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snorkelers/divers, have you seen this airbuddy?

JulieAB

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Just curious of your thoughts? This seems much more tangible to me (never dove before, but I like snorkeling), though still a little scary.

http://www.airbuddy.net/
 

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they have had these for awahile now (not sure whats different about the kickstarter one)...they are very popular in one of the local scalloping areas here in florida...and if I lived in the keys or similar and only wanted to do shallow diving/snorkeling...this would be outstanding!
 

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Just curious of your thoughts? This seems much more tangible to me (never dove before, but I like snorkeling), though still a little scary.

http://www.airbuddy.net/


Pretty cool, although the shot of the female kneeling on the bottom was misleading. She had a weight belt on, but to surface, she would have had to a) kick like a mule to surface, or b) leave the weights behind:)
 

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Snuba diving is available on the tour boats in Hawaii. I wished I had tried it at Cook's Monument. That was a real nice reef then and many colorful fish. I hope that it is still today.

It's a cool idea but can you take this gear on a commercial airplane? They show a smaller private? plane in the movie. I really like many ideas that they show in www.kickstarter.com/.
 

TUGBrian

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I dont see why not, although itd be fairly heavy and bulky and take up most of a suitcase?

its merely a battery powered air pump, I dont think there would be anything prohibiting having this in a checked bag....although it might give the xray screener some pause as most folks would have no idea what they are looking at!
 

easyrider

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Pretty cool, although the shot of the female kneeling on the bottom was misleading. She had a weight belt on, but to surface, she would have had to a) kick like a mule to surface, or b) leave the weights behind:)

I was thinking the same thing about the weights. I guess a person would use just enough weight to slip below the surface and use breath control as a bcd.

Bill
 

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I was thinking the same thing about the weights. I guess a person would use just enough weight to slip below the surface and use breath control as a bcd.

Bill

Anyone that is experienced enough to accomplish both of those would probably be scuba diving instead ;)
 

easyrider

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Anyone that is experienced enough to accomplish both of those would probably be scuba diving instead ;)

Isnt the air buddy a Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus ?

Bill
 

geoand

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Pretty cool, although the shot of the female kneeling on the bottom was misleading. She had a weight belt on, but to surface, she would have had to a) kick like a mule to surface, or b) leave the weights behind:)
Have used weight belts many times and never had any problems getting from the bottom to the surface.
 

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the goal of weights is to help you achieve neutral buoyancy...not to make you sink to the bottom.
 

jacknsara

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Isnt the air buddy a Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus ?

Bill
Aloha,
Per their FAQ page: SSBA (surface-supplied breathing apparatus)
One of their target markets is companies renting these out. I'd consider renting one way before buying one and hoping to fly with it in my carry on. I doubt that the Lithium battery would be allowed in checked luggage.
Jack
 

Phydeaux

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Isnt the air buddy a Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus ?

Bill


Do you also consider SNUBA, SCUBA?

The device providing the air to breath is not Underwater, thus I would say nope ;)
 
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Phydeaux

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the goal of weights is to help you achieve neutral buoyancy...not to make you sink to the bottom.

At what specific depth? That is, without at BCD, at what depth will X lbs. of weights allow you to achieve neutral buoyancy?
 

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yes but strapping on a wetsuit and a bcg all add significant amounts of positive buoyancy to any person...thus weights needed to counteract that.

people skin diving or snorkeling (or swimming in a pool) either sink naturally...or float naturally based on body composition =D
 

easyrider

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Do you also consider SNUBA, SCUBA?

The device providing the air to breath is not Underwater, thus I would say nope ;)

The air buddy is a surface supplied underwater breathing apparatus that would be operated by the diver without surface support. Because of the lack of surface support the air buddy is a shallow water, surface supplied, "self contained underwater breathing apparatus", imo.

Bill
 

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The air buddy is a surface supplied underwater breathing apparatus that would be operated by the diver without surface support. Because of the lack of surface support the air buddy is a shallow water, surface supplied, "self contained underwater breathing apparatus", imo.

Bill


Whatever you say Bill..

Perhaps you should run that past the company and see if they latch onto it :) I would think they'd love the idea of referring to their product in one way or another as scuba.
 
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Phydeaux

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yes but strapping on a wetsuit and a bcg all add significant amounts of positive buoyancy to any person...thus weights needed to counteract that.

people skin diving or snorkeling (or swimming in a pool) either sink naturally...or float naturally based on body composition =D

As a diver, I know these points Brian. But, you didn't answer my question :)

This thread is not about scuba, and the model in the video is wearing a weight belt. I commented on this fact. Are you suggesting she's wearing one to achieve neutral buoyancy, kneeling on the bottom?
 
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TUGBrian

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oh, I didnt watch the whole video as id seen the product before....so i cant really answer that...but id have to guess shes wearing weights to help her sink =D
 

easyrider

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As a diver, I know these points Brian. But, you didn't answer my question :)

This thread is not about scuba, and the model in the video is wearing a weight belt. I commented on this fact. Are you suggesting she's wearing one to achieve neutral buoyancy, kneeling on the bottom?

Yes, the reason weights are needed are to allow neutral buoyancy. You should already know this. The air buddy uses an air hose full of air. Air is buoyant. Weights are used to counteract the buoyancy of the air hose and other buoyant concerns. Its basic Archimedes Principle. My guess is that the air hose would need to weighted to do a buoyancy check to determined how much weight a diver needs to be neutral.

https://www.idc-guide.com/physics/

Archimedes Principle
The Greek mathematician Archimedes determined that ‘An object wholly or partially immersed in a fluid is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object’
An object that weighs less than the water it displaces will float and is POSITIVELY BUOYANT. It’s buoyancy is expressed as a positive number, such as being 2 kgs positive. An object that weighs exactly the same as the water it displaces with neither sink nor float and is NEUTRALLY BUOYANT. Adding or removing weight will make it sink or float. An object that weighs more than the water it displaces will sink and is NEGATIVELY BUOYANT

Bill
 

Sandy VDH

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I wouldn't call SNUBA or this contraption SCUBA either. Both of them are very limited because you're tethered, and I assume would all be shallow and novice. Honestly I don't find getting on the gear that bad, or getting in the water, it is the coming out with a shitty knee that is the worst. But then again at 6'0" I am not exactly the small and weak type.

I would need a weight belt to any of the choices. I use a few small weights at times when I snorkel, if I am planning on diving down. Hell I'm buoyant without all the added gear, forget about the air in the hose. I am always joking that I carry around dual personal flotation devices permanently attached to my front. From the words of Erin Brockovich, "They're called Boobs, Ed".

upload_2017-5-27_21-58-31.png
 
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Phydeaux

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Yes, the reason weights are needed are to allow neutral buoyancy. You should already know this. The air buddy uses an air hose full of air. Air is buoyant. Weights are used to counteract the buoyancy of the air hose and other buoyant concerns. Its basic Archimedes Principle. My guess is that the air hose would need to weighted to do a buoyancy check to determined how much weight a diver needs to be neutral.

https://www.idc-guide.com/physics/



Bill

I'm afraid you still haven't understood my point, so I'll try one last time:

The model in this video isn't wearing a BCD, but is wearing weights. Someone else pointed out that weights are needed to achieve neutral buoyancy, and of course I understand that, however, that neutral buoyancy is dependent on a number of factors, and the factor I'm trying to point out is DEPTH.

The model is kneeling at the bottom and thus neutrally buoyant, we think. It is possible that she is negative buoyant, but we don't know that. For this discussion let's assume she's neutrally buoyant.

Now, when she ascends 10 feet, will she still be neutrally buoyant Bill? And if the coils in her tether allowed her to descend another 10 meters, would she then also still be neutrally buoyant?

Oh, and thanks for the dive lesson. From someone that considers this divebuddy scuba, I hope you won't be offended if I rely on the training I received elsewhere ;)

Have fun blowing bubbles everyone!! Be safe.
 
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Phydeaux

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Sandy VDH

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Please pardon my somewhat off-topic comment here, but since the topic is below water activities-------

If you haven't done so already, buy & read the book Shadow Divers. Honestly, this was one of the most engaging, cannot-put-down non-fiction books I have ever read. The writing style is absolutely outstanding.

https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Divers-Adventure-Americans-Everything/dp/0739320831

I read that too. I was sailing one week on Tradewinds, and the book was onboard. Left behind by a previous sailor, so they have a little used book library. I was intrigued by the title and picked it up. I started reading and could not put it down. I finished it that week on the boat. I guess the divers in us are drawn to it.
 

Phydeaux

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A fantastic read! I'd think you'd agree. I've been a fan of some great fiction, such as anything by Michael Crichton, but have transitioned to non-fiction, mostly because of Shadow Divers. There's real, and then there's imaginary. Lately reading, I've been into real. If I want fiction, I can always turn to the mainstream media news...
 
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