OP
How to pack luggage for liveaboard?
- Thread starter divebrasil
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Shasta_man
Contributor
I'd suggest no need for anything more than 1 3MM suit. The water there is quite warm so unless you get cold easily, you should be good. Your suit will dry quickly between dives as well and only be damp for next dive. Bring a plastic bag to put your foot in to easily put your suit on. In a few minutes, it will be completely wet again. I'd also suggest having too many flashlights and too big. Anything with D's or even C's is really too big. Critters flee the light already. Second, viz is not like here in Monterey, it's much clearer. I have two smaller lights (primary and backup) that use LED likes and 4 AA batteries. They are still quite bright. I even turn my light off and let others light illuminate the way until I need mine. I use a single large soft sided bag and put my dry clothes in vacuum seal bags which just roll up. So you can store wet and dry stuff in the same bag. If you can't get reg in a carryon, at least carryon your dive computer. Take it out of the boot if necessary. That's something you need for sure and want to be familiar with.
ptn72
Registered
Hi divebrasil, I dove with Explorer Ventures T&C two years ago and I have similar setup to yours.
- Like many others pointed out, don't worry about soft or hard luggage. Use what works best for you. They'll put your luggage away before heading out.
- Don't bring two wetsuits. 3mm will work fine for most people. If you get cold easily then add the hooded vest. That will give you the most flexible setup. If you get cold easily, then 4mm + hooded vest
- On EV T&C, the wetsuits are hanging above the vent where hot air coming out so after an hour, it's dry enough to put in on again (not completely dry though)
- My fins, BCD, wetsuit are in my check-in luggage. We put in 2 sets for my wife and I and it was under 50lbs. If you go by yourself, it should be under 50lbs easily. You can put the rest of your clothes in there.
- My regs, dive computer, and mask are in 20in carry-on luggage. There was a still a bit of room so we put 1 set of clothes for each of us just in case our flight was delayed or our luggage was lost. If you still have room, this is a good place to put batteries since you can't check in li-ion batteries anymore. If you have more room, you can put your laptop there.
- My underwater camera and my wife's GoPro are in my backpack. My laptop went to a pocket of my backpack. For your reference, my camera is Sony NEX-5N with 10Bar housing. I have 1 strobe and 1 focus light. My wife has 1 light for her GoPro. Everything including batteries and chargers fit in my backpack.
This is the review for my trip, http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/li...uly-27-2013-review-very-long.html#post6854777
Hope this helps.
- Like many others pointed out, don't worry about soft or hard luggage. Use what works best for you. They'll put your luggage away before heading out.
- Don't bring two wetsuits. 3mm will work fine for most people. If you get cold easily then add the hooded vest. That will give you the most flexible setup. If you get cold easily, then 4mm + hooded vest
- On EV T&C, the wetsuits are hanging above the vent where hot air coming out so after an hour, it's dry enough to put in on again (not completely dry though)
- My fins, BCD, wetsuit are in my check-in luggage. We put in 2 sets for my wife and I and it was under 50lbs. If you go by yourself, it should be under 50lbs easily. You can put the rest of your clothes in there.
- My regs, dive computer, and mask are in 20in carry-on luggage. There was a still a bit of room so we put 1 set of clothes for each of us just in case our flight was delayed or our luggage was lost. If you still have room, this is a good place to put batteries since you can't check in li-ion batteries anymore. If you have more room, you can put your laptop there.
- My underwater camera and my wife's GoPro are in my backpack. My laptop went to a pocket of my backpack. For your reference, my camera is Sony NEX-5N with 10Bar housing. I have 1 strobe and 1 focus light. My wife has 1 light for her GoPro. Everything including batteries and chargers fit in my backpack.
This is the review for my trip, http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/li...uly-27-2013-review-very-long.html#post6854777
Hope this helps.
OP
divebrasil
Contributor
Hi all, thanks so much for the responses. Very helpful.
Maybe I will just bring 1 wetsuit then and the hooded vest. The tropical water wetsuit I usually carry when I go to hawaii is a surf 3/2mm and works fine most of the time. But I never done 5 dives a day including a night dive. Each dive should feel colder. Maybe I should bring the 4/3mm instead, which is my usually worn surf wetsuit in the SF Bay Area. I think neoprene on surf wetsuit are not as dense as dive wetsuits.
T&C water is about same avg temp as hawaii? I was just trying to be prepared carrying a backup wetsuit, the same way people bring backup masks, computers, etc...
Thanks
Maybe I will just bring 1 wetsuit then and the hooded vest. The tropical water wetsuit I usually carry when I go to hawaii is a surf 3/2mm and works fine most of the time. But I never done 5 dives a day including a night dive. Each dive should feel colder. Maybe I should bring the 4/3mm instead, which is my usually worn surf wetsuit in the SF Bay Area. I think neoprene on surf wetsuit are not as dense as dive wetsuits.
T&C water is about same avg temp as hawaii? I was just trying to be prepared carrying a backup wetsuit, the same way people bring backup masks, computers, etc...
Thanks
mikeycanuk
Contributor
Don't use plastic bags, they might blow overboard! Plus they rip and tear in no time. I bought us each 2 pairs of fin socks in bright colors so they don't get lost like black ones do.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Lots of good suggestions. Here's mine for LOB. I pack my camera, (Cannon s100 and housing), flash, Sola light and arms plus reg, computers and prescription mask, plus one set of shorts, t-shirt and swim suit in one of my kids swim team backpacks. Ends up near 20 lbs but works for carry-on.
Everything else goes in my roller dive bag. Never fails to be at 46 pounds. One 5 ml wetsuit no matter water temp. I get cold and I add a 2 mil shirt for afternoon dives. Adding a vest or lava core shirt in the afternoon and night makes those dives warm. I also have a neoprene hat, no strap, for more warmth at night.
Finally, agreeing with Shasta-man, two smaller dive lights is my preference. First, only 4 AA batteries makes them lighter and I don't like much light underwater. Other divers tend to light the ocean and then I see fine even without my light on.
Have a blast.
Rob
Everything else goes in my roller dive bag. Never fails to be at 46 pounds. One 5 ml wetsuit no matter water temp. I get cold and I add a 2 mil shirt for afternoon dives. Adding a vest or lava core shirt in the afternoon and night makes those dives warm. I also have a neoprene hat, no strap, for more warmth at night.
Finally, agreeing with Shasta-man, two smaller dive lights is my preference. First, only 4 AA batteries makes them lighter and I don't like much light underwater. Other divers tend to light the ocean and then I see fine even without my light on.
Have a blast.
Rob
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