Neat Little Tricks Are Good to Know

[rob1967]

I recently learned a most helpful trick. This probably applies more to cold water diving, but probably helps for warm water too. If you are struggling to don and doff fins because the boot is bit too tight in the fin pocket, try spraying a few puffs of silicone spray in the fin pocket every 4-5 dives or so. Works like magic; suddenly you can get your fins off and on with one little tug, rather than writhing around in the water trying to get them off so you can climb back into the boat or back on shore.

 

[ptyx]

If you are struggling to don and doff fins because the boot is bit too tight in the fin pocket, try spraying a few puffs of silicone spray in the fin pocket every 4-5 dives or so.

Any side effect on the boots themselves? I don't like fin wrangling, but I like my soles non slippery as well (especially on a rolling boat).

I guess I could try spraying just the top of the fin pocket.

 

[rob1967]

Didn't notice any problem with the boot being slippery. To be safe, I guess you could try just spraying the top of the boot, avoiding the sole.

 

[Buoyant1]

Q-tip shows the very find sediment that settles around the area. I run one around, then counter the first way, and back around until they're spotless. A clean one applies the silicon.

Carelessness causes the seal leak more than anything. The desiccant packs are for absorbing the humidity you've closed into the case.

I stole a few make up applicators from my wife to use instead of a q-tip. THose seemed to work pretty well!

 

[MattJ]

On no-mask drills:

- You can inhale through your mouth and exhale through your mouth.
- You can inhale through your mouth and exhale through your nose.
- You can inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth (but only once).

 

[oldschool]

Curious....what will you do when a diver in panic grabs for it and can't get it off? If he/she is already at that point, I'm sure calmly pointing out that you have an octo available won't do so well. Seems like it's potential for an underwater fight over air.

I have my secondary on a bungee around my neck. In an out of air situation, my buddy gets my primary and I switch to my secondary.

 

[oldschool]

I can't think of one gear problem that is easier to solve underwater than on dry land, let alone "most".

Unless a obnoxious dive buddy can be considered "gear". I've had a few that I would have liked to and would have been easier to "fix" underwater.

 

[Scriv]

€10 from Belgium, if you win costs can we spend the money on beer ?

 

[AfterDark]

Curious....what will you do when a diver in panic grabs for it and can't get it off? If he/she is already at that point, I'm sure calmly pointing out that you have an octo available won't do so well. Seems like it's potential for an underwater fight over air.

A correctly installed necklace should slip off if it's pulled hard enough. It keeps the reg in place so it easy to find in the same place ALL the time. I've been using some form of a necklace since 1968. Regulators used to come with them. Never had a fight over air.

 

[Blackwood]

From a different thread, my suggestion for rigging a backplate harness:

This is a bit off-topic, but I very much understand why many dive shops steer students towards BCs instead of BP/w's - the setup of a BP/w can be a PITA!

I looked up how to make my own harness...

Most of the tutorials I've seen (which granted were like 5 years ago) have you start threading the webbing at the right hip.

Starting in the center (shoulder slots) is MUCH easier, IMO. Thread half the webbing through one side and half through the other side, and then go to work on the shoulder straps. That way you have all the length you need in order to work each side independently, rather than trying to add half an inch to the left hand waist strap by pushing it over from the right through 4 sets of slots and triglides.