About this time of year many of us decide that it’s time for a break from diving until the warmer weather returns. It is this point that it is imperative to clean and store equipment properly in order for it to be ready for next season.
Even though I continue to dive all year these are some of the procedures I follow to ensure that my kit is ready for when diving picks up.
We all clean and service our kit as it keeps it in good condition, but the residues of the season can still cause damage whilst kit is stored over winter. In an extreme, your kit may have come into contact with oil or engine lubricants which can cause damage. You may have ripped or nicked parts of your kit during general use. We also know that sun can perish rubber, stiffen material and bleach kit. Water can rust and salt water can rot, corrode and oxidise materials.
It is therefore critical that stored kit has been cleaned and dried properly. That means that the first check dive of the season is successful, and kit is working and not in a state that could take away from experience and finances over the coming year.
These are a few basic tips pre storage.
- Soak and rinse all kit to remove salt and chemicals.
- Make sure that kit being stored is completely dry before storage.
- Store you kit in a location that is dry and clean.
- Make sure kit is packed away securely so that (for example) mice and insects are kept out.
- If you can remove batteries from torches and kit, if storing for a long time, to avoid acid leaks from expired batteries
WETSUITS AND DRYSUITS
I tend to only use a wetsuit overseas and these are pretty much stored on a hanger when not being used but I follow the same process as I do for my dry suit.
The biggest dry suit ‘killer’ is salt and water. They are exposed to this all year and it can build up and cause substantial damage in the off season. Drying thoroughly will stop water damage so the main purpose of cleaning is therefore to remove salt. I rinse my suit inside and out soaking it for a short while. Once I’ve done this, I leave it to dry. If you are confident that you know what your doing, you can unscrew any valves and give then a clean, if not get them serviced by dive shop. I also check the seals looking for any deterioration or nicks that could cause a rip. If I find any I trim or get the seal replaced. Once dry hang the suit up (if possible) or loosely roll it up in a cool dry spot (out of the sun), don’t roll it up in a bag, just in case it’s still slightly damp.
BCD/WING & BOOTS
I follow the same procedure for the BCD as the dry suit. I soak it for a while and then rinse it making sure any pockets and gaps and straps are thoroughly cleaned (the parts underneath in particular).
The next bit is a bit of a pain but worth doing. Detach the low-pressure inflator hose and fill the inside of the BCD about one-third full of water (I also use Milton, but this is a personal choice), (I soak the boots in water with a little bit of Milton in them and then rinse them). I then reattach the hose turn the BCD upside down give it a shake emptying some of the water out through the hose and dumps. The rest of the wate is emptied out after removing the hose and then the process is repeated rinsing it thoroughly. To finish hang it up and leave to dry, I store it hanging up (out of the sun).
REGULATORS
The best bet is to rinse regs while still under pressure, after the dive. I will set up the regs on a cylinder and wash them I also soak the reg itself in water. Afterwards, it’s dust caps on dry off and store loosely coiled in a dry place out of the sun.
You can do this with the dust protectors on, but I can rinse the cylinder off at the same time this way. Try not to get water into the first stage.
If you know what you are doing you can take the lid off the regulator and give everything a clean inside.
I also have my full regulator set serviced once a year.
FINS, MASK, SNORKEL, CYLINDER, etc
These are fairly straight forward I soak them and then rinse them in fresh water, dry them and store in dry location. Make sure you store your fins flat or hanging up; don’t leave them standing up as this can bend them.
With your cylinder make sure you keep the valve blocked so that water doesn’t get in. Also (if you use them) remove the boot before rinsing.
SMB
I soak it and then rinse them in fresh water, however, once soaked I unwind the reel and dry the twine before rewinding. Dry it and store in dry location.
COMPUTERS
Computers need some care and I always take them out of their case/mount/console and wrist strap/bungee so that they can be rinsed thoroughly, salt and sand accumulate in the hard to reach places so needs removing. Once dry I reassemble and store in a dry location out of the sun, you can also remove batteries to avoid acid leaks from expired batteries.
KNIFE/CUTTING IMPLEMENTS
Soak, rinse and dry the knife and its sheath. Depending on the material it might be worth going the extra mile. Some metals will be ok but steel needs drying properly and cleaning down if it is showing a bit of rust. You can coat these with a thin layer of petroleum jelly as a protection when storing, just remember to clean them before use.
GLOVES AND HOODS
I soak them and then rinse them in fresh water, dry them and store in dry location.
With dry gloves I take them to pieces give them a good wash in fresh water (the gloves inside and out). Once dry I reassemble and coat the O rings with silicone grease then store in a dry place out of the sun.
THERMAL LAYERS
Wash and dry (never in a tumble drier) and store in a dry place.
CAMERAS AND DIVE TORCHES
I leave the housing to soak for 30 minutes (closed) and then leave to dry. Once dry I open the housing and clean the inside with a clean dry lens cloth.
Remove any batteries from all units to avoid acid leaks from expired batteries. With rechargeable batteries, fully recharge them before storing, preferably out of the device.
Then I sit down and start planning the next years dive trips.
