THERE'S A NEW COUSTEAU IN TOWN!!!

[napDiver]

Sweet. Will make sure to check it out next time I'm in the dive park

 

[Ken Kurtis]

Cool. Would have been neat to have original at the dive museum though.

Let me reiterate: There's no way we were taking a chance on breaking it and/or damaging the rock it was mounted which then would have destroyed the monument. There are lots of things in life that would have been "neat" if they turned out differently but sometimes, reality bites, and I and the Signature Underwater Divers group have no interest in being tagged as the people who destroyed the Cousteau Monument no matter how noble the intent.

 

[JMBL]

Let me reiterate: There's no way we were taking a chance on breaking it and/or damaging the rock it was mounted which then would have destroyed the monument. There are lots of things in life that would have been "neat" if they turned out differently but sometimes, reality bites, and I and the Signature Underwater Divers group have no interest in being tagged as the people who destroyed the Cousteau Monument no matter how noble the intent.

Clearly the right decision.

 

[TravisD]

Out of sheer curiosity - how do you go about affixing something like this?

 

[Ken Kurtis]

Out of sheer curiosity - how do you go about affixing something like this?

With great difficulty and technical expertise, and that's all due to the know-how of the Signature Underwater Divers guys.
1. Cleaned old plaque and edges around it.
2. Had a template to indiciate where the screw holes should go.
3. Drilled four holes in old plaque.
4. Clean shavings.
5. "Tap" hole to create threads for screws to grab on to.
6. Clean shavings.
7. Line up plaque with new holes.
8. Use drill to widen plaque and new holes as necessary so everything lines up.
9. Confirm screws fit through plaque into new holes.
10. Surface to mix Z-Spar epoxy.
11. Come down with Z-Spar (which is now setting) and put glob of Z-Spar on underside of new plaque for extra attachment.
12. Screw down all four corner screws (which also then spreads out the Z-Spar underneath which bonds/sets to old plaque).
13. Use extra Z-Spar over screws to lock them in place.
14. Pose for pix with newly installed plaque.
Entire process was around two hours from entry to exit. One hour for first dive to set it all up, about a 20-30 minute SI to swap out tanks (and GoPro batteries), and then another 30-minute dive to finish it all up.

 

[dead dog]

Is that plaque made of brass?

 

[Ken Kurtis]

Is that plaque made of brass?

Bronze.