wasser_1@viking.DEC (John A. Wasser) (04/29/85)
This Saturday I will be making my first open-water dive (part of
a PADI certified open-water diving course). As such, I am a
complete novice and could use some advice on what equipment to
buy and where to buy it.
I would be interested in any recommendations for specific equipment
and mail-order dealers (or dealers in northeast Mass.). I would
also like to know things like "I bought a ____ when I first started
out but later discovered that a _____ was so much better/easier
that I wished I had bought one of them instead."
If there are any other novices looking for similar info, I would
be glad to send a copy of whatever I get... If there is a
lot of interest (more than 4 requests) I will summarize and
post to this news group.
Please send info or requests to me at the address below.
-John A. Wasser
Work address:
ARPAnet: WASSER%VIKING.DEC@decwrl.ARPA
Usenet: {allegra,Shasta,decvax}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-viking!wasser
Easynet: VIKING::WASSER
Telephone: (617)486-2505
USPS: Digital Equipment Corp.
Mail stop: LJO2/E4
30 Porter Rd
Littleton, MA 01460dellinge@zinfan.UUCP (Ken Dellinger) (04/30/85)
*** REALIGN THIS PLACE WITH YOUR MASSAGE ***
As far as what brands to buy, I've found the following to be
quite reliable....
Regulator: Sherwood Magnum (It's fairly cheap from any mail order ($115.00)
and it's rugged as well as light).
BC: I've been using a Tabata vest. Again, cheap but reliable.
Guages: I prefer the Tekna consoles for readability and size.
Tank: Any* brand will do since there are only two places in the US
that actually manufacture them. Just be carefull of used tanks
with custom paint jobs and/or non-current Hydro-stat test date.
S M & F: If you don't already have snorkel mask and fins of your own,
check out some of the silcone stuff (like Plana fins). They're
light and seem to hold up longer to everything except heat.
Be forwarned, the car heater on a friends VW bug melted his
pair! Also the silicone masks are usually more comfortable
and *I* think visibility is better due to more light coming
in. Don't pair a silicone mask with a regular snorkel, though.
It'll ruin the silicone (don't forget a silicone snorkel keeper
in your spares kit, too.).
Wet/Dry I'm shopping around for a dry suit at the moment and would
Suit: appreciate any advice on what's good. Wet suits just don't
keep me warm enough up here in the Northwest -- you may find
the same in the Northeast. I'm currently using a wet suit
(1/4 inch, high waist) that I bought used (a rental) for
$40.00. I fit most clothes of the rack and finding a wet
suit that fit wasn't a problem. Since I don't know how you're
put together, all I can say is the laminated nylon dry suits
are more forgiving of shapes and sizes than about any other
suit, wet or dry.
General: If you try to buy all of this stuff at one time, it'll break
you and make it harder to afford dive trips. I bought my stuff
over a period of a year and a half. Personal things like a
regulator were first on my list. Things like tanks* and weights
were last on my list. The reason being, you can rent weights
and tanks, all of which are like ones you might own. Since
dive shops pay little for maintenance on these items (in
comparison to regulators, BCs, wet/dry suits), they charge
little for you to use them. You can usually rent a tank (full)
for $3 - $5 a day. Most shops will charge at least $2 to fill
a tank you own. I can walk in to a shop and rent a full tank
for only a dollar more and be out before they can fill an
empty (so even if you own a tank, you have to stop at the dive
shop).
The only mail order place I've dealt with recently is
Laguna Sea Sports in CA. They're really a chain of
stores but they also do mail order. They advertise in
Skin Diver, pricess are reasonable and delivery runs
about 5 - 8 working days.
--
Ken Dellinger
Digital Equipment Corporation
9570 S.W. Barbur Blvd.
Portland, OR 97219
/ decvax \
anywhere! < > !decwrl!zinfan!dellinge
\ ucbvax /
* UNIX is a trademark of A.T.& T.
ULTRIX belongs to us...dellinge@zinfan.UUCP (Ken Dellinger) (04/30/85)
...oops, wrong key!
Anyway, good luck with your open water. Mine was only four years ago
and probably one of the best dives I've had! Let me know if you're
ever in the OR - WA area, we'll have to get wet. Also, I'd like
to know what everyone else recommends in equipment lately. My wife
just got her open water and we're starting all over again buying stuff.
Later,
Ken
--
Ken Dellinger
Digital Equipment Corporation
9570 S.W. Barbur Blvd.
Portland, OR 97219
/ decvax \
anywhere! < > !decwrl!zinfan!dellinge
\ ucbvax /
* UNIX is a trademark of A.T.& T.
ULTRIX belongs to us...