Neat Little Tricks Are Good to Know

[red_barbarian]

To avoid the "helpful" boat boy turning the valve the wrong way on my rig The last thing I do when I step on to the dive platform at the back of the boat is to orally inflate my wing. Even with no air I'm going to float near the surface and just have to lean back in the water and turn the valves. I prefer this to inflating with the LP inflator because the wing is a little less full and undergoes a little less stress when you splash, and since your going to dump a bunch at the surface to descend why waste good tank gas. I've had boat boys turn my valves at the last second while in line to splash.

 

[Inalara]

When feeling a little sick, especially when paired with an insta buddy, give the out of air signal and calmly take the offered octopus.

After you have been sick, give the OK signal and hand back the reg, please remember to give it a little shake to help clean it, it's only fair!


Ok more serious suggestion..

If you know you are on a long dive, take something like the Capri Sun drinks, you can pierce and have a drink during the dive, you can roll the drink packet up so you "force" the liquid in, just remember to take your rubbish back to the surface.

Just remember to time breathing/swallowing!

If you are on a dive boat and have long hair after your last dive of the day, put conditioner (better if it's the leave in type) on your hair to help limit those knots/wild child look from the boat ride home..

If you don't fancy using Pantyhose, a plastic bag will help you get your leg/arm into wetsuits, or a stocking, unless of course you like the feel of the pantyhose....

Pantyliners (don't squirm guys) make a good liner for camera cases, buy the ultra thins + the adhesive backing keeps them away from the seals if you position them right... if needed you can even cut them down, but I find the very thin small ones are great.

Just if you have the pantyhose and the pantyliners on the same boat.... expect odd looks!

 

[Mike Boswell]

On a recent dive trip to Fiji my wife and I had a lot of O-ring problems. We would hook up our regulators, turn the tank valves on, check tank pressure, and listen for leaks.

If we I could hear a leak I called the boat crew and someone would look around for the O-ring tool (always a fish hook) and then replace the O-ring. This was a PITA and I wondering if anyone has a better solution.

 

[Grover48]

In my save-a-dive kit I carry a dental pick. It is a short one that has a screw on cap. You can find one in the dental care section of your local drug store. It is only about 2" long when the cap is in place.

 

[Jax]

On a recent dive trip to Fiji my wife and I had a lot of O-ring problems. We would hook up our regulators, turn the tank valves on, check tank pressure, and listen for leaks.

If we I could hear a leak I called the boat crew and someone would look around for the O-ring tool (always a fish hook) and then replace the O-ring. This was a PITA and I wondering if anyone has a better solution.

I carry one of these: Mini Tank O-Ring Kit with Pick, that I purchased from an LDS for cheaper. The picture doesn't show it, but there is a brass pick mounted in the screw-off base. Make sure you stack the O-rings on the pick or you could damage them putting the pick into the O-rings in the 'tank top'.

I don't use the O-rings as I have a stash of oxygen-safe O-rings, but I'm happy to share out the normal ones to others.

 

[Quero]

On a recent dive trip to Fiji my wife and I had a lot of O-ring problems. We would hook up our regulators, turn the tank valves on, check tank pressure, and listen for leaks.

If we I could hear a leak I called the boat crew and someone would look around for the O-ring tool (always a fish hook) and then replace the O-ring. This was a PITA and I wondering if anyone has a better solution.

The best solution is DIN valves and regulators rather than the yoke style. My own regs and all the tanks we use are are yoke, but we do have to be careful of the o-ring thing.

 

[Inalara]

On a recent dive trip to Fiji my wife and I had a lot of O-ring problems. We would hook up our regulators, turn the tank valves on, check tank pressure, and listen for leaks.

If we I could hear a leak I called the boat crew and someone would look around for the O-ring tool (always a fish hook) and then replace the O-ring. This was a PITA and I wondering if anyone has a better solution.

When you hear the leak, turn off the tank, purge to around 10-20 bar pressure and then unscrew the yoke, the pressure will push the O ring out of it's seat, no tool required.

 

[Mike Boswell]

On a recent dive trip I was cruising along when I began to hear a "Phoot, Phoot, Phoot" sound. I looked around and after a bit I noticed the dive guide about 40 feet off to my left, looking out into the blue water away from the Bommy we were circling.

I swam towards him and realized that he was trying to call our attention to a Whitetip shark cruising off in the distance. He was making the noise by removing his regulator and making PrrrrP noises with his lips pursed. Never seen that trick before.

 

[Splitlip]

On a recent dive trip to Fiji my wife and I had a lot of O-ring problems. We would hook up our regulators, turn the tank valves on, check tank pressure, and listen for leaks.

If we I could hear a leak I called the boat crew and someone would look around for the O-ring tool (always a fish hook) and then replace the O-ring. This was a PITA and I wondering if anyone has a better solution.

I would say, be prepared to do it your self.

I can say with 100% certainty, no one has ever replaced an O-ring for me in over 35 years. Among the other items I keep in my SAD kit, is an assortment of o-rings and a dental tool. There are these little key chain dive tanks I've seen which store o-rings and a little pick in the cap.

 

[santafejoe]

I have a small spray bottle with baby shampoo No Tears . I put some in my mask also spray my arms and legs before getting into my 7mm wet suit , you slide right in no problem