personal modification of equipment

[choppiewater]

I suppose this topic is for those individuals who are too broke to buy something better and have to make their equipment last longer, better. So, I'll start with my own attempt(s).

---I learned (from this forum) that if I cut the inside skirt off my mask (till there is no more skirt) then my mask volume reduces and will feel a lot better, though I do find myself tightening the mask more

--I realize that my esclapez have become too soft for me, so right now I'm in the process of epoxying .5" strips of shatter resistent acrylic on them. I haven't tested them yet though. I wanna work slow and tediously on this one.


So list your modifications if you have any, great or small. (remember for those wishing to use these ideas, proceed at YOUR OWN RISK)

Aroha (hehe),
Mark

 

[ÄþñêÄ åñåR¢H阮]

I coverd my snorkel with some camouflaged smoothskin so it matches my suit and stays floating....
thats all

 

[ickledevil]

Ok here goes... most of these are pretty standard i guess but i'll put them up anyway..

-- My suit.. have glued a neoprene patch on my chest which covers and holds my knife sheath in place, facing down so it can be reached by either hand and is still there if i have to drop my belt. (got neoprene from a crappy wetsuit found at work.. rubbish tip! ) Planning on possible fixing of mask to my hood.. think its cressi who do a kit for this

-- My knife and torch are attached with one of those bungy type key chains... streches long enough to be useable without detaching and recoils back when not in use.

-- My speargun.. usual home made floatline (pvc type tube from a pet store ) with eyelets fixed at each end. Carabiner on handle so i can clip it to me, float etc if i need both hands.

-- Float.. was standard cressi torpedo now has 3 bits of webbing round it with carabiners clips etc for all my kit

-- Kayak.. a ocean kayak malibu 2, has 3 storage holes with a net bag below each, home made seats.. webbing and old camping mats.. hooks down both sides with biungees etc to tuck stuff under or clip stuff to, net made of bungy on front for bigger items.. small anchor and old climbing rope and 3m chain on back. Fishing rod clips on outer edge of both sides, will hold spearguns/paddles (velcro straps too for security)

-- Old windsurf board done much the same as kayak for use as a paddle board.

--Me!! 'APNEA' tattooed down inside of right forearm!

Reckon thats about it, would like to hear some other modifications though.
Cheers
Joe

 

[indole]

wow choppiewater, that is a good idea about the fins. i assume since those are the most popular fins in hawaii, you have the black ones like i do. i live in town, makiki area and i think im going to try that too since i think my fins feel too soft now. by the way, do you any deep spots on oahu to try diving for depth? i usually spear, but i am somewhat interested in going for depth as of late, but i have never done it. i heard off chinawalls and makapuu cliffs is deep. thanks.

 

[SASpearo]

Phew ....

I'll list a couple of my Spearo mods if you don't mind.

- I've changed the handle on my RA 120 to a Stealth handle - much better. I can now load it without a loading pad

- All three my RA's also got a foam core inside the barrel - the 100 and 120 floats with a spear loaded, and the 140 is neutral at about -5m - perfect mod. I usedd normal builders foam in a can for this.

- Bungee floatlines - I can;t even count how many I've made or have lying around in the garage anymore. I make them out of latex tubing, and have recently changed over from mono to dynema, also works much better.

- Guns are all saf - Shoot and forget - rigged. I've got a big stainless steel ring on the handle, and the bungee line runs through it. The bungee is attached to 5m Mono to the spear, so once fired the gun can be left to float upwards - it's semi-attached to the floatline by the ring, so it won't get lost.

- Floats - I've got a boogie board float (finally got the new one semi-finished after a mate nicked mine) made for big fish in deep water. Holds everything from guns to knives to torch to cable cutter to stringer to rope to bungees etc. RRB to get to the water.

lotsa other nitty-grittys that gets the job done.

Nice thread!

 

[Memo]

- Mask: I have a cressi superocchio and I cut the top inner skirt of it. Now it has a better seat and sits a little low on my face.
- Gun: Cressi comanche alu. 110. This gun has a plastic 10 cm long spearguide just in front of the trigger assembly, I've deepened this rail by adding on some plastic and grinding to the desired shape.
- Float: Picasso torpedo. I've got many SS clips that you can ever imagine

 

[erasmuspaxi]

A friend of mine put strips of rubber on the sides of his gara 2000. Copying the c4. It works a lot better now. He had to get some extra training though, because they are a lot harder to kick.
The modification made the fin guessed 200% more effektive.
It is hard though to find the right material for the rubber strips and even harder to find a decent glue to fix them to the fin.
His 5th version is quite stable and lasted for 4 month now in heavy use.