What to sell - going o/s for a few years

[Scuba_Bree]

Hi all,

I'm off in a few month's time on a fabulous around-the-world trip and don't intend to be back for a couple of years.
I'm not sure which of my dive gear to sell, and which to keep, and was hoping for some advice from you lot.
I have heard that some gear simply doesn't like sitting in a cupboard and not being used for years, but I'm not sure what is OK to keep.
So, as a guide, if you had the following, what would you sell, and what would you store for your return?

drysuit (shell suit, not neo)
drysuit thermals
5mm Semidry
fins (SP twinjets)
backplate
weightbelt
wing
pony
twins
4 x sets regs (apeks & SP)
Uwatec computer
misc items like DSMBs, masks, hoods, booties, lycra skins etc

Obviously anything I store will be serviced if applicable before use again.
I just can't imagine that I could afford to buy another tech setup when I return, but I also don't want to store the wing for 3 years and then get home to find it's stuck together and irrepearable, thus worth nothing to me...

I'm thinking the wing and semidry, because I can always just replace the d/s seals and hopefully it'll work, unsure about all the rest though?

Thanks folks,

Bree

 

[simbrooks]

Whilst not an expert on all this gear or having done this for more than a month or so of storage, IMO:

drysuit (shell suit, not neo) - chance of delamination or just generally hanging or being folded might damage it?? I dont own one.
drysuit thermals - probably no problem - like clothes arent they?
5mm Semidry - dont know, somewhere like a wetsuit, will lose insulation if folded for long. Again dont own one
fins (SP twinjets) - no problem
backplate - no problem
weightbelt - no problem
wing - give a very good washout and dry out to get rid of possible mould making bacteria, leave with some inflation (although will probably deflate over time) - the sticking together thing is a risk, but if they are clean hopefully they wont do that due to mould or salt deposits
pony & twins - could rust out due to any moisture in there or higher than 21% O2 causing further oxidation, stale air. Could you store them open or at least empty and they would be ok??
4 x sets regs (apeks & SP) - again a good service beforehand and afterwards to keep them clean, but hoses might need to be stored straight to prevent stressing and 1st and 2nd stage plugged to prevent moisture entering. There is of course the rust question again. Could you store such things with those lime pellets (to remove moisture) in an air tight box?
Uwatec computer - no problem
misc items like DSMBs, masks, hoods, booties, lycra skins etc - no problem except the folding thing again with neoprene or moisture - mould troubles.

Some of the questions are posed for others to comment on or you to think about as i cant be sure how they might react.

 

[ScubaTexan]

Just out of curiosity, are you planning to do some diving while you are on your trip, and if so, how much of your equipment are you planning on taking with you?

 

[Scuba_Bree]

Hey simbrooks, thanks for the comments, I'll take them on board. Anyone else got anything to add, esp to his questions? RE the reg hoses I hadn't even thought about them stressing... might pull them all down, plug up the first stages and coil up the seconds & SPGs. Good tip!
Hey ScubaTexan, Yes, I am planning on diving on the trip, but renting gear while there - it's near impossible to backpack around the world for 3 years and carry kit with you! I'll just borrow from friends or hire from dive shops etc.
Anyone else got any feedback for me???
Thanks!
Bree

 

[ScubaTexan]

Ahhhhhhhhhh -- yeah, that would be kind of hard! :biggrin:

Hope you have a great time and please check in now and then when you can, to let us know how you're doing.

 

[The Wanderer]

Hi all,

I'm off in a few month's time on a fabulous around-the-world trip and don't intend to be back for a couple of years.


What did you do? :11:

 

[Boogie711]

Whilst not an expert on all this gear or having done this for more than a month or so of storage...

pony & twins - could rust out due to any moisture in there or higher than 21% O2 causing further oxidation, stale air. Could you store them open or at least empty and they would be ok??
.

Simbrooks... don't ever, ever store a tank empty. The moisture in the air you breath is far, far worse than the moisture in a scuba tank, which has been hyperfiltered and is very clean, dry air.

If you ever need to leave a tank for a lengthy amount of time (more than a few months) bleed it down to around 100 psi or so - higher than ambient so as to always keep the nasty moist air out. When it comes time to dive again, bleed out the rest, VIP them, hydro if necessary, and you're good to go.

Leaving tanks open is a very BAD thing to do.

 

[simbrooks]

Simbrooks... don't ever, ever store a tank empty. The moisture in the air you breath is far, far worse than the moisture in a scuba tank, which has been hyperfiltered and is very clean, dry air.

If you ever need to leave a tank for a lengthy amount of time (more than a few months) bleed it down to around 100 psi or so - higher than ambient so as to always keep the nasty moist air out. When it comes time to dive again, bleed out the rest, VIP them, hydro if necessary, and you're good to go.

Leaving tanks open is a very BAD thing to do.

That was why i left it as a question, not a recommendation. I was thinking that leaving the tanks "full" would be just as bad, keeping all that pressure on them, so the other alternatives were near empty and empty.

 

[Sprinter]

Sell the suits as they are bound to deteriorate in a few years specially if they are unused. Sell the computer too as they become obsolete fast so you'd be better off getting a new one when the time comes. Smear silicone grease on the rubber diaphram and take them off the second stages. Store black rubber separately from the white silicone rubber in an airtight bag so they don't oxidize & deteriorate. Make sure they are all dry and coated with some protectant before you keep them in an airtight container.

Sprinter

Hey simbrooks, thanks for the comments, I'll take them on board. Anyone else got anything to add, esp to his questions? RE the reg hoses I hadn't even thought about them stressing... might pull them all down, plug up the first stages and coil up the seconds & SPGs. Good tip!
Hey ScubaTexan, Yes, I am planning on diving on the trip, but renting gear while there - it's near impossible to backpack around the world for 3 years and carry kit with you! I'll just borrow from friends or hire from dive shops etc.
Anyone else got any feedback for me???
Thanks!
Bree

 

[Scuba_Bree]

Hey Sprinter, that's fabulous advice, thanks heaps!
Altho I am thinking I'll keep the drysuit as they're not cheap and hopefully when I come home I'll just have to replace the seals and it'll still work fine.
Good tip about storing the black & clear seperately, I hadn't thought of that.
Muchas Gracias
Bree