As of 5 August 2019, production is practically complete and almost all of the items have now been delivered to the packing and distribution warehouse.

Each part is at the following stage of completion and warehousing:

• The regulators have been manufactured and delivered to the warehouse
• The cylinders have been manufactured and delivered to the warehouse
• The retractors have been manufactured and delivered to the warehouse
• The scuba tank and compressor refill adapters have been manufactured and delivered to the warehouse
• The hand pump air filters have been manufactured and delivered to the warehouse
• The packaging has been manufactured and delivered to the warehouse
• The user manuals have been printed and delivered to the warehouse
• The hand pump filter housing and high-pressure hose have been manufactured and delivered to the warehouse
• The hand pumps have been manufactured and are currently in transit, arriving in the warehouse mid-August
• The waterproof cases are scheduled to be manufactured by mid-August and arrive in the warehouse mid-August
• The hand pump air filter bag had been manufactured and delivered to the warehouse but unfortunately were defective. A new, non-defective batch will arrive mid-August

This first production run is made up of:

• 17 ton of Hand Pumps (4,000 units)
• 15 ton of (empty) Packaging (12,000 units)
• 12 ton of Waterproof cases (1,800 units)
• 5 ton of Cylinders (8,000 units)
• 5 ton of Refill Adapters, Filter Housings, High Pressure Hoses (16,000 units)
• 3 ton of Regulators (8,000 units)
• 1 ton of Air Filters, Retractors, User Manuals (13,000 units)

(* “ton” used here to represent metric tonne = 1,000 kilograms = 2,200 pounds)

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USING THE SCORKL WITH AND WITHOUT SCUBA TRAINING  

The Scorkl is safe, easy and for everyone. However, if you are not a trained scuba diver there are restrictions on use and risks to be aware of. Misuse of the Scorkl can be dangerous. Whilst decompression sickness (more commonly known as “the bends”) isn't much of a risk because of the depth and time restrictions of such a small cylinder, pulmonary damage (lung expansion injury) is nevertheless a risk if a user holds their breath during ascent or ascends too quickly.

Non-scuba trained users should not use the Scorkl below 3m depth or more than five times in one day. Staying above 3m dramatically reduces this risk of pulmonary damage (although does not eliminate it entirely). Each purchaser will be provided with an information kit informing them of this (and other) risks of using the Scorkl as well as strategies to avoid them. These strategies will include, but not be limited to, staying above 3m in depth and not holding one's breath and/or exhaling during ascent, and not ascending too quickly.  

Scuba-trained users will be able to use the Scorkl below 3m at their discretion but they too will be warned of the same risks.  

The Scorkl is only intended for shallow water use. We recommend that scuba-trained users not use the Scorkl below 10m and that non-scuba-trained users stay above 3m in depth as mentioned above.  

Each Scorkl comes fitted with a pressure gauge so that the user can know how much air remains in the cylinder at any time.  

AIR QUALITY

The Scorkl can be filled either directly from a scuba tank or from our high-pressure hand pump. If filled from a scuba tank that itself has been filled by a commercial compressed air supplier, the air can be assured to be of good quality because of industry supplier standards. These standards are concerned mainly with carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oil and water levels. Since the Scorkl hand pump doesn't have as many working parts as a mechanical dive compressor, and is muscle-powered rather than petrol powered, the risk of contamination from latent carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide is dramatically reduced. This is the same for oil contaminants. Notwithstanding this, each Scorkl pump comes fitted with an air filter which is comprised of the same materials, and performs the same function, as a filter fitted to a mechanical dive compressor. The Scorkl filter should be replaced after fifty refills and extras will be available for purchase after the conclusion of the Kickstarter campaign.  

EQUIPMENT STANDARDS, CARE AND MAINTENANCE  

The Scorkl cylinder and regulator are made to the same international specifications and standards as normal scuba cylinders and regulators and need to be visually inspected and/or tested as regularly as the guidelines in your country require (some are different). This may be as regularly as every year or every one hundred dives.  

The information kit provided to each purchaser will include information regarding recommended best practice methods for care and maintenance of each of the Scorkl components (cylinder, regulator, filter, hand pump, case).