Equipment Care - Looking After Your Gear

• These should be washed in fresh cold or warm water after use, and air dried using an appropriate sized hanger.
  
• Zips should be lubricated with the appropriate lubricant, and seals examined and dusted with talc.
  
• Any tears or abrasions should be attended to.
  
• Annually, dry suit valves should be serviced, and the suit pressurised to check for leaks and deterioration.

• BCD's should be washed in fresh cold or warm water after use.
• On a frequent basis, the bladder should be treated with a cleaner/detergent that is effective against bacteria, viruses and fungi.
• The bladder should then be partially inflated and dried.
• An inspection and checks for correct operation should also be carried out.
• BCD's should be serviced and checked on an annual basis, renewing seals and “O” rings.

• Such as computers, knives, torches, cameras, SMB’s and reels, etc.
• Should be washed in fresh water after use and drip dried
• Knives once dried should be cleaned and lightly coated in food grade silicon grease.
• Rubber, silicon and wearable items should be inspected and replaced if defective
• Store in a cool dry environment.

As with most other equipment, a simple rinse in fresh water & drip drying is sufficient after diving. Avoid direct, strong sunlight or storing in hot locations for prolonged periods of time, as this significantly accelerates the perishing of silicones and rubber materials.

One of the perrenial problems with new masks is getting them to stop fogging up. Here are a couple of great tips when you find yourself with a 'foggy mask'. The issue is usually caused because in the manufacturing process, a 'releasing agent' is used on the glass. It forms a thin layer and can be devilishly difficult to remove.

The first and gentlest approach is to wash thoroughly with toothpaste and/or detergent in warm water. As a matter of fact, for general anti-fog prearation, many divers use a well know brand of baby shampoo which is very gentle and promises 'no more tears'. It's actually very popular with divers, cheap, available in small convenient bottles, in most remote dive locations. As good if not better than 'special' (and therefore expensive) diving anti-fog solutions.

If this doesn't do the trick, try filling the mask overnight with a carbonated drink. I've used a cola brand on a mask which had particularly bad fogging and also had a colour-corrective tint, so too much rubbing or abbrasion might have damaged it. The result was frankly, miraculous! One night's soaking turned an almost unusable mask into the best one I've ever owned.

• Rinse your tank in fresh water after a dive.
• If your tank has a boot, make sure its drain holes aren't blocked to prevent build up of water and then, corrosion.
• When not in use, to avoid possible damage to the tank/valve and injury to people around it, you should lie it down in such a way, that it can't roll an doesn't cause an obstruction or hazard.
• Regularly check the valve O-ring seal. Look for missing, or damaged O-rings. Many divers, including me carry spares. All you need is to attach one to your regulator with a small cable tie, its easy. These little things are easily overlooked and you can't dive without one!

Well maintained compressors will deliver very dry air as a result of their filtering process. Some divers complain of having a dry mouth and throat as a result. An unfortunate, but harmless symptom of this process. So while excess moisture in your air may be comfortable for you, it's certainly not good for your equipment, and there are regulated maximum permissible levels of moisture content.

More important things to look out for with your air are:

• Taste
• Odour
• Colour

Good clean fresh air shouldn't have any of them, over and above the 'norm', which you will be familiar with, as the air is delivered through metal, plastic and rubber, it has that unique 'diving air' flavour!