Drain holes in Turtles?
- Thread starter jeckyll
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ChrisA
Contributor
DaytonaDave:
Yellow Rustolum (SP?) spray paint from Home Depot. I use a small anchor and chain on my dive float and painted that yellow and just happened to have the paint still around. I noticed that it really did make the anchor and chain more visible so I thought I'd try it on my fins. Spent all of two minutes. I used a piece of cardboard to mask off all but the last two inches of the tips. I figured if the paint came off, no big deal. Looks like I may have to repaint periodically. It took about three days to dry and was not 100% hard until a week. My first dive after the paint was with the paint still slightly wet
I do a lot of low viz night dives because that's when I have time to dive (after work at the beach) and the viz is what it is. People I dive with say, Yes you can't miss a pair of black and yellow turtles
Glow in the dark paint would be really cool.
When I considered drilling holes in my Jets Unlce Pug warned me not to with the same advice as above ... now I'm so glad I listened - I can rinse my regs, mask and gauges in one, in the other I soak my camera till I get back to the truck then use the water to rinse my boots off - it is SO convenient ... just something to consider 
Aloha, Tim
Aloha, Tim
CheddarChick
Contributor
Actually Rustoleum has a new product out for rubberized surfaces. I use it on flexible j-channel around round/arched windows to match the color of the window. So it would probably be great on fins ect...
Mo2vation:I was just going to ask, "Where's Walter?" He's usually all over this one...
He's the reason I never drilled mines.
---
Ken
I was spending quality time with my daughter.
After a beach dive not long ago, my buddy and I walked through the sand, finally reaching the bench where she sat down, caught her breath, looked down and asked, "Why don't you have sand on your boots?" She didn't believe I walk 6 inches above the sand, but when I rinsed her feet with the other fin, she became a believer. I wouldn't have fins with drain holes.
kidspot:When I considered drilling holes in my Jets Unlce Pug warned me not to with the same advice as above ... now I'm so glad I listened - I can rinse my regs, mask and gauges in one, in the other I soak my camera till I get back to the truck then use the water to rinse my boots off - it is SO convenient ... just something to consider
Aloha, Tim
And with Turtles, you and your dive buddy can have a whole jacuzzi party in one, and rinse your exposure suits in the other...
---
Ken
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Chris,
What you have described in fin marking/drain holes is some what old hat dating to the 1950-60s from the very demanding and prestigious Los Angeles County UW Instructor association programs. As you probably know since you live in LA Co, this was the first origanized diving instructional program. Founded in 1954 it is the father of all other major instructional programs; NAUI in 1960 and PADI about ten years later.
The participants of this three month long very intensive program were divided into "dive teams" of about 4 to 6 divers under the leadership of a "Dive master*." (*the origin of the name "Dive Master" ) Each team had a color, to denote their membership; ie red, blue green and of course Orange for those living in Orange County, AKA "The OC."
During the course the BOTTOM of the candidates and the Divemasters (Instructors) fins were painted the appropriate color of the team membership. This was to insure underwater visability and that any strays swimming away from the dive training event area could be immediately recognized and directed to their respective team.
The paint used was a cheap spray paint which could be left on after the completion of the course or removed with paint remover.
During the three months of the instructor training there was approximately 100+ immersions in fresh and salt water. I do not recall a fin ever being repainted. However do to enviromental concerns paint formulas have under gone considerable changes since that era and modern paint may possibly react differenly to rubber and repeated flexing.
The drain holes in the fins of that era were made as mold release holes during manufactuing process. Some were open and some were closed even from the same manfacture but possibly a different lot. Some of the instructors liked them closed others open, some even made additional drain holes.
The drain holes were opened, often enlarged or new ones made with the end of a wire coat hanger heated over a gas or electric stove until glowing red hot. The coat hanger was grasped with a pair of pliers and the hot end of the coat hanger was thrust into and through the fin, making a new hole or enlarging an old one, concurrently vulcanizing the the hole to insure that it would not further rip or tear. I do not know if it would work on the new modern fins or if the heat would create a toxic enviroment, so K MAG YO YO.. However I would suggest that you experiment with the coat hanger method as well as the use of a drilled hole as proposed
An added discovery was the that coat hangers could be twisted and bent in to various shapes creating initials, symbols etc. Once again when heated and applied to the back side of the fin tip, the fin was branded forever just like the cowboys did their cattle in the old and modern western US to denote ownership.
So that is the way it was done in the genesis, beginning of recreational diving instruction, almost fifty years ago. Thanks Chris and all for kicking off long dormant memories and allowing me to bore you. Now I will awaite your learned comments...
Chris, I seldom monitor this board but appreciate to hearing from you as to the method you used and the results obtained.
SDM
What you have described in fin marking/drain holes is some what old hat dating to the 1950-60s from the very demanding and prestigious Los Angeles County UW Instructor association programs. As you probably know since you live in LA Co, this was the first origanized diving instructional program. Founded in 1954 it is the father of all other major instructional programs; NAUI in 1960 and PADI about ten years later.
The participants of this three month long very intensive program were divided into "dive teams" of about 4 to 6 divers under the leadership of a "Dive master*." (*the origin of the name "Dive Master" ) Each team had a color, to denote their membership; ie red, blue green and of course Orange for those living in Orange County, AKA "The OC."
During the course the BOTTOM of the candidates and the Divemasters (Instructors) fins were painted the appropriate color of the team membership. This was to insure underwater visability and that any strays swimming away from the dive training event area could be immediately recognized and directed to their respective team.
The paint used was a cheap spray paint which could be left on after the completion of the course or removed with paint remover.
During the three months of the instructor training there was approximately 100+ immersions in fresh and salt water. I do not recall a fin ever being repainted. However do to enviromental concerns paint formulas have under gone considerable changes since that era and modern paint may possibly react differenly to rubber and repeated flexing.
The drain holes in the fins of that era were made as mold release holes during manufactuing process. Some were open and some were closed even from the same manfacture but possibly a different lot. Some of the instructors liked them closed others open, some even made additional drain holes.
The drain holes were opened, often enlarged or new ones made with the end of a wire coat hanger heated over a gas or electric stove until glowing red hot. The coat hanger was grasped with a pair of pliers and the hot end of the coat hanger was thrust into and through the fin, making a new hole or enlarging an old one, concurrently vulcanizing the the hole to insure that it would not further rip or tear. I do not know if it would work on the new modern fins or if the heat would create a toxic enviroment, so K MAG YO YO.. However I would suggest that you experiment with the coat hanger method as well as the use of a drilled hole as proposed
An added discovery was the that coat hangers could be twisted and bent in to various shapes creating initials, symbols etc. Once again when heated and applied to the back side of the fin tip, the fin was branded forever just like the cowboys did their cattle in the old and modern western US to denote ownership.
So that is the way it was done in the genesis, beginning of recreational diving instruction, almost fifty years ago. Thanks Chris and all for kicking off long dormant memories and allowing me to bore you. Now I will awaite your learned comments...
Chris, I seldom monitor this board but appreciate to hearing from you as to the method you used and the results obtained.
SDM
Thanks Sam! I just happen to have small branding iron and might have to 'mark' my fins (kids, Wife, ...)
Tamas
Contributor
meekal:
LOL! thanks for the laugh
