Carter float anyone? Can you pls...

[Gab]

Hi,

If someone has a recent Carter float (with the new oral inflation valve) could you pls take closenup pictures of the oral onflation valve/tube from various angles? I would like to know if I can use something to hook up a Schrader valve to it, like maybe the Riffe Air Valve and/or the Riffe Air Blower (Schrader) Adapter.

Thanks,
Gabriel

 

[Mr. X]

Why do you want a schrader /schaeder valve? I thought I needed one until I bought my torpedo float - it doesn't take many puffs to blow it up, and not having to carry a pump or find a service station is nice. I also carry my float around folded up, which is v. convenient.

 

[Gab]

Yes, agreed. I am not getting a torpedo float, but an DSMB. I want to keep the CO2 inflators armed in case of an emergency or to help pull out a big grouper. But I'd like to also use it to mark my spot underwater, for which I don't need full inflation, so I am going.to rig it up to the oral inflation valve and stick a CO2 regulator valve on it, that way I can partially inflate it several times with the same CO2 cylinder.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Yes, agreed. I am not getting a torpedo float, but an DSMB. I want to keep the CO2 inflators armed in case of an emergency or to help pull out a big grouper. But I'd like to also use it to mark my spot underwater, for which I don't need full inflation, so I am going.to rig it up to the oral inflation valve and stick a CO2 regulator valve on it, that way I can partially inflate it several times with the same CO2 cylinder.

I don't understand why you need a Shrader valve to do that. If I want to attach it to my gun, reel line, or float line at the surface, I use the oral inflation tube. If I want to attach it to my slip tip cable at depth to help pull a fish out of the kelp, I use the CO2 inflator. If I used a CO2 cylinder several times to partially inflate the float, then it wouldn't have enough gas to fully inflate at depth when I need it.

 

[Gab]

Because I don't want to use the O2 in my lungs to inflate it a little at depth. I will have enough gas since I will have the two poppers ready to fire if needed. I would effectively have 3 CO2 cylinders, two for instant inflation and one that replaces my lungs when I don't need full inflation.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

I

Because I don't want to use the O2 in my lungs to inflate it a little at depth. I will have enough gas since I will have the two poppers ready to fire if needed. I would effectively have 3 CO2 cylinders, two for instant inflation and one that replaces my lungs when I don't need full inflation.

I think we must be having a failure of communication. None of my diving requires me to inflate a little at depth. I can't think of a reason why I would want to do that. Either I want to inflate it completely on the surface, which I can do orally, or I want to inflate it as much as the full cylinder will allow at depth.

But I also think we must be talking about different floats. My Carter has just one CO2 cylinder. I have a Riffe that has two cylinders, but I don't have anything that has three cylinders. BTW, Riffe doesn't sell that version any more.

I would think anything with three cylinders would be difficult to roll up into something that a free diver could easily carry.

 

[Gab]

I think we must be having a failure of communication. None of my diving requires me to inflate a little at depth. I can't think of a reason why I would want to do that. Either I want to inflate it completely on the surface, which I can do orally, or I want to inflate it as much as the full cylinder will allow at depth.

Ok, yes I think you are right Bill, we have a communication issue .

But I also think we must be talking about different floats. My Carter has just one CO2 cylinder. I have a Riffe that has two cylinders, but I don't have anything that has three cylinders. BTW, Riffe doesn't sell that version any more.

So, I purchases a Carter float with two CO2 poppers, like your Riffe.

I would think anything with three cylinders would be difficult to roll up into something that a free diver could easily carry.

I am making an adapter that I can optionally use under water to inflate it using CO2 throught the oral inflation valve. This adapter is made of a CO2 regulator valve (the ones for bicycles), a flexible schrader extension and an unknown part that will hook up the oral inflation valve on the float.

I agree if it is inflated on the surface you blow into it, I agree that if you want to inflatebit at depth to help with pulling a fish out or to pull yourself up you need full inflation at depth, I have the two CO2 inflators for this.

My use case is I am under water in a kelp forest or in a rocky bottom with lots of holes, I want to make the spot with my float but I don't want to blow into it because I may be deep and at the end of my breath, this could be dangerous because I could black out going up. So, I can use my adapter (that is on my belt but not on the float, so it doesn't hinder folding the float) to inflate the float a bit. I don't need full inflation in this case, just a little so I can see it better, so it points up. Is it more clear now?

 

[Bill McIntyre]

So, I purchases a Carter float with two CO2 poppers, like your Riffe.

They don't make one.

http://www.carterbag.com/spearfish.html

I am making an adapter that I can optionally use under water to inflate it using CO2 throught the oral inflation valve. This adapter is made of a CO2 regulator valve (the ones for bicycles), a flexible schrader extension and an unknown part that will hook up the oral inflation valve on the float.

I agree if it is inflated on the surface you blow into it, I agree that if you want to inflatebit at depth to help with pulling a fish out or to pull yourself up you need full inflation at depth, I have the two CO2 inflators for this.

My use case is I am under water in a kelp forest or in a rocky bottom with lots of holes, I want to make the spot with my float but I don't want to blow into it because I may be deep and at the end of my breath, this could be dangerous because I could black out going up. So, I can use my adapter (that is on my belt but not on the float, so it doesn't hinder folding the float) to inflate the float a bit. I don't need full inflation in this case, just a little so I can see it better, so it points up. Is it more clear now?

Maybe. It seems you want to leave the float down there to help you find your way back? What if the visibility is poor? What will you attach the float too?

Here is an alternative. In California, a lot of guys who dive for lobster, rock scallops, abalone, or fish in holes use a float line attached to an ab iron or to the gun. When they want to find their way back down to the spot, they drop the ab iron or gun. Then after going up for a breath, they can follow the float line back down. That seems a lot simpler

 

[Gab]

They don't make one.

http://www.carterbag.com/spearfish.html

I asked and they made me one. Josh at Neptonics also has them in stock, just not on his site, you have to ask him. I got mine fron Carter Bags directly since they were very helpful and answered my many questions.

Maybe. It seems you want to leave the float down there to help you find your way back? What if the visibility is poor? What will you attach the float too?

Here is an alternative. In California, a lot of guys who dive for lobster, rock scallops, abalone, or fish in holes use a float line attached to an ab iron or to the gun. When they want to find their way back down to the spot, they drop the ab iron or gun. Then after going up for a breath, they can follow the float line back down. That seems a lot simpler

Yes, that is what I want it for. Not a bad idea what you describe, where I hunt it is not so bad though, it just gets confusing at times in some places when it all starts looking the same in some areas. This is when I'd like to use it, I was thinking of carrying a small mesh bag and when I want to leave it there I put a stone from the bottom inside.