TESTCENTRE
Spending a penny
The urge to urinate while diving is not uncommon , as anyone who has desperately attempted to extricate themselves from their drysuit after a particularly long or cold dive will no doubt agree .
This natural phenomenon , known as immersion diuresis , is caused when cold prompts the blood vessels of the body to narrow in the extremities and help increase the amount of blood to important organs such as the heart and lungs .
As a result , the kidneys produce urine as a means to lower this central blood volume . While many wetsuit divers tend to ‘ go with the flow ’ during their dive , unfortunately the human body ’ s physiology isn ’ t able to distinguish between wet and drysuited individuals .
Keeping hydrated when diving is vitally important , and a failure to do so by skipping drinks prior to immersion can result in an increased risk of decompression sickness . Technical divers have used solutions such as nappies / diapers and ‘ pee valves ’ for many years during long dives and deco stops .
Whether you ’ re a technical , professional or a recreational diver , O ’ Three ’ s Advanced P-Valve ( APV ) offers an appealing choice , being adaptable for male or female use .
The APV consists of a small external valve , similar in appearance to a drysuit ’ s dump valve in miniature . This is sited unobtrusively on the inner thigh . Its interior parts are balanced to ambient pressure with an external non-return valve , protected by a rotating dome cover . A flexible , wide bore and anti-kink hose is attached to the low-profile inner side of the valve and its ample length allows it to be routed up to the business end of things .
You may have to modify your undersuit if there ’ s no direct route for the hose to travel – I used a soldering iron to furnish a suitable hole for the purpose . This had the advantage of heat-sealing the material to prevent fraying .
The male sheath attaches to a wide bore flexible hose
Attaching the self-adhesive sheath - a soft flexible sleeve with a push ring connection – requires direct skin contact so a little tactical shaving may be required to keep it firmly in-situ .
For women , O ’ Three recommend the female-friendly She-P . There are several types available so it ’ s much a case of deciding what you think will do the trick for you . One advantage over the single-use men ’ s sheaths is that the She-P is re-usable .
There is however , a little more preparation involved . While shaving is only considered necessary where the device makes contact , anecdotal evidence suggests that going the ‘ Full Monty ’ is an easier and more practical solution .
Apply the adhesive ( brush-on or spray ) to the contact area of your She-P . This can also be applied directly to the skin too for a more effective bond and then hold in place for thirty seconds . Medical tape may also be used for added security . There ’ s an excellent ‘ How To ’ and FAQ at she-p . com .
A rubber tube connects the She-P to the APV exactly the same as per the gents version . Come the end of the day a little adhesive remover and / or a hot bath will help remove
The inner face of the She-P , to which adhesive is applied
The valve itself sits on the inner thigh
both gender-specific devices .
Despite drinking plenty of water prior to my first dive it was only towards the latter stages I felt the need to ‘ go .’ After initially feeling some slight back-pressure I was delighted to find everything appeared to be functioning correctly . This was confirmed at the surface after checking my undersuit for any dampness . Many dives later I ’ ve yet to come unstuck .
While I wouldn ’ t envisage using the APV for every dive it ’ s a great accessory to have when diving deep , or long or at the height of winter when attempting a toilet break between dives on a packed RIB isn ’ t the easiest of tasks .
There ’ s little that can go wrong with the APV itself . In the unlikely event that the non-return valve fails , simply turning the cover clockwise until it stops will prevent any water ingress . This same procedure is followed when diving without the pee valve connected .
As far as maintenance is concerned , flushing the tube and valve with a mild disinfectant / water mix using a small syringe should keep it trouble-free . O ’ Three also supplies a dinky little spares kit , should any of the internal components require replacement . Neil Hope
Advanced P-Valve
COMPANY : O ’ THREE PRICE : £ 149.95 TEL : 01305 822820 WEB : WWW . OTHREE . CO . UK
SCUBA SAYS
O ’ Three ’ s Advanced Pee Valve provides a simple and effective solution when you need to ‘ spend a penny ’ during a drysuit dive .
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