Snorkel Newb Question: Snorkels aren't supposed to leak in water right?

[lapchern]

i want to try out snorkeling at catalina island and purchased a dolfino snorkel/goggle set.

i noticed that it had screws on it while the other snorkels didn't have them (or weren't as visible).

So i submerged the midsection of the snorkel under water (both ends were not submerged) and it was leaking in water at a pretty good rate...


is this supposed to happen with snorkels or is this snorkel crap? any opinions about the low end cayman snorkel?

thanks

also, would this be an okay snorkel to use?

http://www.fogdog.com/product/index.jsp?productId=841384

 

[rcerdena]

Leaking??? naaaaa....try the omer zoom pro.

Cheers

Roberto

 

[lapchern]

would big 5 stores have a good selection? there are not very many sporting good stores around here.

 

[rcerdena]

Ok, for other options that are also good: the picasso nodo, spetton flexiplush, mares profi or mares stream flex....there you have some brands and models.

Roberto

 

[lapchern]

thanks, i really appreciate it. i'll look for those tomorrow. my threshold is about $30-40

 

[Alison]

The best sort of snorkel, is the simplest, no valves or bendy bits and should cost only a few $

 

[ADR]

The second snorkel you posted a link to is a marketing departments dream as it has all the gadgets that you can write prose about. If a snorkel leaks it is usually in one of 3 places and you should be able to work out which is the problem.

Most likely is the valve on the bottom if it has one. This could be deformed or not seated properly in the manfacturing process. Or have a grain of sand stuck in it. To test it you can put your hand over the top of the snorkel to seal it and suck in on the mouthpiece, no air should come through the snorkel. Do this with the valve only submersed in a basin of water and and you will hear the water getting in if it is the valve.

Next spot to check is any of the junctions that often occur where materials change (eg the junction after the rubber flexi bit or U bend where it meets the plastic snorkel shaft. (elec tape can fix a leak there.

Final spot to check is the mouthpiece itself. If the mouthpiece is the replaceable type you can get leaks at that junction as well.

Alison is right - "The best sort of snorkel, is the simplest"

Andy
Sydney

 

[Frank O'Donnell]

Originally posted by lapchern
i want to try out snorkeling at catalina island and purchased a dolfino snorkel/goggle set.

Hi Lapchern,

Most freedivers prefer to use an old-fashioned "J-tube" -- just a simple bent tube with a mouthpiece. However, many find that in choppy water it's helpful to have one with a purge (the mechanism at the bottom that clears out water). I have some of each -- as a simple J-tube, an Omer Zoom, and for purge snorkels, an Impulse II and a new one recently put out by Riffe.

Water shouldn't be going into your snorkel if you submerge the middle but keep the ends out of the water. Either there's a leak where two parts of the snorkel come together (probably where a stiff part of the tube meets a bendy part?), or else there's just a plain hole in it or something.

Where at Catalina are you thinking about snorkeling? I go over there a lot. Also, have you given any thought to a mask and fins? Were you planning to wear a wetsuit, or just tough it out in the 64-degree water?

Finally, I assume if you're going to Catalina you're in Southern California ... whereabouts? There are dive shops and other places to buy snorkels besides Big 5.

Frank
(in South Pasadena)