Repair kit - what to have on hand??

[Jocasseegirl]

I'm a new diver and experienced a couple of snags on my dive Saturday. My octo was working fine on the first dive, but it decided to start leaking before the second dive. Fortunately, someone on the boat had a spare, so we swapped it out. If I hadn't been with a group of seasoned divers who have every tool imaginable, I would have been out of a dive.

What should I bring along in a basic kit in case that happens again?

 

[BrianV]

O-Rings and a tool kit at minimum.

 

[Jocasseegirl]

Thanks - but are the wrenches and O-rings in a "standard" toolkit good for most scuba gear? I don't want to walk into the LDS and be sold a toolkit with stuff that I likely will never use. Does it depend on the brand of gear you have?

 

[scubadobadoo]

Get one of those multi scuba tools (kinda like the swiss army knife of the scuba world) and that will do it all most of the time, spare batteries for all the toys, o-rings, duck tape for your dry suit or your bad buddy, tie wraps, a $20 bill, a small swiss army knife, extra wing nuts if you dive a BP/W, a lighter.

 

[Aquanautchuck]

When you buy a multi-tool buy the stainless steel one. I did not do this the first time and it is a PITA to keep the rust off it.
I have a small save a dive kit on my boat with a multi tool, o rings, computer battery and screw driver.

I also carry a multi compartment plastic tool box in my pick up that has the following.

Spare LP and Hp hose. Multi tool, assorted wrenches, screw drivers, batteries, extra 1st and 2nd stage, fin straps, mouth piece, zip ties, hp port plugs, Allen wrenches, extra mask. This is the min and some times I carry more.

Charles

 

[K9trnr]

A multi-tool and a pre-assembled "save a dive" kit with o-rings, spare mask strap, spare fin strap, etc. are pretty much the minimum. It's a better idea to assemble your own save a dive kit so you make sure the spare straps work with your gear. You may also want to talk to your local shop and see if they offer the equipment specialist class. If so, ask them if they cover basic field repairs and tools recommended. The class I took covered those things, and it made it a very valuable class (whereas I would have been disappointed if it had just covered basic gear maintenance). It's also typically a pretty inexpensive class since no dives are required.

 

[Jocasseegirl]

Thanks for all the info, folks . . . that's exactly what I needed!

 

[miketsp]

From experience over the years the 2 things that have most failed with me have been fin straps and SPG swivel orings.
My wife changed to spring straps but I still prefer the rubber ones because when I unhinge them I can stick my hands through the straps and leave the fins hanging from my wrists while I climb the ladder - means I've still got my fins if I fall back into the water. So I always have a complete fin strap with buckles ready to clip on.
As for the SPG swivel, I used to carry spare o-rings, nowadays I carry a complete spare SPG with hose. It can be changed in 30 secs.

 

[Manta Aria]

Yeah, I gotta go with K9trnr and Aquanautchuck, A stainless Divers Multi tool is a must and a save a dive kit. This weekend my 1st stage kept leaking even though my equipment checks at home were flawless, the Nut on the yoke kept loosening and I tried to tightened it with a standard wrench ( yup, Imma noob), the wrench wasn't made to fit into the yoke housing. But Posieden, God of the eternal oceans, saw how badly I wanted to enter his realm and blessed me with the skill and strength to fix the situation( LOL). I fixed it and saved both dives, But a divers tool kit would have given this mortal the tools to do a skillful and COMPETENT job of his own repair.

 

[speedhound]

I take a good range from of all of the above, plus most important of all .... a bottle of the "nu-skin" / liquid bandage. After wrestling with the dumbest of things I always take a slice or chunk out of a knuckle/finger/hand. A couple of coats of nu-skin, and I'm set to get in the water. It keeps cuts/gouges clear of most debris.