New to Diving

[stekal2000]

Aloha,
I'm new to Diving at the young age of 60. This is a sport I've always wanted to try as a kid back home in Hawaii, so I'm here.
I am training with Silent World and will do my open water test this weekend at Alki Beach, Washington. I feel that I have done very well so far, but that's my impression.

I am comfortable in the water, but the gloves left me with no sensitivity and had trouble getting my mask under my rental hood and my dive buddy was no help when I asked for it, so I had a constant slow leak until the instructor (Allen) corrected it.

I am still gathering my equipment and was advised to get a 1st & 2nd stage balanced piston regulator. The price scares one away! Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced ($350) new set up or what kind of used equip I should look for and expect to pay. If used, I am not sure what are the kinds of important questions I should be asking.

So far I have:
Pinnacle Cruiser 7 7mm jump suit pkg (new)
Mares Puck wrist computer (new)
Zeagle Ranger BC (used)
Last question. How do I solve a farsighted problem easily? my mask is magnified on the lower half, but it's not enough to read my gauges.
Mahalo,
Steve

 

[taucherguy]

Welcome Steve!

I dove with people around your age. Wish you good luck with the certification. I can't help you with your question regarding vision but I could recommend a very good yet resonably priced Reg.

Take a look at HOG gear. I dive their Reg and must say that I would recommend it. Especially if you are diving temperate WA waters.

Good luck with diving and congrats on taking the plunge.

 

[NASEHQ]

Hi Steve, your vision problem could be solved by getting a prescription mask. Your local dive store can take your current RX and your mask and have the lens cut to your requirements. As for a regulator - buy new and get the best you can fit into your budget! Safe diving!

 

[stekal2000]

Thanks for the info. I will check with my dive shop on the len.
On the regulator I've got two points of view. I'll see what others may say, but still check into your suggestions.

Mahalo,

steve

 

[cbm32]

I was certed in HI in Nov at almost 55. My recommendation, since you appear to be cost conscious, is to get some good contacts to use instead of a prescription mask as they are very expensive. I would also go on ebay and buy from one of the sellers that has hundreds of ratings and is at 100%. You can get a full reg set up with gauges and everything you need for about $250 give or take and they are quality regs.

That is what I did until I got my cert and decided that I was going to dive enough to make it worth buying more expensive equipment. I am not looking for equipment that is a little higher grade but now I have a better idea of what I want and need and I will have the equipment I originally bought as back ups so that if I do have a equipment problem in the future I wont have to scrub a dive.

 

[warmwaterturner]

I have to agree with the contacts. At 51, the only time I wear contacts is while diving. I got a box of 30 at about $2.00 a pair. Additionally, since you are in the market for equipment - when it comes to the computer, seek out those with larger displays.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Welcome aboard... you may find some helpful information in this thread regarding equipment
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ba...88-opinions-buying-new-vs-used-equipment.html

 

[Bob DBF]

I am comfortable in the water, but the gloves left me with no sensitivity and had trouble getting my mask under my rental hood and my dive buddy was no help when I asked for it, so I had a constant slow leak until the instructor (Allen) corrected it.

Welcome Steve

Practice will fix the problem. I use 7mm gloves and put on the mask last (making sure all my hair is under the hood, not where I'm going to place the mask), the trick is putting your finger under the hood by your mouth and running it around the mask lifting the hood over the seal of the mask and ending on the other side. Needs two fingers at the straps. The ritual has worked for me, even when my hair was much longer.

One reason I do it with gloves on is that I can fix it underwater after I get my mask knocked loose by a fin on an unluckey day.

Bob
--------------------------------
I may be old but I’m not dead yet.

 

[James G. Moore]

Aloha,
I'm new to Diving at the young age of 60. This is a sport I've always wanted to try as a kid back home in Hawaii, so I'm here.
I am training with Silent World and will do my open water test this weekend at Alki Beach, Washington. I feel that I have done very well so far, but that's my impression.

I am comfortable in the water, but the gloves left me with no sensitivity and had trouble getting my mask under my rental hood and my dive buddy was no help when I asked for it, so I had a constant slow leak until the instructor (Allen) corrected it.

I am still gathering my equipment and was advised to get a 1st & 2nd stage balanced piston regulator. The price scares one away! Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced ($350) new set up or what kind of used equip I should look for and expect to pay. If used, I am not sure what are the kinds of important questions I should be asking.

So far I have:
Pinnacle Cruiser 7 7mm jump suit pkg (new)
Mares Puck wrist computer (new)
Zeagle Ranger BC (used)
Last question. How do I solve a farsighted problem easily? my mask is magnified on the lower half, but it's not enough to read my gauges.
Mahalo,
Steve

Hi Steve,

I'm almost 59 and have just started diving again on a trip to the Maldives. We had a fellow with us whose son had given him scuba lessons for his 65th birthday. He now spends most of his time going on these trips and has 500 dives in his log.
In the matter of equipment, I have always bought the best I could find and typically spent a frightening percentage of my available funds. If you want to feel better about it think in 1950 dollars (these days divide by 50) and remember how that price would have looked to you in your childhood.
When I got certified in 1973, I bought a Poseidon Cyklon 300 ($300) at the time. It served me flawlessly in several years of diving in various Carribean locations.
When I started diving again, I treated myself to an Atomic Aquatics ST1 ($899) with octopus second stage ($350) and a console with Veo 100 computer ($150 used from Scubatoys) This points out how useful it is to surf the various sites for deals on used stuff. The new reg is impressively better than the old Poseidon which is still very good.
send me an email and I will be happy to discuss equipment with you in further detail.

Jim Moore
jamesgmoore@gmail.com

 

[stekal2000]

Thanks for the info people. I assure you I have taken it to heart. My bank account and wife will decide how much I'll spend.
I just purchased today a Scubapro MK25/S600 Regulator. The reg was something I thought I couldn't skimp on.
I am getting to that point where I will need a dive buddy, but I am only willing to dive to a max depth of 40ft, until I am absolutely comfortable in my new enviorment. If there is someone out there who has been recently WO certified and interested in shore/beach entry for now drop me a line. Thx Steve