Sports are one of the major activities on board and ashore, and some of them require a lot of gear. Here is a list of sports gear we plan to add to S/V Lynx. This list will be updated as we add more later.
With our Captain being a Master Scuba Diver Trainer, and his first mate a Divemaster, both with decades of diving experience, including owning and operating a Scuba Instruction School and dive store, you can bet we want to do lots of amazing scuba diving along the way. Therefore, we plan to have a lot of dive gear on board so that we can fill tanks, and have most of the gear there, so that visiting crew don't have to bring much heavy gear with them on flights. All they will need is personal gear: a dive suit, a mask, and a dive computer. We will have these items available, but fit is critical on the dive suit and mask and some people are picky about their dive computer. Below are some of the dive gear we plan to have on board.
Dive Tanks
Tanks are heavy, and not something easily transported on a plane. We will have four tanks on board S/V Lynx. All of them will be low pressure steel cylinders. They will hold 95 cu. ft. (15L) of air, at 2640 lbs. (182 bar). Staying with low pressure means our compressor doesn't have to work as hard (see below for compressors).
Buoyance Compensation Devices (BCDs)
BCDs are adjustable, so if we carry 1 small, 2 mediums, 2 larges, and 1 extra large, that should cover any of our visiting crew who are certified divers and want to make a dive. As to which brand, that is still to be decided, though we will be looking for ones that are back inflation style, with built in weight systems.
Regulators
We are leaning toward Sherwood SR2 single hose regulators, as they are a decent price and have excellent reviews. Our captain has been diving one for several years without issue.
* NITROX compatible to 40%
* Pneumatically balanced design
* Sealed dry spring chamber design
* SMART demand lever and floating crown
* Single adjustment point
Diving Computers
We are a big fan of the Teric wrist mount dive computers. They have a wireless connection to read out tank pressure without an additional hose. They can be mounted on a camera rig instead of your wrist for a nice heads up display. These are top of the line computers, with every calculation and gadget possible. They are expensive $1,300 each) but worth the money. You can even look at your dive partners remaining air on your computer and they have a built in digital compass.
Air Fill Compressor
When it comes to a scuba dive compressor, we are looking for a reliable brand with these minimum specs:
* Output: 5 to 8 cfm
* Weight: Not to exceed 270 lbs
* Automatic condensation removal
* Auto shutdown at a specified pressure
* Two tanks filled in parallel
* Pumps to 3000 psi (200 bar)
* 3 phase electric motor
There are other things we'd like, but those are the main features. We looked at these contenders:
| Compressor | CFM | Weight (lbs.) | PSI | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bauer Oceanus -E3 | 4.9 | 115 | 5000 | $6,700 |
| L&W Compressors 225 E | 7.9 | 203 | 3000 | $5,114 |
| Alkin W32 Mariner | 8.8 | 364 | 5000 | $6,360 |
| Nardi Pacific E | 5.6 | 238 | 5000 | $10,139 |
| Coltri Mch 8 EM Standard | 4.7 | 236 | 3000 | $5,995 |
The clear winner for us is the L&W. Second highest CFM, but 161 lbs. lighter than the Alkin. And the lowest price of all contenders. It only pumps to 3,000 psi, but we are using Low Pressure 2,640 psi tanks anyway, so that is all we need. Our second place is the Bauer Oceanus, but at 3 CFM slower filling, and a higher price, we like the L&W, which meets all of our listed requirements (above).
Fishing is listed as a sport, but it is also for stocking our freezers with food. We want reliable and quality fishing equipment so that it functions for a long time in a harsh environment.
Shimano Fishing Tiagra 30a Trolling 2 SPD Conventional Reels [TI30A]
The number one choice of serious offshore anglers and captains, Tiagra reels feature an innovative hydrothermal drag system that virtually eliminates the drag setting variances that affect today's big-game reels.
The Tiagra series offers the strength and reliability of a solid aluminum frame, making these reels ideal for fishing with heavier line for giant fish. These reels are also perfectly suited for long-range fishing.
$620 (each and we need 2)
Ugly Stik Bigwater Stand Up Conventional Fishing Rod
For the challenge of big game fishing, anglers around the world choose Ugly Stik® Bigwater™ rods. Dependability, toughness, and durability is the backbone of this series. The Bigwater series features Ugly Tech™ construction with a combination of graphite and fiberglass to create a strong, yet sensitive rod, Ugly Tuff™ one-piece stainless steel guides to provide excellent durability and eliminate insert pop-outs, and Ugly Stik® Clear Tip® design for strength and sensitivity. Paired with Fuji® reel seats and comfortable EVA grips, be prepared to conquer any situation with the NEW and improved Ugly Stik® Bigwater™ Series.
$150 (each and we need 2)
KastKing Braided Fishing Line: 547 yards, 50 lb - 40mm
STRONG KNOT STRENGTH – dynamically incorporated strands in KastKing SuperPower Braided Lines allow you to easily tie a more solid knot; you can even tie an improved clinch knot. The special proprietary treatment (without a waxy coating) allows the supple fishing line to zip through the guides to your target and gives you better lure swimming action.
LOW MEMORY – helps you achieve a better, farther casts, less chance of wind knots
GREATER ABRASION RESISTANCE – of KastKing braided fishing line decreases the likelihood of losing your “big one”! KastKing SuperPower Braid line's powers are...super!
ULTRA-HIGH SENSITIVITY & ZERO STRETCH – for superior hook setting that increases your catch ratio.
SMALLER DIAMETER – compared to other brands allowing you to spool more fishing line on to your reel.
$26.00 (each, we need 4)
KastKing DuraBlend Monofilament Leader Line - 120 yards, 150 lb
KastKing - the ICAST 2015 Award winning brand, presents the incredibly strong-superior monofilament leaders ranking among the highest in tensile strength.80 lbs is shown for display purposes. There are other sizes to choose from. Please select the size you want.
KastKing DuraBlend Monofilament Leader is formulated to be one of the most durable and abrasion resistant mono leader materials available today
Delivering extreme fighting power, KastKing DuraBlend Mono Leader Material features great shock strength, excellent abrasion resistance, and high knot strength. Also, the DuraBlend Mono Leaders offer great properties anglers expect in a high-quality leader such as low stretch and outstanding clarity
Produced using only the strictest of quality control, this high-quality DuraBlend Mono Leader features very low memory characteristics. Remains very soft and flexible, while maintaining a high tensile strength-to-diameter ratio, resulting in a smaller, stronger line that gives you more reel capacity for fighting hard-charging game fish
Innovative keeper package for DuraBlend leader line up to 100 lb test protects the line and affords quick, tangle-free availability, maximizing your efficiency while on the water. 100 – 200 lb test DuraBlend comes wound in a soft wrap package.
$15.00 (each, we need eight)
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