QUESTION TIME
Ask the experts
Our panel of highly experienced divers answer some of the questions asked by those thinking of taking the plunge
Q Do I need all the dive kit from the very start? How expensive is it to get all the kit I need? Should I buy second hand gear?
A Most BSAC clubs offer‘ try dives’ in a pool or sheltered water and will provide all the equipment. All you need to bring is your bathing suit and perhaps a t-shirt to wear over it. Once you start your training, it’ s a good idea to purchase your own basic gear – a mask, fins and snorkel. When you progress to open water and especially in the UK you will require a wetsuit or drysuit. These can be hired from clubs and dive shops, but you may want to purchase your own to ensure a good fit and familiarisation. It is often only when you are qualified that divers obtain their own full set of gear, although some prefer to hire it, especially when travelling overseas.
As with most specialist gear, there can be a huge range in prices, but budget on £ 100 upwards for a pair of fins, mask and snorkel. Wetsuits for UK diving start from around £ 150 and drysuits from £ 500, going up to over £ 1,000 for a top-end drysuit. To fully equip a diver, expect to pay around £ 1,500 although if your kit is well-maintained this will be a long-term investment. Buying used gear is an option, but do remember your life may depend on it. Always make sure you know the history of the equipment you are purchasing and budget for servicing which is essential whether buying brand new or second hand regulators and buoyancy compensators( BCDs). Charles Hood, First Class Diver
Q How does a drysuit actually keep you dry?
A The materials used to make a drysuit vary from neoprene to laminated layers, each designed to add comfort and flexibility. However, all materials have one thing in common, they are designed to be waterproof. This could be as simple as a rubber layer or a coating of polyurethane.
The majority of the suit is therefore a waterproof membrane. Unfortunately for suit designers, divers must have their faces and hands outside of the protective layers of the suit and so a solution is needed to make sure the suit does not fill up with water. Therefore, the wrists and neck are accommodated by seals made of a flexible material such as latex or thin neoprene to snugly fit over bumps and curves to prevent water ingress
The diver also prefers to be able to get in and out of the suit with ease and so a heavy duty waterproof zip is fitted across the back or from the shoulder to the opposite hip. In theory these features make for a dry diver, but water can find its way in through small holes in the fabric, if seals do not sit properly against the skin or if the zip is compromised such as by a damaged or missing tooth. Paul Beal, National Instructor
Q I hear it can be cold diving in Britain – how do I keep warm?
A The key to staying warm while diving is not to let your core temperature drop. Getting your diving suit to fit properly is really key to this – using a worn out, baggy wetsuit with holes in it will allow cold water to flush through instead of staying where it is and warming up. If using a drysuit, a decent base layer with a good insulating layer will keep you toasty down to chillier temperatures. It has to fit properly, of course, and keep you dry – for some drysuits, especially bargain ones off the Internet,‘ dry suit’ is an aspiration rather than a description! Between dives, a suit that is still damp on the outside will evaporate water and get even colder.
Getting out of the weather really helps, as does a warm hat and gloves. Chucking an old oversized ski jacket over your suit to keep the chill out works well for me, as does warming up with a half time flask of something warm.
It’ s also taken me 25 years to work out that getting into your undersuit in the accommodation before driving to the cold dive site keeps the heat in before you even start diving so you stay warmer for longer.
Finally remember that we are doing this for fun. If you’ re too cold, then there’ s nothing wrong with coming back another time when you’ re warm and happy. Alex‘ Woz’ Warzynski, National Instructor
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