Author: Kevin Davenport

Why do people wash their car or truck? It comes in contact with a lot of debris, like dirt, bugs, bird droppings, and salt.  If left on the vehicle these deposits can eat way at the paint and finish, causing damage to the body of the vehicle. Running it through a car was or hand washing it helps eliminate and minimize the damage that could be caused.

Tanks are essential piece of life support equipment, and like any piece of life support requirement, they need to be cleaned and cared for before and after every dive.  Odds are, if a tank has a catastrophic failure, it will happen while it is being filled, by you or a fill station operator. This is why a visual inspection is required every year and the hydrostatic test is preformed every 5 years. 

Below is a list of actions all diver need to take to maintain and care for their tanks.

• Always inspect the O-Ring on a yoke valve and DIN valve for debris.
• Do not store them full for longed periods of time, 3 months or more.
• Do not over fill them. Over filling causes metal stress.  
• Do not quick fill them. Fill no faster then 600psi per minute. Tanks should not be hot to the touch after filling. 
• Do not store empty, maintain at least 200psi in the tank at all times. Keeps moisture out. 
• Store them in an upright position. If there is moisture it will gather on the thickest part of the tank and be in the easiest position to clean.  
• Store in a shaded area, not in direct sun light. 
• Rinse it in fresh water after a dive, this includes rinsing the valve and the burst disk.  Salt water corrodes everything. 
• If you have a boot on the tank, remove it periodically.  Inspect the area and rinse it as well. Better yet, unless the tank has a round bottom, take it of and leave it off. 
• After a rinse and before filling give the valve a blast to ensure you remove any water that might have gathered in the valve. This goes for the fill station hose as well. 
• Handle with care. If you drop it or cause a gouge have it inspected. 
• If you notice the paint bubbling or raising up, have it inspected.  Corrosion will cause the paint to bubble up.
• Remove loose paint with a scraper or putty knife to expose the metal. Any sign of pitting, have it inspected. 
• Do not use paint remover, they cause heat and will damage the tank. Note: Catalina Cylinders has found that gel-type strippers work well in removing old paint and do not remove metal from the cylinder when properly used. Use gel strippers that are compatible with aluminum. 
• Do not repaint tanks, it can cover up damage and corrosion. 
• Aluminum tanks (3AL) remove any oxidation on the outside of the tank. It will look like a white film. Use a soft brush and hot water.
• Steel tanks (3AA) remove rust with a wire brush.  If there are any signs of pitting, have the tank inspected. 

Remember, like any piece of life support equipment, tanks need to be cleaned and cared for. 

Those interested in becoming scuba certified and experienced divers looking to continue their education, need to look at their options when choosing an Instructor.

The following is a list of tips and questions to use while conducting your research in choosing a scuba instructor. This applies to the new diver and those looking for continuing education.

Ask for references. If you know someone who is certified or has taken the training you are interested in, ask them about their instructor. Instructors prosper by word of mouth. For a student to give their instructor a recommendation is a great honor and should be the goal of every instructor. Ask them what they liked and disliked about the instructor.

How long have you been teaching? Experience is important but also a double edge sword. As a new dive student, you want someone who has experience dealing with new students and all the issues that may arise during class. An experienced instructor will have the tendency to be more proactive and solve issues before they arise. Plus, they have the experience needed to know how to adapt their teaching to fit your style of learning. However, an experienced instructor may be a little more complacent with the standards. There are those out there who may teach to the minimum standards and just want to get you through the class. When talking to your prospective new instructor some of this may come out. If you do not feel comfortable with them, move on and find someone else.

How many students have you certified? Time as an instructor does not mean more experience. The Scuba industry breeds many a part time instructors.

How many students have you certified at this level? If the instructor has certified very few students at this level, they may not be familiar with the curriculum and material. You want someone who knows the material & curriculum.

What type of continuing education have you done for yourself in the past year? “He who stops being better stops being good.”— Oliver Cromwell If an instructor stops learning, they stop being good, and may become complacent. Taking classes challenges the instructor to do better. Thinking one knows all they need to know can lead to disaster.

How many hours is the class? This is not an easy question but one that must be asked for economical reasons. A beginner, class does not need to take 101 hours. However, the more hours of training, in theory, the more information being conveyed and time to master the skills. The real question comes down to what is the minimum number of hours. Usually, smaller classes need less time.

How many people will be in my class? Generally, any more than 8 people in a pool session is probably overcrowding a class. Lower numbers are better for you.

What type of diving do you do for fun/ when was the last time? If an instructor does not take the time to dive for himself, he will not be as fun to learn from.  An instructor must have passion.  You want someone who enjoys diving for the sake of diving. Also, if you are looking for advance classes you want an instructor who regularly engages in that type of diving. For example: If you want to take a deep diving specialty course, you do not want an instructor who has not been past 100 feet in the past 2 years.

After talking with the potential instructor, ask yourself:

Was the instructor patient? If not or they talked down to you, while answering these questions, they will probably have the same trait during class. You want a patient instructor that will allow you to learn at your speed.

Would I be happier learning from a man or woman? This is up to you, Poor instructors are not limited to one or the other. However, since this is a physical sport, you may want someone with the same physical concerns as you.

Would I let this instructor take my loved ones underwater? If the answer is no, move on and find one that you would. There are inherent risks in scuba diving; you want someone you can trust. Scuba diving is a lifetime of adventure. Finding the right mentor and role model is essential in developing your dive path.

NOTE: This is a conglomerate of articles I have read and my own views. I intentionally took out the dynamic that the dive store itself adds to picking an instructor.

What is Yoke?

The yoke fitting is the “standard” fitting that comes on most regulators and most tank valves. A yoke is also called an “A-Clamp” or an “international” fitting.

What is DIN?

(Deutsches Institut für Normung) DIN is a screw in fitting. Instead of clamping onto valve, it screws into it. There are two types of DIN: Five thread 232 BAR and seven thread 300 BAR; both have the same threading, but a 300 BAR valve is deeper. A 300 BAR regulator will fit into either a 300 BAR or a 232 BAR DIN fitting. However, the 232 BAR regulator will not work on a 300 BAR cylinder as it will not screw all the way in.

Why DIN?

DIN is “safer”. That is, the ‘O’ ring is captured inside the valve and it is very hard for it to blow or squeeze out. DIN is cleaner, meaning there is no screw knob sticking out the back of the valve, a knob that can be entangled on something or even sheared off. The only problem with a DIN regulator is that they are not standard. When a diver goes on vacation, they are most likely to get a yoke valve tank. So what should you do, have a yoke adaptor.

How do you convert your regulator?

The easiest way is to buy your regulator with a DIN fitting. Most regulators are available with DIN as an option at no extra cost, but you will have to order it. Most dive shops do not carry regulators with DIN. If you have a yoke regulator, you can have it converted. A conversion kit may cost $50 or more. Your dive shop can do the installation, it is a very simple procedure.

What is a pro-valve?

Nowadays, the bulk of US cylinder comes with pro-valves. These are DIN valves in which the manufactures place a small “insert” into the valve to make it into an yoke valve! All you have to do is remove this insert with a hexagonal key and what is revealed is a 5 thread DIN fitting. Inserts only come in 5 threads, so you cannot convert a 7 thread 300 BAR valve to A-Clamp. Keep the insert in your save a dive kit. You may need it if the fill station does not have a DIN filling whip or you want to use your cylinder with a yoke regulator.

What About Diving Overseas?

The Caribbean is the only place where getting a DIN cylinder is just about impossible for normal recreational diving. Any place frequented by mainly American divers may be limited to yoke. DIN will dominate anywhere visited regularly by Europeans, especially the Germans. In those areas, you will have to ask for a yoke valve. If you have converted your regulators from yoke to DIN then you should have an adaptor and you can dive either tank.

Why continue your training?

Obtaining your Open Water Certification is a great achievement. It does not allow you to dive anytime anywhere. Upon completion, you are certified to dive no deeper then 60 feet, and you should only dive in conditions similar to or better then the ones you were trained in. There are places you can and will go, that will not check your certification level. You may get by for a while, but, why risk it? Look at your Open Water certification like a driver’s permit. It gives you the ability to learn to dive.

Going beyond your open water class to take advance and or specialties, enhances your skills and knowledge, under the supervision of a dive professional. This allows you to be more comfortable diving in different condition, be that at night or inside a wreck. It is all about awareness: of yourself, others and the environment in which you are diving.

Divers Progression:

Phase 1: Open Water Divers are focused on themselves, developing new skills and learning new information. This is why new divers seem unaware of events that go on around them.

Phase 2: Upon entering the Adventures in Diving, or a specialty course, the diver becomes taskorientated and their awareness broadens. Working with an instructor, the diver gains new dive skills, gains familiarity with new environments and new equipment, such as lights, lift bags, reels, cameras, DPVs, etc.

Phase 3: This is the Rescue level. At a minimum, the diver has logged 20 dives and has gained more confidence with skills, equipment and the environment. This allows them to look outward, at other divers. The diver becomes conscious of things that could lead to problems and is ready to learn how to deal with emergencies.

Phase 4: Referred to as the self-actualization phase. It is training beyond rescue, which leads to the Master Scuba Diver rating. It is the highest non-leadership rating a diver can obtain. Master Scuba Diver is awarded to persons who standout as skilled divers with a firm background in a variety of specialties.

Phase 5: Leadership, when a diver chooses to follow the professional path of training. At this point in a divers career they are ready to be a role model and a leader. Divers who choose to become a professional, widen their focus to supervising other divers and passing on their skills and knowledge.

(The above information is bases on the PADI model as well as other organizations.)