How do I get back up to speed after 35 years out of the loop?

[MrMitch]

You could take that MK5 of yours into a shop and have it serviced, it will be like new.

If you don’t want that old SP stuff, then I can bet someone here will.

DAMN! Threw out my MK5 and MK7 years ago because the hoses were rotted and outsides were corroding where the surface was scratched. I thought they would be way too expensive or just impossible to repair. I never liked the MK7 with that annoying "honker" but dove one because that's what the the shop (Skippers in Pensacola) wanted us to sell.

MK17 is environmentally sealed for nasty environments and top notch for cold water.

No regulator of mine will ever see ice unless I drop it in my Pina Colada.

MK25 has a swivel turret. Swivel is nice for a single reg with a lot of hoses on it.

Always loved swivel turrets.

 

[Shotmaster]

I have 2 MK25s, one has a S600 and the other has an X650. They breath effortlessly. I started with a MK V/109R and used it for almost 40 years. I am currently looking for some 109s in good shape to make them primaries. They reduce dry mouth considerably over the plastic ones. Plus they can use the 156 kits and become "Balanced Adjustable". The only other regulator I think is a good buy are the Atomics. I have a B2. Atomic is run by former Scubapro engineers. With that said, Scubapro is still king of the hill. Scubapro has a new dive computer series. I have a Galileo Luna with air integration (it sends air pressure wirelessly to the computer and calculates air consumption and remaining time on the fly) I'm old school and I like its ease of use. The new Galileo G2 with color screen has my attention. The more technical divers will push the high tech computers. The Luna really reduces your task loading. I had an old Scubapro air only computer and when it died I bought a Cobra, don't make the same mistake. I am a fan of the Faber low pressure 95s. 95 cubic feet is a lot of air, and we cave fill them here in Florida and they hold 120. It's almost like wearing doubles without the hassle. I still have my original Scubapro steel 72. But i only use it for when I might need to go over the side and cut a crab pot line off the props when troll fishing or joy riding. The new wetsuits are the bomb! Scubapro makes some of the best also. Welcome back, now go get your gills wet and post some pictures!

P.S. I still wear my BFK. I also spearfish and see sharks a lot.

 

[MargaritaMike]

loved my Scubapro Mark V regulator but I'm sure there is something equally reliable and comfortable available now.

I STILL love my MkV with a G250 and 109. It's just like a TIMEX. There may come a day when it gives up the ghost, and I'll weep on the way to the LDS to buy something new. I'm thinking Deep 6 Signature maybe.

two or three pilings at Fredrickstead pier

I wonder if it's the same pier on the west side of St. Croix that I have spent hours and hours observing.

Cheers - M²

 

[Jay]

Welcome back! I'm in a similar boat as you, and the wonderful world of dive computers was .. well ... new! and appeared a little complex (but really it isn't!). Here's a few handy things I felt important to learn:

On computer algorithms, three letter acronyms, (and some two): GFs:
Algorithm question (Perdix AI vs DSAT)
So you want to buy a new computer? <- particularly the table in the OP (nb, it's from 2009, but I think it still generally holds true today).
the computer manuals make a good read! https://www.shearwater.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/PerdixAI_Operating_Instructions_RevA.pdf particularly pages 16-19 re SAC, RMV, and GTR calcs. and this one: Innovation » Computers <--esp the first topic.

and finally, this pic:
View media item 204346Hope this helps.

 

[craydive]

MrMitch, Same boat as you, an instructor lost his way in the lifecycle of families and kids. Seems a bit more corkage has found me as well.

Diving in Phuket is a great way to start. Easy as, boats take you there, your hire gear is all ready assembled for you, follow the divemaster and let them worry about life. Boat picks you up, and helps you aboard.

It is worlds apart from assembling your own gear, walking long distance with the gear on, down ladders, diving and doing it all on the return back to the car.

The difference is like leaving your vw kombi home and being driven in a luxury limousine.

Hire a computer, maybe $5 a day - ish. Three dives might be over the top, but you never know.

They deploy there now. Get to deco depth, and they inflate a fluro sausage, and let it rise to the surface by a reel, and its a marker buoy for the boat to come to you, and also for you not to get clonked by other boats in the area. The dive master does all this.

Some hand signals have been added since I was diving. Buoyancy came back fast, like within the first dive the basics were there. Breathing was not, less corkage and fitness will improve that. I was not the limiting factor on the dive group though.

Only thing I can say about being underwater again is that its magic, just magic.

 

[MrMitch]

I wonder if it's the same pier on the west side of St. Croix that I have spent hours and hours observing.

Cheers - M²

Yes

There can be only one.


I’ve read 100 glowing descriptions of how wonderful it is and none of them come close to truly explaining what a fantastic place it is for finding the coolest little critters.

Even the people who dive there frequently don’t know that just a little ways out from the pier colonies of yellow head Jaw fish.
It is also the first place I saw a pair of Caribbean pigmy angelfish

Cutest little buggers ever.

 

[DavidFL]

I had a similar experience: I was an active instructor from 1969 to about 1980, then a ~25 year surface interval. You have gotten lots of good advice here.

One of the things you will probably notice is nearly everyone will be doing a 3 minute "safety stop" on every dive at about 15'. You can certainly google it and get the history and the details of the practice from anyone of the current certification agencies. Nothing magic about it; depending on what agency you were an instructor with you may have taught actual practice deco in the late 70s in basic SCUBA courses. And the recommendation for rate of ascent has changed; you will be able to easily find that too.

FWIW, when I restarted in about 2006 I very rapidly gravitated to Nitrox and dive computers.

 

[Shotmaster]

My only recommendation is on a computer and Nitrox, and that depends on how quickly you want to plunge back in. You can dive conservative and use the updated Navy tables and air. But I would recommend that you take a checkout dive combined with a Nitrox course at a LDS. You can rent a computer for a few dollars per dive to do the training, plus your instructor can better introduce you to this than we can writing about it. I would recommend you buy a used Scubapro Luna or Sol, this way will have a modern and easy to use dive computer while you are getting back in the groove. Once you are a back up to speed and have some experience using a computer, you will either find the Luna or Sol to be satisfactory to your liking and needs, or it will give you a basis to choose another. If you find a reasonable deal on a used one, you can certainly use it for a few months and resell it without losing money. I think you will like it and then start lusting after a G2! The other very popular and recommended computer is the Perdix Or Perdix AI. It is the Cadillac. When I was looking Perdix didn't have the air integration. They do now. It had the best color screen, but ultimately I couldn't justify the extra cost just to get a color screen and not have AI. Now Scubapro has the G2 and for my needs it is a toss up between the the two. I am not a technical diver and the Perdix has way more capability and complexity than I need or want. So I will most likely go for the G2. The Perdix fans on the board are avid supporters and can answer any question you might have. They are also showing great discipline and not bombarding you with their recommendations yet. They will when you are ready and start asking questions! Lol

 

[lowviz]

...//... The Perdix fans on the board are avid supporters and can answer any question you might have. They are also showing great discipline and not bombarding you with their recommendations yet. ...

Buy a used Petrel 2. TWO. 2.

Not a Petrel 1.

You will never outdive its capabilities. User-friendly programming. A lot of techies are dumping them cheap for the sleek Perdix. Meh...

 

[MrMitch]

Thank for the advice.
Nitrox: Several posts have mentioned jumping on the nitro bandwagon. seems like a good idea and doesn't sound very complicated for the recreational diving I'll be doing. I'll look into training soon.

Dive Computer: I've already arranged to rent whatever they provide on my day trip from Phuket later this month and will hold off purchasing until I learn more.
Not being a tech diver or a gear head, I will select something simple to operate and read.