On the Hookah

We’ve stayed on the hook for long periods of time before.  The amount of barnacles generated during our two months in Bocas del Toro (Panama) and the 3-inch grasses from seven weeks in Portobelo should have prepared us for what we found under the hulls after six weeks in Panama City.  Hardly!  Even the anchor chain was no indication of what was below the hulls. 

There was nothing unusual in the small barnacles we scraped off on the first ten feet of chain.  The tip-off was when JP tried to throttle up and DOMINO started to vibrate.  No way could he throttle up to more than 800 rpm.  We should have been making 8 knots but barely managed 5 kts.  We dropped the hook in the deep waters of Taboga (using our “small” 90-lb Raya and a good 150’ of our 400’ 3/8” chain) and suited up to take a look at the props.  We had never seen anything like it.  It looked like Big D had been submerged for a century.  A full coat of barnacles—big, ugly, ¾” diameter barnacles-- was entirely overlaying both props, without even an inch of bronze showing through.  The coat was up to 2” thick in some parts, invading the short 3” of shaft as well. 

The grasses on the hulls were short but ubiquitous.  Barnacles were coating the hulls, but were an easy scrape-off since our Seahawk antifouling paint is still good after 2 ½ years of use.  The bottom of the skegs, though, where the antifouling has worn off, were entirely covered by 2” of critters.  I must apologize for not having taken pix… got a bit too busy with the work.

 In comes our diving hookah:  The Air Line (by Sink). This compact unit powered by a marinized 4HP Honda gas engine is quick to mount and easy to handle.  Its rugged red case fits in the forward hold and doesn’t mind the bumps and scrapes we subject it to.  Setting up is easy as 1-2-3.  Drop the unit into the yellow-covered inner tube, fit the two 70’ hoses, pour 2.5 quarts of plain gasoline, attach the air vent, pull the cord, purge the line and go!  The new 4-handle inner tube cover allows for much more stable handling of the unit.  We simply hook the handles to our dinghy hoist and lower it to the water.  When we want to dive far from the boat, we drop the floatie on our dinghy, stow the air hoses under the bench and off we go.   When we arrive at the dive location, we simply slide the floatie off the dinghy and it’s no more difficult to hoist it back on the dink at the end of the dive.   With out two 70’ air hoses, we have reached depths of 60’ without any problem.  We typically dive for no more than 90 minutes since we get cold and tired even though we are far from reaching the dive tables limits.  One tank of gas is more than enough and, indeed, we could dive for more than three hours on one tank only.  Can the unit overturn?  I suppose that in big seas, it might, but that would not be one of our diving days anyways.  As for clean up, a good rinse, a power air-drying with the compressor, drain the tank, add oil to the cylinder and voila! Back in the red case and down-below.  Easy! 

How does it compare to “real” diving with tanks?  Don’t compare.  If we want to dive deep, into caves or canyons, we just go to a local dive outfit and book an adventure.  But for our daily use, fishing or maintenance, the Hookah is perfect.

There are other brands: Sea Breathe makes a 12-volt unit.  Hookamax makes a variety of units, gas and electric.  How do you choose?  Go to boat shows, look at the units, talk to the owners.  We met Joe Sink back in 2001, when the Air Linewas only 2 years old.  Part of what makes a good product is the management and technical savvy behind the product.  Joe knew his product and was also a big-time user of the Air Line.  We must have met him at every boat show and we have witnessed his progress.  At the last boat show, we met the new owners of the company who took in our suggestions.  One of our complaints had been the 2-handled inner tube cover, an unstable setup that guaranteed to tip the unit upside down.  DONE!  We now have a 4-handle cover, stable and strong.  That’s what we love about the Air Line guys: they listen, they respond.

Now, the hull and props are clean and off we go… destination unknown, but hopefully some good diving!

Until next time

dominomarie