Building a under water diving platform

[NothingClever]

Here's a link to a good start point. The category of product you want is "welded wire fence".

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fencer-Wire-5-ft-x-100-ft-12-5-Gauge-Welded-Wire-Fence-with-Mesh-2-in-x-4-in-WB125-5X100M24/309734253

14 gauge is pretty thin but this may be offset by the sunshade mesh screen you put on top because it could serve to distribute the load of a dive trainee touching down. 10 gauge may be too thick making it cumbersome to get to lay flat on the platform.

The rolls will be heavy (42 lbs or higher) so make sure to use a lift bag(s) with adequate lift and an OPV at the top so that you can burp the bag to control the load's descent.

DGX Gears Lift Bag { 65 lb | 30 kg }

DGX { 65 lb | 30 kg } Lift Bag in high visibility Orange has a semi-closed bottom.

www.divegearexpress.com

 

[Fishdip]

I wonder if it’s legal to just dump a “platform” in a body of water you don’t own?

This is the reason for it being light. I would not be leaving it in for extended time.

 

[NothingClever]

For clean anchoring, you could partially fill the PVC pipe legs with cement.

Leave the pipes for the platform, uprights and handrails empty to prevent air entrapment.

 

[NothingClever]

This is the reason for it being light. I would not be leaving it in for extended time.

Oops...disregard my last post then.

 

[Fishdip]

Oops...disregard my last post then.

Still good ideas if it was staying in for long periods.

 

[lowwall]

Here's a link to a good start point. The category of product you want is "welded wire fence".

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fencer-Wire-5-ft-x-100-ft-12-5-Gauge-Welded-Wire-Fence-with-Mesh-2-in-x-4-in-WB125-5X100M24/309734253

Unless you are happy with a 5' wide runway, you'll need to snip off a couple of sections and join them together. The best way to join them is by crimping on J-clips which requires a special pair of pliers. I bought these a few years ago and they worked fine:

J-clip Pliers Heavy Duty J- clips plier FREE SHIPPING jclip blue comfort handle | eBay

Heavy Duty J-clip Pliers with comfort grip.

www.ebay.com

Do not use hog rings because you'll end up with sharp points.

You should also note that welded wire fence is not flexible like a fabric or even chicken wire. I'd call it bendable. You can roll it, but it takes effort and it's a lot of work to get it to lay flat.

If you want this to be bigger than a pickup bed and portable, I'd put together some sort of frame that can broken into sections that are lag screwed or bolted together and use a lashed on tarp or that shade cloth linked above for a top. You can even make the frame out of 2x4s. Hang weights (could be anything from loaded weight belts to jugs of concrete) from the rails to sink it.

 

[FF / EMT]

This is the reason for it being light. I would not be leaving it in for extended time.

Gotcha, so taking it in and out at each dive.

Just set up a Down line and clip a John line into it. Way quicker than a useless platform.