Continuing Diving after OW

[Paddymct]

Hi all, first post so try not to crucify and preach. Myself and the missus are British and recently OW qualified whilst away on holiday. Now we're back at home and we want to continue diving. We have a dive site fairly close to us (Blue Lagoon) which is relatively shallow, has plenty to see and hires out equipment. This should be a good introduction to diving in the UK and in fresh water and of course diving autonomously without a guide (we are also planning trips further afield with some of the guides from BL).

Of course we eventually want to buy our own equipment. Obviously I understand that this may be a false economy if we are not diving every weekend however it will be a lot more comfortable, convenient and safe. I want to build our diving kit up piece by piece rather than buying a package deal. At the very least before we dive up at blue lagoon I plan to get the following:

Mares Smart. I like how easy it looks to use, its easy to read screen and the option to wear it as a watch while travelling.
Tank Banger. Mainly for communication if we lose each other in poor visibility. We both know the lost buddy procedure, and have used it before but being able to hear each other will be reassuring for her as she is a little more nervous.
Lanyard. To keep hold of our camera. We had an incident with a positively buoyant camera mount and me letting go of it without the wrist strap being on. Luckily one of the skippers spotted and recovered it.

We are also thinking about a mask, snorkel, fins and boots package offered by my local LDS as it is a good deal but that might be after a few more dives. My question is; is there any small accessories that will make life 1000 times easier that I have missed? What would you recommend for first equipment? Do these prices look reasonable?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Fuzzmex]

My advice would be to look for used equipment.
Buying new is usually a waste of money, that you could spend on other nice things (like courses).
Except....except for certain items that require a perfect fit, like a mask or a wetsuit.
Those are things you really want to be able to try on first (which of course may still be an option buying second hand).

Having your own mask, boots and fins makes a big difference in comfort and will not cost you the earth.
The same goes for your own wetsuit, but that will cost you more.

Next would be a good computer, your own bcd or (better) backplate with wing and a regulator set.
These are all expensive items that you should look for second hand in my opinion.
Take your time to look around, read up on equipment reviews and user experience on forums such as this, find out what is tried and trusted and then decide, depending on your budget, what you need and would like to get.

As for your computer choice, Mares is not exactly an A brand when it comes to dive computers.
That is not to say that the Smart would be a bad choice, but I would certainly look around before deciding on buying one.
Here in Europe you will find a lot of second hand Suunto computers for instance, often real bargains.

You will find that certain brands have much better resale value than others, another thing to keep in mind, especially when buying new.

Collecting your own equipment is great fun and it's always exciting to try out your new toys.
So have fun!

 

[CuzzA]

A mask and fins that fit should be priority number one. I don't see the need for a snorkel until you start diving in the ocean.

As far as everything else it depends on your finances and the dives you plan on doing. If money is tight and you're doing relatively shallow <60 ft dives, IMO it's a toss up between a BC or computer. Personally I would focus on getting your BC before a computer (apply some forethought here as to how things can be attached). A simple web harness is infinitely customizable with d rings and other loop on pockets and accessories and therefore often preferred.

I say the BC first because it's the core of your rig and you want to start familiarizing yourself on where everything is attached and the buoyancy characteristics. You can simply dive tables and use a watch until you make that next purchase of a computer and because you're not diving deep the chances of getting bent are pretty slim. Really though it's a toss up, IMO.

For a computer I would look at the Deep Blue Cosmiq which is in the same price range at what you're looking at. Deepblu | COSMIQ Dive Computer

As far as accessories. I believe there are a few things that should be at the core of your rig. A line cutter, knife or EMT scissors and a whistle. Even for fresh water springs, ponds, lake diving, etc. a whistle could be valuable if some one gets in trouble. You want the ability to alert people on shore. A flash light may be advantageous in low viz and may serve as a better tool to get someones attention than a tank banger as you can't identify where sound is coming from underwater.

If and when you start ocean diving I would add a minimum 6 ft. surface marker buoy. Preferably one that can be deployed from depth. Piranha Dive Mfg. has great options there.

After that I would then consider a reg set that will work for your diving (cold vs. tropical), and if you really start diving a lot, then get your own tanks.

As far as the lanyard goes, I use them. I've yet to lose any dive gear, while I've seen countless items disappear from my buddies. I prefer just a simple coil lanyard with two rings on both ends. I don't see the need for the quick release clip. Just a simple bolt snap on the item.

Good luck. Welcome to the board.

 

[Paddymct]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I will definitely look around at other computers. If not the Mares I am leaning towards Suunto. I have heard they can be abit conservative but I tend to drink air so I think my air will be my limit for shallow dives not my NDL.

I was planning on buying a BC last so that I can hire a lot of styles out and see what I get on with. SMB is definitely on the shopping list well before we go OW diving just to practice rigging and shooting it while maintaining buoyancy. You say preferably one that can be shot from depth, I assume the only thing that would mean you cant shoot it at depth is a lack of a PRV/OPV? What else dictates whether they can be used at depth?

Good shout on the line cutter and whistle they are definitely now on the list.

My current shopping list before BL is now; mask, fins, boots and computer. I selected a tank banger over a light due to cost although a light is high up on the to-buy list. I'd also like to get a computer to get accustomed to before taking it out with the blue lagoons DG's.

 

[CuzzA]

Yes OP valve.

Just keep in mind probably the two items that most often get re-purchased due to a lack of forethought are the BC and computer.

 

[Paddymct]

So the two most expensive...Ill definitely be sure to think long and hard before buying. And ill make sure to kick myself if I do end up re-buying. Do you know any UK stockists of deep blue computers, the websites not playing fair with my laptop.

 

[Edward3c]

Hi all, first post so try not to crucify and preach. Myself and the missus are British and recently OW qualified whilst away on holiday. Now we're back at home and we want to continue diving. We have a dive site fairly close to us (Blue Lagoon) which is relatively shallow, has plenty to see and hires out equipment. This should be a good introduction to diving in the UK and in fresh water and of course diving autonomously without a guide (we are also planning trips further afield with some of the guides from BL).

Of course we eventually want to buy our own equipment. Obviously I understand that this may be a false economy if we are not diving every weekend however it will be a lot more comfortable, convenient and safe. I want to build our diving kit up piece by piece rather than buying a package deal. At the very least before we dive up at blue lagoon I plan to get the following:

Mares Smart. I like how easy it looks to use, its easy to read screen and the option to wear it as a watch while travelling.
Tank Banger. Mainly for communication if we lose each other in poor visibility. We both know the lost buddy procedure, and have used it before but being able to hear each other will be reassuring for her as she is a little more nervous.
Lanyard. To keep hold of our camera. We had an incident with a positively buoyant camera mount and me letting go of it without the wrist strap being on. Luckily one of the skippers spotted and recovered it.

We are also thinking about a mask, snorkel, fins and boots package offered by my local LDS as it is a good deal but that might be after a few more dives. My question is; is there any small accessories that will make life 1000 times easier that I have missed? What would you recommend for first equipment? Do these prices look reasonable?

Thanks in advance.

Renting equipment in the U.K. will soon cost you more than buying your own.

However, you don't have to buy everything at once. My suggestion would be good fitting drysuits then you own regulator. You don't need an all singing and dancing computer. The one you've identified will do.

Paying to be taken diving by a commercial operator will soon become expensive compared to just going out with dive buddies from a BSAC club. There is no requirement to do any crossover training, but you could start the Sports Diver course that will teach you basic deco, Nitrox, SMB & DSMB and dive management.

UK diving is world class.

 

[UFOrb]

You've had some good advice already so I don't have much to add. However, I do own a Mares Smart and really like it for all the reasons you listed above. It's easy to read underwater and does everything you need for recreational diving, plus the batteries are user-replaceable. I was looking for a wrist watch sized DC and after a lot of research almost bought an Oceanic Geo 2.0 but went for the Smart based on price (there was an offer at the time and I got one for £170). A DM who uses a Smart recently told me that the straps are solid too, which he said isn't the case with the Geo 2.0 as he's known a few to break.
I believe there are cheaper, and still very good DCs out there, but most are pucks below that price-point (IIRC). 2nd hand's a good option though if you can find what you want.

I have one of those lanyards for my camera and they work great. Frees up your hands when not using the camera, and you can just drop it if you need to. Edit: Try to find a way to get your camera neutrally buoyant, or slightly negative, as it'll be easier to handle. My housings very positively buoyant but now have a tray, handle & light that add weight. I've also got little weights that attach to the bottom of my housing that I used to use but only use for snorkelling without the tray nowadays.

Also, I also totally agree that a mask should be top of your list! Even if you don't get fins and wetsuit straight away, get a well fitting mask...try as many as you can on in a shop. A mask also takes no room in your travel luggage. Mine was my first bit of kit. A snorkel doesn't cost much, so you might a well get one too, it doesn't need to be fancy. That said, I don't usually dive with one, they just get in the way. You could consider a bendable one to fold into your BCD pocket just in case.
Just my 2 pennies worth. Good luck!

 

[Diving Dubai]

I would suggest looking up your local BSAC club too. They all accept divers from other agencies. You will find a wealth of information in the clubs, as well as experienced people to mentor you, and assist with all sorts, possibly even loan equipment or good second hand stuff too. You also benefit from winter training in pools, and the social scene. You can participate as much or as little as you want

 

[KevinNM]

So the two most expensive...Ill definitely be sure to think long and hard before buying. And ill make sure to kick myself if I do end up re-buying. Do you know any UK stockists of deep blue computers, the websites not playing fair with my laptop.

A cheapish modern computer is perfectly adequate for 95% of divers until and unless they start doing tech diving. Shearwaters have wonderful displays, but a zoop (etc) will certainly work.