SCUBA to go? A new product by Mantus!
You may remember my post back in August where I described how I used a SCUBA tank connected to a dive regulator via a long hose to clean our boat bottom. After I shared that info, our friends from Mantus sent us an email to give us a heads up on a new product that they have slated for release later this year. Well, the product, what they’re simply referring to as Mantus Scuba, has now been officially announced, and after checking out their promo video, and reading the blurb on their website, I have to say that I think it looks pretty cool. It looks especially well suited as a tool for dealing with emergency underwater repairs, such as a fouled prop, or to assist with minor maintenance tasks, such as changing boat anodes.
From the Mantus site:
Mantus SCUBA system is designed to be compact, light and portable. Everything fits into a backpack (included) so you can have SCUBA gear with you on every adventure. It is an ideal system for cruisers, the small profile tanks fit easily in small places on the boat and allow you hassle free diving for all your underwater projects. Feel the freedom of movement of a free diver but do it with SCUBA gear.
Yes, you still need to be certified!
In order to use the system one still needs to be SCUBA certified, which at the moment, still rules us out. I can still appreciate the value of the product though, and if I ever decide to get certified, I’d love to have the opportunity to try it out.
Note: Yes, we are Mantus affiliates, so I suppose that if anyone purchases one of these systems from the above link, we’ll earn a bit of coffee money. I wasn’t asked to share this though. I just love supporting companies like Mantus who always seem to be pushing the envelop, and regularly introducing new, innovative, and quality products. And on that note, as Hurricane Matthew is now almost certain to impact the US, I just found this offer of free shipping from Mantus on Facebook:
To all our East Coast friends, STAY SAFE!!! If anyone needs anchors, bridles, hooks, shackles & swivels we are offering FREE SHIPPING (including expedited). Use code “MATTHEW”. If you need expedited shipping enter request in notes.
Looks amazing and from am awesome quality making company, going to have to look into this, maybe they have it at the Annapolis boat show this weekend??
I wouldn’t be surprised if they did. If you’re there and drop by to see them, please let them know that you heard about it from us. That might score us some brownie points. 🙂
Note: Just read that they will be there, in Tent D.
It doesn’t look like you can fill the tanks by cross filling with a regular main tank like you can with emergency breathers. Neat idea but truly cost prohibitive when you consider that a tank fill is a standard cost (at least here where I live) no matter if you are filling a standard tank or this little thing. If it had an adapter so I could keep a main tank on board and cross fill when needed I’d be all over this set up. I’ll keep an eye on it though.
From the email I received telling me about the system:
“The nice thing the tank is so small you can easily store several… and fill them from your big one and be free…”
I love Mantus anchors, but that is simply a pony bottle that’s been around forever.
Because it has been done before does not lessen its value. One could say that anchors have been around forever too, right?
HI Mike Years ago when you missed Dominica on your way south I thought to encourage you to get there because I thought it would be a great fit. Fortunately others delivered the message. This time,re scuba, I encourage you both to get certified and do it. Re the Mantus small tank. Once you are in the water the tanks regardless of size weight the same. Nothing.
Bill
Hi Bill. Thanks for the comment. Many people have, over the years, suggested that we do the SCUBA cert course. To tell the truth though, it’s just not a high priority thing for me, or for Rebecca. Contrary to what many people might think, I’m not that much of a water person. 🙂
As for Dominica though, yeah, love that spot.
Bill there many advantages of a smaller system… the main is that is weighs only 15 lbs as in the whole set up, Fits into a small Back Pack. That means easy to get in and easy to get out, easy to store. In the water it is has the buoyancy -0.9 lbs empty, so you do not need a bunch of weights. It is designed to simple and easy.
Hi Mike,
the key in this set is that they went the cheapest. No inflatable jacket, just a carrier for the tank. Just a simple single regulator with pressure gauge. A small tank. This works well if you dive just close to the surface for a short time.
If you care about this, you can get a similar set in any well assorted dive shop for a similar price, but then you have the advantage to be able to up-scale the components you care about. Get a decent regulator with backup from a reputable brand instead of whatever Mantus selected. This doesn’t need much more space and it can be reused when you decide to do real diving. For the tank, if you need small, I prefer the 2l steel tanks.
In the end, just like it is with climbing gear, you’re better off buying from companies who know about the subject than from a marine supplier who adds diving-gear in the back of their catalogue.
Concerning dive certification, it really depends how much you believe in he general cover-your-arse-and-sign-a-waiver-mentality. Without the various colourful cards you might not get rental equipment, but nobody stops you from using your own gear. There are no dive-cops checking your license. (Although there are dive-cops checking if divers behave properly under water in popular locations). Just like with sailing, make sure you know what you’re doing.
I agree, it’s the knowledge, not the certification that is important, IF you have your own gear. I don’t think you can easily get your tanks refilled without a card though, right?
Mike,
nobody ever asked my about certifications when bringing in tanks to be filled. It isn’t like when you rent equipment, specially the tanks or the regulators. In this case many places are more careful.
And if they did, what are they going to do if you’re just bringing in the tanks for your guests?
Perhaps I’m mistaken about that requirement? I had a friend take our tanks in to get them filled because I believed that to be true.
I don’t have much experience with how things are in the USA, it could well be that over there things are more stupid. I usually dive in other corners of the world.
Mike, you are right we did want to make a very affordable package. We partnered with Catalina Tanks, Aquatec Regulators to make the gear, we do offer two regulators the main and the spare. We use Italian Supplier SUNLINE for the Pressure Gauge. Everything we picked is non fancy but robust perfect for shallow water diving that the system is designed for… We tried to make the system as affordable as possible, yet make it as reliable as possible.
I’m not impressed. I’ve been SCUBA diving and instructing for 35 years. We have two complete sets of gear (two BCs, two sets of regulators with dive computers, weights, mask/snorkel/fins and 6 tanks) – no compressor. My belief is that filling a tank with your own compressor is just not cost effective because you’re normally diving where there are dive operators around (even fishermen) so getting a fill is normally about $ 5. In retrospect, I have too many tanks, as they all fall out of certification. This Mantus system is too small of a tank to be useful for scrubbing a bottom. I have rarely resorted to using a tank to clean the bottom, maybe just the bottom of the keel. When scrubbing, you’re working pretty hard and that little tank won’t last 10 minutes. My recommendation, get certified and carry two sets of gear with two tanks.
At this point I am unlikely to do either, get certified, or invest in two sets of dive gear. Your recommendation is noted though, and your comments are appreciated. Thanks.
Wade thank you for you comment… the idea of the system is portability and that it is so compact. Yes it will have limitations on time spent under water, the little tanks are easy to store and you can have several. All set ups have limitations we thought this is best designed for a cruising couple. I am able to clean my 38 foot sailboat on a tank without any issues… I do use a snorkel at the waterline.
I always enjoy your blog (reading every day!) and appreciate how you share your discoveries such as this mini SCUBA rig . . . so thanks!
In looking into the details of what Mantus offers here I’m rather skeptical of how long they claim that you can stay underwater and here’s why . . .
Per Wikipedia, the standard SCUBA tank has an internal volume of 11 liters which converts into 2,300 liters (80 cubic feet) when pressurized to 3000 psi whereas the Mantus holds 2 liters which is only 18% of the standard tank. The amount of air a person needs will vary depending on the depth, activity level and the divers ability to conserve. However the usual standard ‘bottom time’ at 30 feet for a standard 80 tank is generally considered to be ‘one hour’. Therefore by these calculations the Mantus tank would only provide 11 minutes bottom time under the same conditions and not the 15 ~ 20 claimed by Mantus.
I thought this would be worth sharing so that if someone were considering this purchase they could look into this important aspect of the Mantus and avoid potential disappointment, if in fact my calculations are correct.
Thanks Ross, both for diligently checking in with us, and for sharing your thoughts!
Ross,
the hitch in your calculation is the assumed depth. The system is laid out to be used at the depths of down to 2m (7 feet for your imperials) to scrub the hull or for a few minutes to check an anchor. For this, the small tank is sufficient and with a simple harness it’s a lot more comfortable than a full jacket and a big tank.
What skews the calculation – as Wade Alarie mentioned above – is how strenuous the work is. Working hard will use up the air in no time.
So even if the calculation might not have been totally on the point, your conclusion is. I wouldn’t buy safety harnesses in my bakery either.
Ross thank you for your comment. So, at atmosphere we breath air that 14.7 psi. The tank contains ((3000/14.7) * 2 liters) = 408 liters of breathable air, but at 1 atm/30 feet underwater we breath air at 29.4 psi, and so we now have 204 liters of available air. You can also calculate what a human consumes, this varies greatly between individuals and or activity. Usually human tidal value is 500 cc (air we suck in with every breath at rest) and we usually breath 14 -18 times per minute. So say someone is sucking 900 cc per breath X 15 breaths per minute x 15 min = that gives you the 204 liters you got. (If consuming at 500 cc, then you get closer to 20 mins.) Remember if you don’t scuba dive much, you will get much better with time as you grow in skill level. The whole system weighs 15 lbs and comes in a compact back pack. Finally a spare tank is affordable and easy to store.