Knowing what I know now…
Lets say another big wild fire roared through my neighborhood and burned everything up.
I have no dive gear left, the only thing I have left is my knowledge.
The first thing I would buy is a wetsuit, hooded vest, booties, gloves, mask, fins, snorkel, and a weightbelt which I would buy a mould and cast my own since that would save money. Lead would be obtained at several tire shops that I know.
I would also become an avid garage saler and Craigslist lurker. The word would also be out that I’m looking for any used gear- I’m not picky.
This would at least get me wet and get my face back in the water for some therapy of the soul.
Next would be a used tank. A steel 72 or anything would be fine, and a used reg set that I know I could get parts for. A MK2/with whatever 2nd, or a Conshelf with a metal 2nd, I know I can get parts for those all day long. There is so much used gear out there you just have to look around. Some of it may not be optimal but the objective here is to get back in the water and scuba dive.
If there was even a used poodle jacket free or cheap I’d even take that until I could make my own back pack. Or get an old plastic pack and dive with no bc for a while just off the beach shallow. I would also consider ordering a DGX BP/W setup w/ stainless plate for $399 and use that, then make my own custom plate again when I could get up snd running.
I would run tables until I could get a computer of some sort. Don’t really even need that just doing max 50’ deep dives since air supply usually dictates those dives. A compass is actually more important.
This is ghetto diving at it’s finest, and I would save a lot of money. I’ve been at it a while and know how to do this and I can use any gear, whereas a new diver has no clue about what to look for used or how to work on stuff. This is where there is no replacement for experience.
Total cost could vary depending on what I find and how much I pay. Could be from a few hundred up to a few thousand.
I use the fire scenario because one of my good friends that lost everything in the 2017 Tubbs fire just recently told me he lost all his and his sons scuba gear in the fire. He never said anything about his situation because he didn’t want to be an emotional burden to people. I had no idea that his insurance company was screwing him and wasn’t including a lot of this sort of stuff.
So as soon as I heard this I gave him two steel 72’s with fresh hydro’s, two backpacks for each tank, and two sets of MK5/109’s with Scubapro SPG’s (fully restored and serviced) for him and his son to get them started. They dive old school no bc’s so this was perfect.
All this gear was given to me l, so I restore everything and pass on the good fortune to people in need. This is how it works.
