Tips and Tricks for all divers

[Kharon]

The way this works is lots of burrs cut through fishing line better but even without the burrs the edge is serrated due to the way it’s been sharpened. The serrated edge does not point out from the blade at a 90 degree angle, it’s more like a 50-60 degrees angled towards the handle that cuts better on the draw stroke which is the more powerful stroke when you are cutting. Don't confuse “poorly sharpened” with sharpened differently then what you are used to doing. I am sure your knife will cut through a 3” hawser just fine but I have never run into that kind of problem in the last 49 years. What kind of accident can a so called jagged knife cause?

To each their own.

 

[nolatom]

Plastic grocery bag -- use put it on feet and hands to ease the friction when you pull on your wetsuit legs and arms. I prefer Winn-Dixie but other brands may work ;-)

Cold despite hood? Exhale through your nose, those warm bubbles will go into your hood---mmmmmmm, but you need a fair-sized hole in back and on top of hood go vent it. And has anyone mentioned peeing in wetsuit? Of course not, we would never do that.

Hands cold despite gloves? Put on some Playtex gloves first extra layer helps.

Diving for some lost item, like someone's glasses? Vis will be bad, cause you're stirring up the bottom. Put a shot line down as a reference point. Worked for me, when I lost my glasses off a boat in a mucky marina.

New to the boat, area, and need a buddy? Get to the boat early, make friends with the Captain, DM, and deckhand, compliment them on what a great boat it is, "be a friend" and they'll help you get a decent instabuddy.

EMT shears in addition to your knife. Might work where your knife might not.

Slates are under-utilized. Carry one.

 

[edwants2dive]

For slates like this I cut an old coozie and glue it on the panel that sits against my arm using e6000 craft glue. That keeps it from sliding around when I am not wearing an exposure suit.

 

[icechip]

For divers who do boat cleaning, I found using one of these really helps. Put it on a wrist lanyard.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0746HH3RJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[jonhall]

I have the older model of the Zuma travel BCD which only has 2 D rings down at the pocket level. Not very convenient but I've managed. I decided I wanted a couple somewhere up on the shoulder straps - a couple of brass key rings did the trick.

 

[aviator8]

I just thought of another one. If you want to hang your wetsuit to dry but don’t have a wide wetsuit hanger so you don’t mess up the shoulders. Use several plastic hangers together to create a wider surface for the suit to hang on.

 

[Rich Keller]

You can use a product like Ever-Dip to protect areas of your wetsuit that are prone to abrasion. This is used to put a rubber coating on tool handles and can be found in most hardware stores. This can be painted onto your suit but it will take a number of coats to be effective. Very IMPORTANT do NOT paint it over the seems of a wetsuit as it will effect the glue holding the suit together.

 

[aviator8]

Very IMPORTANT do NOT paint it over the seems of a wetsuit as it will effect the glue holding the suit together.

Might I ask how you know this....

 

[outofofficebrb]

Might I ask how you know this....

Very IMPORTANT do NOT paint it over the seems of a wetsuit as it will effect the glue holding the suit together.

I guess that's one way to get an "emergency release hatch" installed in your wetsuit during the dive or to address the frantic runs to the bathroom post-dive.

 

[Rich Keller]

Might I ask how you know this....

I had been using the product on my knee pads and other areas without incident. After I had done a repair on my wetsuit I thought painting it over with this would add an extra layer of protection but it melted the wetsuit cement.