A unique scuba diving or diving enthusiast project is being created in Latvia, the aim of which is to create a copy of the White Hazivs (Latin name Carcharodon carcharias). The copy is designed to be 3.5 meters long, that is ½ the length of a real adult white shark. The purpose of the creation of the shark is to draw attention to the disappearance of representatives of shark species in the world, as well as it can serve as a teaching tool for supporters of scuba diving in Latvia.
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Who Planned the White Shark Project?
Diver Normunds, who has been a diving sports enthusiast for 4 years and holds several diving training certificates, creates this unique White Shark model, which is intended for immersion in Latvian water bodies. The shark model is meant to be sunk in a popular place for diving, near Riga, where many scuba divers engage in diving in the summer season. Normunds is an active member of the diving internet forum Daivings.lv, and he started his project together with supporters of underwater sports, where he gained moral support for starting his project.
There has also been a great deal of response to the White Shark project from a number of local dive centers. The shark is made in Tirana, the home of an enthusiast Normunds. The girlfriend of the project creator gave the nickname shark - Antūūns. It is planned that starting from April 2, the portal Underwater Enthusiasts Daivings.lv will have a continuous live broadcast to the shark creation site (during the works) with the help of a live video channel provided by two Internet video cameras.
Interview with the author of the White Shark project Normunds
How did the idea for the artificial white shark project come about?
Sitting at another Daivings.lv event, several months ago and smoking a hookah, the forum activist Kasics threw in the idea - something should be drowned in a local body of water, such as a Ventspils cow or something similar. As much as I have always been very interested in sharks and their lives, the idea arose - to make a White Shark. To make it more interesting for both beginners and diving sports would be a place to do training.
When did the first sketch come about, when is the idea of lowering it into the water?
Thoughts and ideas on how to make it all were received both from the participants of the daivings.lv forum and were generated in my head. The first sketch appeared already in one of the next daivings.lv meetings with me in Tirana. Launching is scheduled for the opening time of the scuba diving season, in early June.
What are the projected costs of White Shark?
In fact, it is planned to reduce costs to a minimum by involving all daivings.lv forum members with their ideas on where to get what. How can it be made cheaper. For example, I talked the fittings from a new building abandoned by a good friend, the foam was given by the forum colleagues GatisV and Oleg helped with foam balloons.
Next, the stage will begin when you will have to use the services of several companies - both in the application of foam, and in the purchase of fiberglass fabric and epoxy, and paints. As far as I calculated, some 300 Ls should be enough here, which I will try to attract to some favorable sponsors.
Do you need any help, equipment, materials, handwork to create a White Shark and how to provide it?
As I said, sponsor support will be needed for the next phase of this project. I regularly report on the necessary materials in the daivings.lv forum, so far the response has been. With the handwork that will be required for foam grinding and fiberglass application, which I will report on in the forum. Extra working hands are always useful. I guarantee a hookah and fun company.
What are the Ingredients of White Shark?
Basically everything has an iron reinforcement skeleton. Two layers of foam sheets have already been applied over it. Next, another layer of foam about 5 cm thick will be inflated, then a layer of glass fiber, paint and then another anti-snail paint. That's all.
Where is the idea of sinking the White Shark?
In a popular reservoir near Riga.
Which of the White Sharks will benefit divers?
To refresh the lonely underwater view, the opportunity to watch the shark at life size, compare the changes in vision under the influence of underwater pressure, etc. And just for your pleasure.
White shark development live
https://www.daivings.lv (Live from April 2)
White shark development process video from Youtube, watch more on this channel shark making video.
