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