Search found 181 matches

by rcontrera
Sun Oct 23, 2016 10:36 pm
Forum: Everything Else
Topic: My drusuit experience
Replies: 13
Views: 4398

Re: My drusuit experience

No ... the Rep moved to USIA.
by rcontrera
Fri Oct 21, 2016 10:07 pm
Forum: Everything Else
Topic: My drusuit experience
Replies: 13
Views: 4398

Re: My drusuit experience

Ah ... a she was it! Then, that was most likely the owner.
by rcontrera
Fri Oct 21, 2016 4:17 pm
Forum: Everything Else
Topic: My drusuit experience
Replies: 13
Views: 4398

Re: My drusuit experience

Linedog wrote:I had a bad experience with a DUI rep years ago at a UWS store.
That rep is no longer with DUI. He shifted over to USIA
by rcontrera
Fri Aug 05, 2016 10:50 pm
Forum: Introductions (New Visitors, Start Here)
Topic: Kitsap Dive Club
Replies: 9
Views: 3240

Re: Kitsap Dive Club

Are you guys resurrecting the KDA? My wife and I helped get that started over 30 years ago when we had a dive shop and they let the Non-Profit status lapse in 2013.
by rcontrera
Tue Aug 02, 2016 2:58 am
Forum: Everything Else
Topic: #360video from UW Sports 40th Annual Diver's Fair
Replies: 5
Views: 1987

Re: #360video from UW Sports 40th Annual Diver's Fair

Very Cool!!

What video camera did you use?
by rcontrera
Sat Jul 30, 2016 2:59 pm
Forum: Gear Central (Recreational)
Topic: Cressi stuff for OW cert?
Replies: 17
Views: 5668

Re: Cressi stuff for OW cert?

Cressi had a little bit if distribution problem in the NW for a while. The manufacturer's rep was also a dive store owner. Store don't like buying from someone from a competing store so it was dissed. That store doesn't exist anymore but the feelings go on for a while. The Cressi line is one of the ...
by rcontrera
Tue May 24, 2016 11:42 pm
Forum: Buy/Sell/Trade Dive Gear
Topic: WANTED - Faber 68cf (Slim 72's) cylinders
Replies: 2
Views: 1745

Re: WANTED - Faber 68cf (Slim 72's) cylinders

Those were my wife's favorite tanks. She said it was like diving with nothing on her back. I, on the other hand, us the big ol' boilers. I think she has a couple of them in the garage but I am sure they are out of hydro since we don't dive anymore and I just use them (and others) from time to time f...
by rcontrera
Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:29 pm
Forum: Gear Central (Recreational)
Topic: Salt-Away to soak my gear?
Replies: 7
Views: 2071

Re: Salt-Away to soak my gear?

Way back in the days of wooden scuba tanks, my wife owned a dive shop in Port Orchard and Tacoma and we always used Salt-A-Way for our rental and training gear. We never had a salt buildup, chlorine bleaching, chrome lifting or rust anywhere. Magic stuff!
by rcontrera
Wed Nov 18, 2015 7:44 pm
Forum: Dive Recaps & Trip Reports
Topic: Cucumber trip
Replies: 9
Views: 3127

Re: Cucumber trip

We LOVE sea cucumbers! We pull the strips of meat from the inside and either bread and deep fry (lightly) or chop them for chowder!
by rcontrera
Fri Oct 16, 2015 7:22 pm
Forum: Buy/Sell/Trade Dive Gear
Topic: Portable Gasoline powered compressor
Replies: 2
Views: 3264

Portable Gasoline powered compressor

Yeah ... I know. I am a compressor guy and can't post commercial stuff here. HOWEVER, this is my own personal MCH6 gasoline powered compressor. I bought it to take with me to dive clubs for teaching about compressors and for filling my own tanks. I even took it to the show in Seattle a couple of tim...
by rcontrera
Wed May 13, 2015 1:27 am
Forum: Buy/Sell/Trade Dive Gear
Topic: Good deal on compressor
Replies: 10
Views: 2355

Re: Good deal on compressor

That IS a great price so far. We'll see where it ends up. Shipping should be about $500. This is a nice size for home use. It isn't available anymore in the US so to get a new version, you would have to go with the DiveMate = BIG BUCKS. My favorite home compressor is from Coltri (of course :) ) and ...
by rcontrera
Sat Apr 25, 2015 7:58 pm
Forum: General SCUBA Discussion
Topic: Dive show/H2O show in Seattle/Tacoma
Replies: 21
Views: 6704

Re: Dive show/H2O show in Seattle/Tacoma

Show special pricing ($2995) on the MCH6 gasoline powered compressor less $200. If I can sell eight at that price I just might break even for the two years of very sad shows. #-o
by rcontrera
Fri Apr 24, 2015 10:03 pm
Forum: General SCUBA Discussion
Topic: Dive show/H2O show in Seattle/Tacoma
Replies: 21
Views: 6704

Re: Dive show/H2O show in Seattle/Tacoma

Sooo disappointing. We talked to just about everybody that came by but sold NUTTIN! Every year costs us a TON to show and, if we don't sell at least one compressor, we lose. For the last two years it has stunk for us. At least this year I was able to use my demo compressor to show again instead of b...
by rcontrera
Mon Mar 23, 2015 3:53 pm
Forum: Gear Central (Recreational)
Topic: Final piece of dive gear??
Replies: 0
Views: 890

Final piece of dive gear??

Dive shop in FL is selling their boat. Maybe I have to have it! :BDub:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn081Dz ... e=youtu.be
by rcontrera
Sat Jan 31, 2015 1:43 am
Forum: Gear Central (Recreational)
Topic: flexible fill hose
Replies: 4
Views: 2236

Re: flexible fill hose

One of the problems with generic hoses is that a LOT of people will buy rubber lined ones which are fine until there is a filter failure. Modern synthetic compressor oils are tough on rubber and can accelerate decomposition. Go with 3/16" breathing air hose and most of the hose places that buil...
by rcontrera
Fri Dec 26, 2014 11:42 am
Forum: General SCUBA Discussion
Topic: Get a new compressor for Christmas?
Replies: 0
Views: 559

Get a new compressor for Christmas?

So ... you got a new compressor for Christmas! Congratulations!! But, before you get too far into playing with the new toy, let's make sure you set it up right. First off, read your manual (yeah right ... most guys won't until something breaks but I had to say it anyway). Now, do a visual inspection...
by rcontrera
Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:55 pm
Forum: Buy/Sell/Trade Dive Gear
Topic: ALKIN Compressor System
Replies: 2
Views: 707

Re: ALKIN Compressor System

Just a quick note ... the Alkin is a Turkish compressor. But, with the bottles and filter stack included, this is a pretty decent price as long as the total run time is fairly low. I always have people asking me about used stuff and I will direct them to this page. Hope your friend gets to feeling b...
by rcontrera
Sun Jun 01, 2014 4:45 pm
Forum: General SCUBA Discussion
Topic: Scuba diver "wrongful death" law suit in WA
Replies: 55
Views: 9100

Re: Scuba diver "wrongful death" law suit in WA

Just a quick note ... this is a VERY public and popular forum. ANY statement here that questions the quality, thoroughness or sufficiency of the instructor, store, training agency, no matter how innocent or well intended, is ammunition for the lawyers to use in court. Maybe we should not be discussi...
by rcontrera
Mon Apr 07, 2014 12:31 am
Forum: General SCUBA Discussion
Topic: Scuba & H2O Adventure Show video :)
Replies: 11
Views: 1387

Re: Scuba & H2O Adventure Show video :)

No ... no rush this year. It WAS sparse!
by rcontrera
Mon Nov 25, 2013 11:02 pm
Forum: General SCUBA Discussion
Topic: Dry suit versus BC buoyancy question
Replies: 27
Views: 5080

Re: Dry suit versus BC buoyancy question

Think about it for a minute .... When in a wetsuit, a diver uses a BC to overcome the loss of buoyancy due to the compression of the suit material as he/she descends. That compression is due to the collapse of the gas bubbles in the material. Now let's take the same diver and change to a dry suit. I...
by rcontrera
Thu Oct 17, 2013 2:06 pm
Forum: General SCUBA Discussion
Topic: Shops in the area that fill using a water bath
Replies: 35
Views: 6676

Re: Shops in the area that fill using a water bath

This is much different than a steel tube set in the floor. The mesh baskets distribute the force of a rupture in many directions. Oh ... OK . Now I understand the mortar reference. (It's tough getting old :rawlings: ) Yeah, a pop can set into the floor would be almost as dangerous as not having one...
by rcontrera
Wed Oct 16, 2013 5:54 pm
Forum: General SCUBA Discussion
Topic: Shops in the area that fill using a water bath
Replies: 35
Views: 6676

Re: Shops in the area that fill using a water bath

sounds alot like a mortar to me ;) That is the idea. If a tank fails, the "pop can" directs the force of the blast straight up instead of out. Most dive shops don't use them because they are expensive. Plus, as has already been mentioned, you can't drop a set of twins into them. http://ww...
by rcontrera
Sun Oct 13, 2013 7:35 pm
Forum: Underwater Imaging - Photography & Video
Topic: Help! Scratch on wet macro lens!
Replies: 4
Views: 1481

Re: Help! Scratch on wet macro lens!

Have you done some experimenting with it to see if it is an actual problem? If the scratch is not major, the water sometimes fills in the optics and the pictures are in general good. Unless the scratch is deep, it most likely won't even show up in your pictures.

Just a thought.
by rcontrera
Mon Sep 23, 2013 11:40 pm
Forum: Gear Central (Recreational)
Topic: Compressor Filtration
Replies: 14
Views: 1917

Re: Compressor Filtration

It's amazing how little filtration they used back when the compressor was built - Just the one small filter can packed with AC ( about a cup and a half) changed every 10 hours. I'm surprised there weren't more accidents. What is amazing is that there are several compressors that have extremely wimp...