Bay Area - Knife, Shears or Z cutter?

[Chuck Tribolet]

Pockets? Don't need no steenking pockets.

Sausage: bungied to my left shoulder strap below the D ring,
along with a little UK lithium backup light with a narrow beam.

Cutting device: seat belt cutter, on the tank waist strap (buckle
side so it doesn't come off).

Whistle: Dive Alert (in the usual place) AND an Acme Thunderer on
the BC's elephant hose.

Flares: Two Orion Skyblazer boat flares in a UK 6 C-cell flashlight
case, bungied to the right shoulder strap below the D-ring.

And my two camera strobes can be set to flash every few seconds.


Chuck

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

And need for a cutting tool? I've got 1500 dives hereabouts, and have
wanted (not NEEDED) a cutting tool once. It was on The Barge, and a
rockfish was caught behind a derelict bit of fishnet. We made do with a
sharp scallop shell.


Chuck

 

[kathydee]

After dropping the money for the BC and Reg I suppose a few extra bucks on safety equipment isn't a bad idea. Thanks .

Did you already purchase a BC? If not... many of us favor the Backplate/Wing instead of a standard BCD as it is less buoyant and easier to distribute weight in the system. If you dive wet or dry suit you will certainly need more weights than in the warm water of So Fla.

 

[Peter_C]

And need for a cutting tool? I've got 1500 dives hereabouts, and have
wanted (not NEEDED) a cutting tool once. It was on The Barge, and a
rockfish was caught behind a derelict bit of fishnet. We made do with a
sharp scallop shell.


Chuck

I needed a cutting tool once! Had to cut a decorator crab loose, so I busted out my shears (From my pocket ) and freed our friend saving it from a guaranteed death sentence.

 

[cmburch]

I do not frequent areas near piers or jettys where H&L fishermen may fish. I have used my knife underwater once over 20 years ago to cut a spearshaft line free that was stuck in the rocks. I kelp dive about every week. I carry a spearfishing knife on my left forearm for gutting fish. I also sometimes carry a fish scaler.

 

[fofo]

This thing...



(yeah, yeah, it's a joke -- I don't even remember how I managed to stumble up on it this morning and I thought about this thread).

 

[Lenaxia]

That knife is disgusting lol.

I would laugh if someone stabbed something and instead of inflating it exploded into itty bitty pieces.

 

[evcitor99]

I just purchased a Black Diamond BCD, which I have been told can handle the weight I need in a dry suit. It has a lot of pockets, 5 D-rings, and a knife mount.

I'm looking now to get a 7mm Wetsuit so I can dive in December. From what I've read so far I'll try for a 3mm Hooded Vest for underneath.

I am 100% going on a guided dive. I just now feel comfortable diving in Miami bath water with 80+ visibility, so SF should be an experience.

 

[cmburch]

Keep an eye out for sales. You will need a lot of weight using a hooded vest with a 7mm two piece? wetsuit. The water tends to be warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer due to upwelling. It is always cold. Most of us do not dive near San Francisco. Some divers do. We normally go south 2 hours to Monterey/Carmel or north 2.5 hrs to Sonoma.

 

[zinmaker]

I would recommend getting a pair of the EMT shears as well, the only time I've had to use a knife underwater, is when I've entered an underwater pumpkin carving contest.