Does anyone have any recommendations for snorkelling gear for limited use around the boat? I see that Sam's carries something called Body Glove at about $50 for goggles and fins, and Overtons carries US Divers components separately at higher prices. Are any styles better or worse for those of us with significant facial hair that we choose not to remove every morning? I'd think most goggles and masks would leak. Do they?
Keep on sailing,
Ken Coit
CD/36 Parfait
Hailing Port: Raleigh, NC
Sailing from: Beaufort, NC
parfaitNOSPAM@nc.rr.com
Snorkelling Gear??
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Tom
Re: Snorkelling Gear??
When I started scuba diving, I had to shave off my moustache to get a good mask seal under my nose. Masks are a presonal thing since so much of it depends on the contour of your face and the way the mask is built. The way to test them is to hold the mask to your face without the strap around your head, then breathe in through your nose and hold your breath. You should be able to hold the mask to your face just from the vacuum without air leaking in and the mask popping off. I tired maybe 20 in stores over a period of a year, and bought several that I had to replace again before I found one that would work for me. The vacuum test is not 100%, but it gives you an indication. This is probably something you want to try at the diving shop rather than order through a catalog because the fit is critical. Salt water running into your eyes and up your nose greatly lessens the fun of snokeling or scuba diving.
Fins are less critical, but remember that you're going to be putting a lot of force on them to propel yourself, so you want a sturdy, wide strap that doesn't cut into your ankle. U.S. Divers makes a quality, heavy weight fin with a large driving area and is the choice of many Scuba divers including me. The kind of fin that has a shoe type heel where you put your whole foot in, tend to come off when you're really driving hard with them and also no one else can use them but you unless they have the same size foot. The style with an adjustable strap around the heel are more flexible in who can use them.
As usual, these are just my humble opinions and what works for me. Others may disagree.
Tom
CD 31
Channel Islands, Calif.
TomCambria@mindspring.com
Fins are less critical, but remember that you're going to be putting a lot of force on them to propel yourself, so you want a sturdy, wide strap that doesn't cut into your ankle. U.S. Divers makes a quality, heavy weight fin with a large driving area and is the choice of many Scuba divers including me. The kind of fin that has a shoe type heel where you put your whole foot in, tend to come off when you're really driving hard with them and also no one else can use them but you unless they have the same size foot. The style with an adjustable strap around the heel are more flexible in who can use them.
As usual, these are just my humble opinions and what works for me. Others may disagree.
Tom
CD 31
Channel Islands, Calif.
Ken Coit wrote: Does anyone have any recommendations for snorkelling gear for limited use around the boat? I see that Sam's carries something called Body Glove at about $50 for goggles and fins, and Overtons carries US Divers components separately at higher prices. Are any styles better or worse for those of us with significant facial hair that we choose not to remove every morning? I'd think most goggles and masks would leak. Do they?
Keep on sailing,
Ken Coit
CD/36 Parfait
Hailing Port: Raleigh, NC
Sailing from: Beaufort, NC
TomCambria@mindspring.com
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Chris Cram
Re: and for the snorkels
Look for one that allows you to exhale thru the bottom of the snorkel. i.e. at the elbow turn. this requires far less effort than one that forces you to blow water out the top.
Chris Cram
CD 30 C
cccobx@prodigy.net
Chris Cram
CD 30 C
cccobx@prodigy.net
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Bob Grabham
Re: Snorkelling Gear??
Ken - Tom's comments were right on. Just one word of advice. Don't even consider goggles as the pressure difference in just five feet of water can lead to bruised rings around your eyes. You need to be able to equalize the pressure inside of the mask by exhaling air through the bottom of the mask. With goggles you cannot equalize the pressure on your eyeballs and going too deep (to the 5' keel bottom on a CD36) can lead to difficulties. A good mask that is comfortable and fits properly may cost $30-75 but is well worth the expense. Enjoy the view.
Bob Grabham
Hunky Dory
CD36, #140
Sailing from Topping, VA
9 miles up the Rappahannock
grabhamb@chesterfield.gov
Bob Grabham
Hunky Dory
CD36, #140
Sailing from Topping, VA
9 miles up the Rappahannock
grabhamb@chesterfield.gov
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Ken Coit
Thanks for your comments (nm)
Ken Coit wrote: Does anyone have any recommendations for snorkelling gear for limited use around the boat? I see that Sam's carries something called Body Glove at about $50 for goggles and fins, and Overtons carries US Divers components separately at higher prices. Are any styles better or worse for those of us with significant facial hair that we choose not to remove every morning? I'd think most goggles and masks would leak. Do they?
Keep on sailing,
Ken Coit
CD/36 Parfait
Hailing Port: Raleigh, NC
Sailing from: Beaufort, NC
parfaitNOSPAM@nc.rr.com