The Scuba Blog

February 29th, 2008

Do Scuba Diving Wetsuits Shrink?

Posted by Instructor Bill in Scuba Myths - Confirmed or Busted?

wetsuit_shrinkshrunken_wetsuitshrunken_wetsuitshrunken_wetsuitWe have can you help me with my homework all heard the line:  I just went to put on my wetsuit for the first time this year and it shrunk.  Now, the joke is that you may have gained a bit of weight and you are making an excuse that the wetsuit has mysteriously shrunk.   Well, best I can figure, the answer here is both.  Myth and Confirmed.  Here is why.

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Now, lets start with the confirmed part: Wetsuits are made primarily from Neoprene, a material that comes in many thicknesses but the main part is that is has air bubbles in it that add insulation to the diver or surfer.  Now, most neoprene over time has been proven to loose its “stretch” or not be as pliable, even stiffen.  Thus it can be argued that it in fact Shrunk.  Mainly because it doesn’t have as much stretch. 

Now the mythpart:  We also know that if you gain weight, work out or otherwise change your body by adding inches, then the suit will seem to be “Shrinking” as well.  The joke has always been that my suit shrunk especially when it comes to not admitting ones over indulgence during the winter may have actually been the cause. 

We also know that many wetsuit manufacturers like BodyGlove and Henderson Wetsuits have huge marketing departments that come up with many new ways to differentiate themselves from the competition.  Some may add a “Titanium” lining for extra warmth, or a “Platinum” glide skin interior for easier donning….. So how does this feed into the myth of a wetsuit shrinking you say? 

Have you heard of Hyperstrech or Yamamoto SCS Titanium Super Stretch neoprene?   They are all part of the newest kind of neoprene that are so stretchy with memory so they always come back to the original shape.  This makes them much better than the neoprene wetsuits of the past.  This also may just make this a Myth as those of us who like to say the wetsuit shrinks will have to come up with some other excuse.  Darn, I was getting so used to that excuse…..

What will your excuse be?

November 27th, 2007

Farting in a Scuba Wetsuit?

Posted by Instructor Bill in Scuba Myths - Confirmed or Busted?

farting in a wetsuit?farting in a wetsuit?farting in a wetsuit?I thought this was a good one.  If you fart in a wetsuit will it blow up with your gas?  I already know the answer but I figured it would be a funny addition to the Scuba Myth category.  While I admit that I have farted in my wetsuit, it has never blown up or expanded like the poor guy below.  I do remember a few bubbles escaping into the water, but I don’t think that I was letting that much escape.  Hmmm, makes you wonder.   I have even farted in a dry suit without any altercations. 

I wonder if anyone has done the number 2?  That would be a scuba discussion for another time I suspect.

 For now I say BUSTED!!!

November 8th, 2007

Is This Shark Picture & Divers For Real?

Posted by DiveMaster in Scuba Myths - Confirmed or Busted?

Dive Shark

Family on holiday in Australia for a week and a half when husband, wife and their 15 year old son decided to go scuba diving.  The husband is in the navy and has had some scuba experience. His son wanted buy generic cialis 20mg a pic of his mum and dad in all their gear so he got the underwater camera on the way.

When it came to taking the pic the dad realized that the son looked like he was panicking as he took the picture and gave the “OK” hand sign to see if he was alright. The son took the pic and swam to the surface and back to the boat as quick as he could so the mum and dad followed to see if he was
OK.

When they got back to him he was scrambling onto the boat and shaking really bad.  When the parents asked why,  he said “there was a shark behind you.”  The dad thought he was joking but the skipper of the boat said it was true and that they wouldn’t believe him if he told them what it was.

As soon as they got back to the hotel they put the pic onto the laptop and that is what they saw.

Is this for real?  Don’t know. I say Myth/  What do you think?

November 7th, 2007

Scuba Divers Breathe Oxygen

Posted by Instructor Bill in Scuba Myths - Confirmed or Busted?

scuba tanksWell actually that is a Myth for the most part as the air we breathe is regular air that is dried, filtered and then compressed in to a Scuba Tank.  The oxygen content is about 20% Oxygen and 80% Nitrogen.  So I say Busted.

On another note, there are times when folks will scuba dive on Nitrox nitrox divermixes has a higher oxygen content.  This can be from 32% Oxygen all the way up to 100%.  the 32% and 36% blends are for Nitrox Diving where you can increase your bottom time but you are limited to a certain depth due to the effects of breathing these blends at depth.  More training is required. 

The 50% and higher blends are for Technical Diving and the higher content is for Mandatory Decompression stops.  Again special training for this as well.