Scuba Gear

What qualifications/ experience do I need to work in a dive shop in the UK?

Posted on Jul 03, 2009 under Scuba Dive equipment | 1 Comment

Hi! I am joining the Royal Navy Reserve and have applied to be a Diver. They have told me that the best thing I can do to better my chances is to find a day-job in a SCUBA equipment shop.

Assuming I can find a dive equipment shop as opposed to an actual diving club, where I’d need to be a PADI Master Diver, what quals/ experience would they look for in a young junior? I’d be happy just to mop the floor and make the tea!

I am qualified to basic open water.

Thanks!

noting i dont think

Castaway - funny or not?

Posted on Jul 03, 2009 under Scuba Gear Package | 13 Comments

One day an Irishman, who had been stranded on a deserted island for more than 10 years, saw a speck on the horizon.

He thought to himself, ‘It’s certainly not a ship.’ As the speck got closer and closer, he began to rule out the possibilities of a small boat and even a raft.

Suddenly there emerged from the surf a wet-suited black clad figure. Putting aside the Scuba Gear and the top of the wet suit, there stood a drop-dead gorgeous blonde!

The glamorous blonde strode up to the stunned Irishman and said to him, ‘How long has it been since you had a good cigar.’

Ten years,’ replied the amazed Irishman.

With that, she reached over and unzipped a waterproof pocket on the left sleeve of her wetsuit and pulled out a fresh package of cigars. He takes one, lights it, and takes a long drag. ‘Faith and b’gorrah,’ said the man, ‘that is so good I’d almost forgotten how great a smoke can be!’
And how long has it been since you’ve had a drop of good Powers Irish Whiskey?’ asked the blonde.

Trembling, the castaway replied, ‘Ten years.’

Hearing that, the blonde reaches over to her right sleeve, unzips a pocket - removes a flask and hands it to him. He opened the flask and took a long drink.

‘Tis the nectar of the Gods!’ stated the Irishman - truly fantastic’.*

At this point the gorgeous blonde started to slowly unzip the long front of her wet suit, right down the middle. She looked at the trembling man and asked, ‘And how long has it been since you played around?’

With tears in his eyes, the Irishman fell to his knees and sobbed - ‘Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Don’t tell me you’ve got golf clubs in there, too!’

I didn’t understand
(explain better)

Are colors important in choosing SCUBA or Snorkeling clothing?

Posted on Jul 03, 2009 under Scuba Fins | 5 Comments

I’ve read that some SCUBA guys call anything yellow (i.e. fins, rashguard, etc) "yum yum" yellow because of the possible attention it gets from sharks, barracudas, etc. Is this true? But then again, I hear black is not so good either because seals are black. When choosing gear/clothing is color important? Any suggestions? Thanks.

:-)) Some divers must have made a joke there or they’re not well informed. The oceanographic institute studied shark attacks world wide and did look at the relationship of color to attacks. They found that sharks tend to shy away from bright colors, such as flashy yellow, flashy pink, or anything that would resemble a poisonous fish. They are more likely to go for the black, because, as you said, it does resemble a seal. It is a mystery to me why the wetsuit industry still insists on making black suits.
What sharks will take notice of is naked limbs dangling because under water, an outstretched naked arm or leg looks like dead fish to them. So if you are ever in the position where you’d encounter a shark, your best bet is not to go to the surface or try to swim away (you cannot outswim a shark), but instead to hang on to a coral or a rock at the bottom and to keep your limbs together and not shake them about or wave around. Sharks do not like the air bubbles. In aquariums, they keep sharks separate from other fish with a bubble wall.
Anyway… long story short: The flashier and more outrageous the colors of your wetsuit or skin, the better!

what is the best brand for a scuba diving regulators for a cheap price?

Posted on Jul 03, 2009 under Scuba Regulator | 1 Comment

what is the best brand of regulators for a cheap price

Used anything by any manufacturer that has been recently serviced by a technician. Seriously…you want cheap, that knocks off 50% right there. It’s been serviced so it’s just as safe as one out of the box. Pretty well all manufacturers make great gear that come in price ranges. All manufacturers entry level stuff for example will all be about the same price, regardless as to who makes it. Then when you start adding bells and whistles, all manufacturers pretty well keep pace with each other in quality, features and price. Do yourself a favor and avoid Craigs List or E Bay. You won’t have much of a guarantee that the regs actually HAVE been serviced if used and will have no recourse if they arrive non functioning or unsafe. Hit a local dive shop that has a club. Many of these clubs will have gear in shop on a consignment basis. The previous owners have moved up in their gear and the dive shop will help sell their old gear after making sure it’s A OK. It’s also local to you…if there is a small problem you can easily straighten it out. You’ll probably even get discounts for other gear for becoming a customer. Funny how that works.
Bottom line is you get what you pay for so don’t expect a Porche for the price of a older model VW. This is also true buying online but worse because you’re buying blind.

do they make army camo patterned scuba wetsuits? if so who makes then and where on the i-net can i find them?

Posted on Jul 03, 2009 under Scuba Wetsuits | 2 Comments

my bcd has this pattern and i am looking 4 something 2 match it lol

http://www.scubasworld.com/proddetail.php?prod=riffewetsuit

No knowledge of the store or customer service, but there's a camo suit…

can someone give me a ball park number for scuba gear?

Posted on Jul 03, 2009 under Scuba Gear | 2 Comments

i want to learn to scuba dive,mostly in fresh water and mostly for treasure hunting,but what will the gear itself cost me and how much is the training.i live in new england if that helps.thanks in advance

I live and dive in New England.

For a wet suit, a 7mm is the minimum. A farmer john style 7mm would be better, Yes, even in the summer. I dive Lake Champlain in Vermont, and even in late summer, bottom temps (around 110′ or so) are in the high 40’s. Wetsuits range from $150-$400

I dive a dry suit. with special undergarments. A dry suit will start at $800, and run into th high $3000 range with undergarment. Dry suits do require extra training.

As far as your BC and regulators, check local shops first. It’s really nice being able to have your gear serviced locally, rather than having to send it out by mail like you would for an internet purchase. A package should start around $600.

Then there’s the training. Basic open water will run you around $150 to $250.