weights to make snorkel less buoyant

[ballastbelly]

... i went snorkling again and did catch my self many times subconsciously gripping the mouth piece with my teeth.


i found that unless snorkling against a strong current, you dont need to use your teeth at all. your lips can adequately hold the snorkel.


i didnt realize the 100000gr jaw force mentioned above made bouyancy insignificant in comparison. i had initially thought bouyancy was the issue because it was the left top teeth which bugged me.


my next idea is to rip out the teeth grips,this is not a scuba regulator to be used at depth, the risk of a snorkel falling out while snorkling at the surface although unpleasant, is quite acceptable

one simple idea that i found which worked for me was to swap snorkel from left to right side of my head on the way back to the dive exit. that halves the discomfort on each set of teeth.

 

[Arubandi07]

... i went snorkling again and did catch my self many times subconsciously gripping the mouth piece with my teeth.


i found that unless snorkling against a strong current, you dont need to use your teeth at all. your lips can adequately hold the snorkel.


i didnt realize the 100000gr jaw force mentioned above made bouyancy insignificant in comparison. i had initially thought bouyancy was the issue because it was the left top teeth which bugged me.


my next idea is to rip out the teeth grips,this is not a scuba regulator to be used at depth, the risk of a snorkel falling out while snorkling at the surface although unpleasant, is quite acceptable

one simple idea that i found which worked for me was to swap snorkel from left to right side of my head on the way back to the dive exit. that halves the discomfort on each set of teeth.

Before removing the two bite stems altogether, please beware that they also act as spacers between upper and lower teeth, allowing for unobstructed airflow through the mouthpiece. On my snorkel(Tusa Hyperdry II) the stems are T-shaped, and in case yours are of similar design, you may find that the upward-pointing half of the T-bar(left side??) is getting in the way. Cutting off the upper section of the T-bar, essentially creating an L-shaped stem which 'hooks' inside your lower teeth, will give you a much more comfortable 'bite', and even with minimal jaw pressure keep the mouthpiece stable. Did this on my snorkel a couple of years ago, worked like a charm, so give it a shot. Much easier than the hassle of switching your snorkel from side to side.
Might also want to check whether you're positioning the retainer at the correct length, ideally the connection(mouthpiece in) should not create any push or pull against the mask strap or your lips/teeth.

 

[hifreediving]

As a freediving instructor, you should never dive with the snorkel in your mouth, it is basically a funnel going into your mouth so if you would blackout you would immediately inhale water as you will not have control over your motor functions. Also, if it comes to a terminal gasp you won't have a chance to survive.

As for a snorkel the most simple in this case is the most efficient and best. Regular j snorkel traps no dead air space in the snorkel allowing you to inhale more good air. All those snorkels with gadgets on them like purge valves and so on creates dead air space and are a lot of drag when diving.

 

[Arubandi07]

....As for a snorkel the most simple in this case is the most efficient and best. Regular j snorkel traps no dead air space in the snorkel allowing you to inhale more good air. All those snorkels with gadgets on them like purge valves and so on creates dead air space and are a lot of drag when diving.

When surface-breathing, upon your first in/exhale, any type of snorkel will contain 'bad air'. In simple terms, what goes in first, comes out last, so the last bit of that breath you just took and exhaled, will end up stuck in the tube, no way around it, and regardless of the snorkel's design. Bore diameter and length determine the actual volume of 'dead air' contained ... Physics ...

 

[chillyinCanada]

I can't find it now, but did I read that you put some kind of weight *IN* the tube?

 

[hifreediving]

When surface-breathing, upon your first in/exhale, any type of snorkel will contain 'bad air'. In simple terms, what goes in first, comes out last, so the last bit of that breath you just took and exhaled, will end up stuck in the tube, no way around it, and regardless of the snorkel's design. Bore diameter and length determine the actual volume of 'dead air' contained ... Physics ...

Sorry my bad I should say less dead air space. Also, the snorkel design big and bulky means less efficient when diving, simple sleek j design works really well as far as hydrodynamics.

 

[Arubandi07]

Sorry my bad I should say less dead air space. Also, the snorkel design big and bulky means less efficient when diving, simple sleek j design works really well as far as hydrodynamics.

No problem ... And I agree re the advantages of the J-type. Recently got around to 'snorkel out' on my deeper dives and found that it facilitates equalizing and(for some reason??) also results in slightly increased bottom-times, so along with the safety aspect you had mentioned in your previous post, all in all, a win/win.

 

[hifreediving]

beuchat activa tubair snorkel sinks- problem solved and so do many other j snorkels that do not trap air using gimmicks, there simple,cheap, flexible, reliable, easy to use, will not fail, and works every time, simple is better for freediving as far as a snorkel goes. problem solved.

 

[Chad Carney]

Ballastbelly's concerns are all about comfort, and as he stated above he has found some relief. I'll only address those issues.

I often freedive for 5 hours or more as well, and find that my snorkel, mask, fins, wetsuit, etc. can all start to cause some discomfort. That said I've found good gear relief by trying many different models until I found favorites. A good dive store will allow demos and exchanges.

I have to agree the slight snorkel buoyancy is insignificant compared to the pull against the tube & attachments. I wear mine way back on the strap and high on the tube. If you have a plastic attachment that won't allow this, I suggest a simple loop type (kraton) retainer. I've found that flex tubes, or any tube that won't stay where you want it when you get it adjusted right, can cause more mouth stress. I'd caution about reduced snorkel volume as that can cause improper breathing exchange.

Removing the snorkel on dives helps improve mouth and jaw relaxation tremendously, and I often leave it out when I don't need it on the surface, during recovery and replenishing breathes for sure. If you don't need to see below for a bit it's very relaxing to lay on your back while breathing up, or even just resting. Your chest has less water pressure this way and you get great breath exchange.

The earliest freedivers had no snorkels... and sometimes that was of advantage!

Chad

PS A good diver is always training! (Freediver, Scuba Diver, Tech Diver, Snorkeler, etc.)

 

[hifreediving]

Ballastbelly's concerns are all about comfort, and as he stated above he has found some relief. I'll only address those issues.
. If you don't need to see below for a bit it's very relaxing to lay on your back while breathing up, or even just resting. Your chest has less water pressure this way and you get great breath exchange.

The earliest freedivers had no snorkels... and sometimes that was of advantage!

PS A good diver is always training! (Freediver, Scuba Diver, Tech Diver, Snorkeler, etc.)

Your are absolutely right Chad and I am glad you have found one that works. Still to this day competitive freedivers are still breathing on there back without a snorkel. It does provide greater relaxation, higher lung volumes, and no drag from the snorkel for really deep dives where that little bit of drag may cause you to fall a few feet short from target depth. New zealend national record set by william trubridge in this last months comp., one of the deepest freedivers in the world. No snorkel breath up before his record.

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