The Save-A-Dive Kit

 The Save-A-Dive Kit

A save-a-dive kit is just a collection of tools, spare parts and other supplies that prevent you or your buddy from traveling all the way to the dive site and not being able to dive because of broken or missing part/s.  Scuba diving is a gear intensive sport. Something as simple as a missing tank valve o-ring can prevent you from diving after a long boat ride. A save-a-dive kit can save you hundreds of dollars in travel expenses. So what do you put in it? Items in a save-a-dive kit can range from a few spare tank valve o-rings all the way to the hundreds of parts and tools along with a complete spare scuba system carried by your scuba instructor during training sessions. Instructors would literally go broke if we had to cancel a training session every time an o-ring blew, or a dry rotted fin strap broke, or a mask cracked. Here is a list of potential items. Every save-a-dive kit is different depending on the gear you have and your skill level with repairs. Never attempt a repair you are not qualified to do. Some suggestions below are intended for divers with advanced repair skills or for use with assistance of a qualified professional. Get a quality Pelican Dry box to hold your stuff and prevent it from corroding. Throw some spare desiccants from a shoe box inside to keep things dry. Ask your instructor what they have in their kit and for help purchasing the right stuff.  Avoid pre-made generic kits. These are usually poor quality and often won't fit the equipment you have.

Full Redundant Scuba System

The fastest and easiest way to handle problems is to have a complete spare system including personal gear. If a mask gets broken, just put on your spare and keep going. If a regulator acts up, switch to a spare. Not everybody has this luxury, but on long expensive remote expeditions this is a must.

 

Spare Parts

Fin Straps- get the right kind for your fins, see instructor.

Mask Strap- not all are the same size, see instructor.

Mouthpiece- correct size.

Zip Ties- Lots of these, I buy them by the hundreds!

Fin Strap Buckle- These break too.

Watch Band

Tank Cam Strap

Snorkel Keeper- simple figure 8 can save the day.

Spare Batteries for computer, lights, cameras, marker lights, AI transmitter etc.- Critical item!!

Weight Belt Buckle

Stainless Bolt Snaps

Stainless Swivel Bolt Snaps

Stainless Quick Links

Stainless Steel Split Rings

Wrist Lanyards

Coil Lanyard so you don’t drop your GoPro or light

#24 Cave Line and Lighter or butane torch- to attach swivels to your gear, such as SPG.

Fastex Buckles

LP Hose

HP Hose and Spare Spool

Spare BCD Corrugated Hose

Spare BCD Inflator Mechanism

Spare BCD Dump Valve

Tank Valve Parts

Spare Tank Valve Burst Disk Assembly

Octo Holder

Triglides- Stainless or plastic webbing buckles

Regulator Service Kits

Regulator Specialty Repair Tools

O-rings

Tank O-rings- See instructor for sizes. Choose oxygen compatible Viton.

Hose End O-rings

Dive Light O-rings

Camera O-rings

HP Spool O-rings

Tools

Scuba Multi-tool- equivalent individual tools are often better especially for pros!

Mini-tank Valve Tool- This mini tool is a must.

Swiss Army Knife or Leatherman- Stainless steel and a lot of tools in a small package.

Utility Knife

Butane Torch or Lighter- Use constantly for sealing ends of cave line, etc.

LP Air Gun- Fill dive and swim floats easily from you LP inflator!

LP Tire Inflator- Fill inner dive tube floats and car tires in an emergency!

IP Gauge- Easily check a first stage for proper intermediate pressure.

Hex Wrenches SAE and Metric- Critical for changing hose configuration.

Adjustable Wrenches Slip-Joint Pliers- When all else fails.

Wire cutter for zip ties- Critical item.

Products

Dessicants

Silicone Lube- For dive lights, etc. Not Oxygen Compatible Not for use on regulators and tanks.

Oxygen Compatible Lube- Can be used on regulators and tank valves (expensive).

Mask Conditioner- Conditions new masks.

Magic Eraser- Cleans Slates

Wetsuit Repair Adhesive- Aquaseal

Mask Defog- Critical item.

Zipper Glide

BCD and Wetsuit Wash- Antibacterial wash keeps everything smelling good and clean.

Other

Sharpie Marker

Paint Marker

DIN to Yoke Converter

DIN to Yoke Valve Inserts

Port Plugs

Marker Lights

Spare Computer or Watch and Tables

Duct Tape- When all else fails.

Spare Weights

Pencil

Wet Notes

Towel

Wipes

Surgical Tubing

Pelican Case- Large enough to hold all your stuff.

Marine First Aid Kit- You will learn about this in the PADI Rescue Diver Course

DAN Oxygen Kit- You will learn about this in the PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider Course

What items do you keep in your save-a-dive kit or use most often?

Avoiding Jaw Fatigue While Scuba Diving

A basic scuba mouthpiece.

Some people during training complain about jaw fatigue, so I wanted to address it.

First, check the mouthpiece carefully for damage. Often divers bite through the bite tabs making it very hard to hold in the mouth. Check that the bite tabs are not partially or completely bitten through or perhaps ripped off entirely! If there is damage, replace the mouthpiece. Always carry extras along with zip ties in your save a dive kit!

In my experience jaw fatigue is most often simply because the diver is new and clinches the mouthpiece too tightly. If this is the case, keep practicing regulator recovery with an instructor until you are not fearful. With experience this issue may disappear after you have many dives under your weight belt.

Another reason for this problem could be hoses that are too short or too stiff. I prefer braided flex hoses to stiff rubber hoses because they are more flexible and you experience less "hose pull". They are also lighter in weight and pack more easily for travel. Flex hoses are perhaps slightly less durable so expect to replace them a little more often.

Some divers feel that a ball swivel next to the second stage can be more comfortable. Some regulators come with these already attached or it can be added. Similarly, some divers prefer a first stage with a swivel turret, which can make diving more comfortable when moving the head from side to side. Turret first stages may also offer better hose routing and  can be more comfortable as the hoses make a more natural arc. Consider a slightly longer flex hose if you still have problems with comfort. Remember that every time you add a moving component, you add complexity and a possible failure point!

Another issue causing jaw fatigue could be the second stage itself. Some really high end second stages are heavy. Size and weight of the second stage could be a factor. I once sold an incredibly nice all chrome second stage that was very expensive and a "prestigious" brand, because it felt like a ten pound lead weight in my mouth. Sometimes manufacturers give in to fads or trends and create something just for looks that really is not practical. Modern second stages are made of thermoplastic, because it is light corrosion resistant and durable.

If none of these things seem to help, then consider changing the mouthpiece. It is a simple process to clip the old mouthpiece zip tie and replace the mouthpiece with a new, proper fitting one of a different style using a new zip tie. Some people swear by the "Aqualung" style, others have a different preference. Try different ones, long tabs, short tabs, etc. until you find one you like.

If you still can't get comfortable, then perhaps a custom moldable mouthpiece is the key. These are placed in boiling water for a short time, then placed in the mouth (according to manufacturers instructions for safety) and then the diver bites down gently to mold the mouthpiece to her/his own teeth. Once this is done properly the mouthpiece will "stick" to your teeth which may reduce jaw fatigue. These can be a bit of a hassle to get just right and you may mess one up, so buy two. They also can be costly and seem to easily get damaged by heat, so keep them cool. They also look kind of creepy once molded to your bite and if you practice an air sharing technique that requires you to donate your own regulator to the out of air diver these won't fit the diver you are donating to. The diver will still be able to breathe from it, of course. This may slightly complicate an out of air emergency. For these reasons, I would use the moldable custom mouthpiece as a last resort.

See me or other dive professional to order a custom moldable mouthpiece.

What do you do to avoid jaw fatigue?

Diving With Long Hair

Divers with long hair often ask me what to do about their hair while taking the open water scuba class. The open water class requires taking your mask off numerous times with wet, tangly hair sticking to the mask strap and getting caught in the strap and snorkel keeper.

In the past, I would just "mansplain" to them that they should cut it all off, but that didn't go over too well for some reason... So as a short haired male dive instructor I had to change my approach. So I watched my divers, asked questions, and did some research.

Here are the tips we came up with aside from cutting it all off:

Gear-

First of all, use a neoprene mask strap cover. I suggest and sell for a nominal fee, the kind that go over your existing silicone mask strap. These slide over twisted hair much more easily and don't stick to wet hair like glue. There are other types (slap straps), but these have straps with plastic buckles or Velcro which are real hassle to adjust. Divers, especially new ones, need to have the well designed quick release buckles of the original mask strap, so it can be easily loosened or tightened with just two fingers.

Just remember if you get a neoprene mask strap cover, always check that the mask strap doesn't come off when doing a giant stride or seated backroll entry. Just check it as you give your OK sign after the entry. For short-haired folks I do not suggest a neoprene cover unless you are a divemaster or instructor who takes the mask on and off very frequently for demonstrations. The silicone strap is actually more secure.

Another option, especially if it is going to be cold where you dive, is to wear a dive hood. This solves the problem entirely, but won't work in the tropics.

Sometimes, I see ladies with biker-style doo rags, but really? The only time I suggest these is for bald folks in the tropics that won't use sun screen for fear of harming coral. Otherwise, these are not the best fashion statement in my humble opinion, but the fish don't judge. 

Hair Style- 

I have seen all sorts of hair style. Some prefer a single ponytail or topknot, but just remember the mask strap goes on the widest part of the back of your head, so be sure the ponytail/s don't interfere with the strap.  Others find a French braid or two side braids work better for them. Do me and other instructors a favor and try this in a pool before your scuba class! We don't do underwater hair styling lessons... and your fellow students don't want to wait for you to fix your floating hair.

Hair Care-

Be sure to protect your hair and the environment by using good, biodegradable, reef safe moisturizing shampoo, conditioner and/ or leave-in conditioner to prevent your hair from drying out with all the chlorine and salt. Rinse, wash, and condition your hair quickly after you dive. I recommend and sell Gnarly Head ™ aquatic hair care products. 

If you have other tips, I would love to learn more so I can pass it on to my long haired students. Please share your tips in the comments.

Say No to the BFK- The Big Freaking Leg Knife.

When I was a little boy, I would sneak into my dad's sporting goods closet. Dad, was recently discharged from two tours in the Vietnam War and he loved collecting manly things. Dad was like James Bond and the closet was like Agent Q's secret lab. Seriously, it had enough weapons, explosives (long gone), rations, and cool stuff to guard against numerous zombie apocalypses, even an Indiana Jones style bullwhip, which Dad would pull out and crack on occasion! Like all early 1970's Man Cave closets, it had a set of scuba gear for underwater zombies. I remember staring at that old double hose regulator and tank all set up and ready to go in the event of an underwater zombie attack. Most of all, I remember the gigantic knife pictured above, one of the few surviving objects from this bygone era. It even outlasted Dad, who thought Marlboros were good for the lungs, but I digress...

Now the knife is a collector's item of sorts and a reminder to my students that these BFK giant leg knives are no longer used and certainly never strapped to your leg!

Nothing says newbie diver more than a BFK attached to your leg! Don't do it!

But why is the once revered BFK leg knife now frowned upon in scuba diving circles (except vintage dive gear fans)?

Well first of all we now realize that we don't need a giant knife to fight zombies or zombie sharks or to cut the hoses of imaginary Bond villains. Alas, scuba diving is pretty tame stuff. What we really need is a razor sharp knife that can cut through fishing line like butter.

The problems with the BFK leg knife are many. It adds well over a pound to your kit! Imagine adding a pound and a half to only one of your legs! No wonder those guys swim so funny in Sea Hunt.

The typical BFK is 1/4 inch thick and therefore hard to put a sharp edge on, so it is more of a tank banger really. A darn good one in fact!

The leg sheath, its buckles and the big honking knife handle are all monofilament fishing line magnets and a serious entanglement hazard. Never put a gigantic, heavy, entanglement hazard on your leg.

In an emergency when trying to drop a weight belt in a vertical position there is a good chance the belt will become trapped between the knife handle and divers leg and lead to further panic and possible death.

Aside from safety issues, there are practical issues, like it takes forever to attach a big knife to your leg.

But, most of all you just don't want to look like Mike Nelson from Sea Hunt.

What do you do instead?

Get a reasonably sized (small) knife with a well designed one hand only quick release sheath and attach it to your BCD such that it can be easily reached with either hand. In addition get a line cutter such as Eezycut Trilobyte and also attach it to your BCD so it can be easily reached and accessed with one hand.

If using high grade stainless cutting tools, always put a thin coat of silicone grease on them to prevent rust and remove them from the sheath to air dry after diving.

Move into the modern era and ditch the BFK on your leg! You will be glad you did.

Sink the Stink!

People ask me how I clean my wetsuits and BCDs. I use 500 PSI Wetsuit & BCD wash. It is antibacterial, low foaming, works well in cold water, has a nice mild clean scent and a little goes a long way. Just add to cold water, let soak a while then agitate and rinse with freshwater. Rinse the inside of the BCD as you learned in OW, by running some water into the deflator while pressing the deflate button. A drop of 500 psi helps keep the inside clean as well. Inflate the BCD and squish the water around to clean every inch of the inside. Turn it upside down and squeeze the water out by squeezing the BCD between your legs and letting the water run out the inflator hose. This cleans the inflator mechanism. Let water run out of all the dump valves. Repeat this process with freshwater to rinse out the Wetsuit/BCD wash. 

Hang your equipment out of direct sun to dry. Drain all the water out, and leave it hanging on  BCD hanger with a small amount of air inside. I only sell and recommend stuff I personally believe in and feel is a good value. I have used this stuff for 3 years now and my equipment always smells fresh and clean. If you need some, I have it in stock. I also sell 500 psi defog, silicone lube and other items.

Divers Don't Breathe Oxygen, Wear Flippers or Goggles

A Labeled Enriched Air Nitrox Cylinder

When I first got scuba certified, I was a little put off by the instructors always correcting my terminology. "It is called a mask not goggles" he would say or "it is an air tank, not an oxygen tank" she might tell me or "fins are for people, flippers are for dolphins." Why be so picky? It wasn't until I became a dive professional that I understood why these seemingly minor issues are important for safety of the diver and others. 

Take the googles issue for example. The reason we must refer to it as a mask and not goggles is one of safety. Swim googles are often worn while swimming, but only a scuba mask is suitable for diving to depths beyond a swimming pool. A scuba mask covers both the the eyes and nose, which allows the diver to equalize the air space in the mask to ambient pressure. If a diver were to dive with swim goggles s/he could do some serious damage to his/her eyes as the pressure increases to 2-5 times the pressure experienced at the surface. If the googles were to flood with water it could lead to panic situation and possibly a fatality because there is no way to clear the water from goggles. It must be be made clear to a beginning diver that goggles and dive masks are different, and goggles can never be substituted for a proper mask.

As for calling your dive cylinder an "oxygen tank", this is to prevent another potentially fatal mistake among new recreational divers. You see, recreational divers often do have oxygen cylinders around for emergency first aid use since the primary first aid treatment for injured divers is 100% oxygen. Technical divers sometimes use 100% oxygen as a decompression gas. The problem is that 100% oxygen has a maximum operating depth of just 20 feet. So if a recreational diver, new to the sport were to go diving with an "oxygen tank" and exceed 20 feet of depth that person could succumb to oxygen toxicity, suffer convulsions, and drown. For this reason it is important to call the cylinder an air cylinder which it usually is. One might also call it a breathing gas cylinder if diving an enriched air nitrox mix (air enriched with additional oxygen). By using proper terminology, the rare possibility of a fatal mistake is minimized.

As for fins vs. flippers, that one is just semantics, but I still prefer fins to flippers.

Can you think of other scuba terms that people get bent out of shape about? Share in the comments.

Shallow Dives Are NOT Safer

Ascend slowly from every dive, especially the last 15 feet.

Recently, I have heard a few folks make comments like, "The water isn't that deep, so the diver will be fine" or maybe you have heard a diver say, "It is only a swimming pool, what could happen?"

These comments are frightening because they show a serious misunderstanding of the most basic concept of scuba diving safety. This is a failure of the diver the understand the risks in diving!

Let's go back to your beginning scuba course. Recall it starts with a lesson on Boyle's Law and lung over-expansion injuries. You must learn and prove mastery of this concept with a quiz before you can ever get into a pool. Often the analogy of a balloon popping as air expands on ascent is used to explain what happens inside the lungs if you hold your breath or if mucous or lung tissue traps air in the lung while ascending. Unfortunately delicate lung tissue is not as strong as a balloon and alveoli can be torn in as little as 3 feet of water. Rupture of lung tissue can allow air to enter the blood stream, which is potentially fatal! The greatest changes in volume occur at the top of the water column in the few feet near the surface so this is where most lung over expansion injuries actually occur. You are told to never hold your breath, never dive with a cold or congested lungs, and always ascend slowly from every dive, but there is always some risk of lung over-expansion. Shallow water in no way lowers the risk. Shallow water such as a pool does lower the risk of decompression sickness, which is why some divers mistakenly think shallow water is safer. It simply is not. I have seen many new divers, dutifully complete their safety stop and then bolt from 15 feet to the surface. This is a risk both for decompression sickness and gas embolism!

Over time some divers get complacent and forget this basic information. Don't let this happen to you. Continue your education. Keep learning beyond the basic scuba course, which is meant to inform you, but not overwhelm you. Be an active Divers Alert Network member and read the great dive safety information the organization provides. Learn beyond the basics. Seek out books on diving. Entry level courses are entry level. There is much more to learn. Treat every dive seriously, regardless of the depth. Ascend slowly from every dive, especially the last 15 feet. Breathe continuously and don't dive if you have congested lungs.

Transform Yourself- Transform Your Ocean!

Do you really need to rinse out your BCD? Yes or BS?

Salt crystals inside a neglected BCD Bladder.

As you can see the answer to this is one is definite yes! Salt does build up inside BCDs and forms sharp "blades".  Over time these can cut the bladder.  For the same reason always leave some air in the BCD and never stack stuff on top of a BCD.

Salt crystals from a neglected BCD.

To rinse a BCD properly you press the deflate button while filling the BCD partially with freshwater from a hose or spigot. Then inflate the BCD manually. Next you swish the BCD around vigorously making sure water reaches every part of the bladder. Next you must dump water through the dump valves including the inflator mechanism itself. To rinse the inflator hose, turn the BCD upside down and squeeze it between your legs to force water out the inflator hose. Repeat this several times.

To make things a little easier there are special hoses with an inflator hose fitting on one end and a garden hose fitting on the other. Just connect to a garden hose and to the inflator. Press the inflate button water while running water into the BCD. The fitting is designed for air, so it takes several minutes this way, but water does not go all over you. Once the BCD has water in it, rinse it as described above.

What do you think?

Does it pay well to be a scuba instructor?

People sometimes ask, "Does it pay well to be a scuba instructor?"

Being a scuba instructor means constantly learning new things, working with all kinds of different people, watching as the "light bulbs" suddenly come on, being underwater with amazing animals, helping people understand how fragile the aquatic world is and inspiring them to protect it, and so much more. 

It can mean a life of extreme fulfillment and adventure, but like all teaching careers, it is one of difficulty, complexity, and financial poverty.

So if by "pay well", you mean money, then the answer is most often NO, but if you measure life by a different measuring stick and know exactly what you are getting yourself into then it pays immeasurably!

*Caution- for some people being an instructor pays absolutely no money at all! Some dive shops will not pay instructors any cold hard cash, instead giving them more scuba certifications, paying their liability insurance, offering free or discounted gear, discounted travel in exchange for leading dive excursions, and sometimes even "free" air! Basically the instructor becomes a pawn in doing the work of the shop in a sort of pyramid scheme, bringing in his/her friends to the "club". They eagerly represent the shop and bring in new customers until eventually they realize they are putting in far more than they get out. Watch out for this arrangement. Be sure you actually get paid a real living wage with benefits for your hard work or at least understand the game in advance.

Don't feed the sharks!

Excuse me you forgot the mouthpiece on my regulator?

The Humble Scuba Mouthpiece.

It has come to my attention that some dive stores are selling mouthpieces every time a diver borrows or rents a regulator! They cite "health and safety" reasons, "ick factor", or some other scare tactic to sell a new mouthpiece perhaps even upsell you to a special $30 moldable mouthpiece. 

If this happens to you run! What they are doing is ripping you off. The regulator mouthpiece is just one component of the regulator. The regulator itself is an empty container that the diver breathes in and out of, coughs into, spits into, perhaps even vomits into that chamber. So if you are renting or borrowing gear, it all needs to be cleaned and sanitized, not just the mouthpiece. Do you eat with forks from a restaurant? Do you trust that they have been sanitized or do you demand a brand new fork every time you eat?

Now I am happy to sell a new $5.00 mouthpiece to anybody that wants one and I will pocket a few dollars for my trouble, but if I nickel and dime people, eventually they will no longer trust me. 

Remember, the recreational dive industry is a slick business and the sales tactics can be subtle. Watch out for scare tactics and don't feed the sharks!