Fixing the inflatables floor and Al's new stab

Two things so far today. Fixed the floor on Waspie. It needed glueing up again and I added some stainless screws to hold it together. The strain on the floor must be pretty high when you are motoring so it is not surprising there are problems. The paint is flaking as well so if I get time I'll try and give it another coat.

The problem was at the joint where the floor changes colour. Hopefully the glue and screws will hold it together. She definitely needs repainting.

 

 

Waspie back on her trailer waiting for the floor.

The stab jacket we bought on EBay arrived today. Like anything you buy secondhand it needed a service so Al stripped it, cleaned the salt buildup from the valves using vinegar and regreased it lightly before assembly. It works great on the bench so we will try it in the pool tonight. This is a Mares Morphos Twin to replace his earlier Mares that I felt was a bit low on buoyancy.

It is fitted with an Air Trim like his old one rather than a corrugated hose. I think this is a better method as I regard the corrugated hose and mouthpiece to be a hangover from early designs and no longer needed. You spend a lot of time looking for it as it floats over your shoulder. This system works well and is neat. Oral inflation is by a small tube in the pocket that works ok.
This one also has the MRS integrated weights (the red knob) so it will be interesting to see how they work in our diving.

As I was taking the photos I see that Al has already put his new carabiners on the jacket. I use a pair I bought 30 years ago from Clive Rowlands in Inverness to make it easy to pull the straps tight and add torches and cameras to my kit. Mine are climbing ones made of alloy and I am amazed at how they have lasted. Al has bought stainless steel ones and they have a spring system I really like. The clip acts as the spring by using different length legs. It seems really strong so I'll be interested to see if they last 30 years like mine. If I'm still alive and diving in 30 years I'll be more than chuffed too.

Tonight is the club pool session so we'll test the stab there. Over the last year the council has let part of the pool for an aquarobics class which seems to think the louder the music and instructions the fitter you get. You have to go underwater to get some peace as you cannot hear anything on the surface. It makes it difficult to teach. It is a prime mover in my leaving this club as I no longer enjoy the pool sessions.