Sudden new mask leaks

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mntlblok

Contributor
Messages
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Location
Pompano Beach. FL
# of dives
200 - 499
Both my remaining masks have begun to leak in the same areas. I initially thought it might be due to deeper creases in my old face. Last trip, though, I sorta started thinking that the leak seemed to maybe be happening as I exhaled through my mouth and the bubbles from my regulator mouthpiece might lifting the skirt in the areas of said leaks - which *are* in the general vicinity of my largest facial creases. Guess I should do some testing with a mirror, eh? Also, maybe my safe second releases exhaled air bubbles in a different location. Mirror, again, eh?

It has been suggested that a mask with a longer skirt might help - especially if the problem is with the old face. Anybody ever had such a mask help with a leak on an old face? I've looked back through a year's worth of mask leak issues in the mask and fin forum without a lot of new ideas. TIA
 
Are the masks new or the fact they are leaking what is new?

I'm asking because I also have an old face, and generally old faces come with an "adjusted" account for time. Anything less than 10 years old or so I have the tendency to call it new. Depending on age and where those masks were stored maybe the skirt already failed and you just need a skirt replacement.

Is it leaking consistently through the full dive? Again here I've experienced that when I'm in a really pissy mood my mask will leak for the first few minutes, until the dive does its magic for my soul and my very hidden "mellow" relaxes me.

Ultimately you know there is no magic to this. The mask fits or doesn't, whether is due to a change in the face surface/geometry or to the skirt integrity.

If it fits you should be able to have it on without the straps while on the surface, if you can't then something will need replacement or upgrade.

I wonder how does Botox price compares with a new skirt.
 
Are the masks new or the fact they are leaking what is new?

I'm asking because I also have an old face, and generally old faces come with an "adjusted" account for time. Anything less than 10 years old or so I have the tendency to call it new. Depending on age and where those masks were stored maybe the skirt already failed and you just need a skirt replacement.

Is it leaking consistently through the full dive? Again here I've experienced that when I'm in a really pissy mood my mask will leak for the first few minutes, until the dive does its magic for my soul and my very hidden "mellow" relaxes me.

Ultimately you know there is no magic to this. The mask fits or doesn't, whether is due to a change in the face surface/geometry or to the skirt integrity.

If it fits you should be able to have it on without the straps while on the surface, if you can't then something will need replacement or upgrade.

I wonder how does Botox price compares with a new skirt.

I was afraid that I hadn't made that clear. Both masks are pretty old, but neither had had any significant leaking problems until relatively recently. Both have built in bifocal "readers", so one is significantly older than the other. (Had one of them made with two different strengths of readers built in - didn't really work out that well. . .) Lost the most recent one with readers - custom "L"-shaped reader lenses near the nose - perfect, they were. Drew the little shapes onto the mask lenses by looking into a mirror with the mask on my face. No idea how I lost it, but it's not even close to the stupidest thing I've done in the last few years. Not even the stupidest "dive" related thing. Not even the second stupidest dive related thing.

Speaking of "near the nose", there's one mask that comes with readers near the nose. A buddy got one of them. I think they all come with the same magnification - something like "7" - that seems way too strong until you get it in the water. He sez it works great. Now having to decide between getting one of those and trying another go at the custom-shaped readers. But, I don't want to commit until I figger out this leaking thing.

I did, last trip, figure out that I could stop the leaking by holding the skirt down in the area where I suspected the leaks were happening. Not a lot of fun whilst also carrying a big camera rig and dragging a dive flag. I *think* it tends to leak as I exhale and the bubbles come up. Big globs of vaseline didn't really seem to help. K-Y Jelly was a joke. It doesn't tend to be all that much water in the mask, but it collects right where I'm trying to look through the "readers" part of the mask - and, I'm *often* trying to look through that part.

One of the fellows at Force-E had me try on a mask with a lower-hanging skirt in the shop. It definitely felt "different". Reckon they'd let me try it on a dive? I put a magnifying glass in my "kit" (as they say over yonder) recently, but now can't locate it. :-( Have I mentioned "stupid"? Oh, and *every* mask feels great in the shop - even without the strap.

---------- Post added August 4th, 2014 at 08:52 PM ----------

I wonder how does Botox price compares with a new skirt.

Reminds me. I asked a pharmacist about some kind of putty or makeup to try filling in some of the grooves. Remembered making some face stuff once for a Halloween party. She also brought up Botox. . .

Anyway, I *think* I was feeling the water bubbling in a bit "lateral" to the obvious grooves.
 
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My new mask suddenly started leaking after about 45 years. At first I thought it was the wrinkles in my face causing it but after about two years I realized that I was mainly diving in the tropics without the 1/4" hood. Once I tightened the strap it stopped leaking. It there a time limit for "senior moments?"
 
Once I realized that I needed to put my mask strap a bit higher on the back of my head, mask leaks went away.
 
Mine developed a tiny hole in the crease of the nose piece. I figured face wrinkles since it was intermittent but becoming persistently if intermittently annoying. I used to go whole dives with minimal clearing. Close inspection found the tiny hole only noticeable when pinched open. Very hard to find. A miracle glue used to fix full face masks seems to have permanently cured it.
 
What's the name and brand of the miracle glue please? I have an unrelated problem that the glue might be just the fix. Thanks
 
It might be as simple as your mask is on too tight. It is common for someone with a small leak to tighten the mask, the leak gets worse and they tighten it more and so on.
 
What's the name and brand of the miracle glue please? I have an unrelated problem that the glue might be just the fix. Thanks
Don't know. I volunteer at the local aquarium and the divers all use full face masks with communication. They get a LOT of use and some divers aren't so careful so the skirt gets damaged. I sent an email to the repair guy.

Could be Sil-Poxy Silicone Adhesive - 3 Ounce Tube

Addendum - Confirmed, it's Sil-Poxy.
https://www.smooth-on.com/tb/files/Sil_Poxy_Silicone_Adhesive.pdf
 
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https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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