Transporting and storing equipment
0 of 4 hands-on
01 Introduction
Equipment gets damaged more often on the way to the dive than during it. A kit that is bumped, overheated or left damp can fail when you need it. This lesson looks at how to move and store your equipment so it stays in good condition.
Objectives
- Describe how to carry and secure cylinders and other kit safely on land, in vehicles and on boats
- Explain why heat matters for cylinders and equipment
- Describe good ways to pack for travel and to store kit between trips
02 Watch
Getting there in one piece
4 min · Video in production
- 1
A cylinder being carried correctly, held by the neck with the valve protected.
- 2
Cylinders secured in a vehicle boot with straps, and another rolling unsecured and hitting a regulator.
- 3
A kit bag being packed with the regulator in the centre, padded by wetsuits.
- 4
A kit hung up neatly in a cool, dry store, with the BCD on a hanger and the cylinder upright in a rack.
03 Learn
Cylinders
- Never carry a cylinder by the valve alone. Hold the neck or the body, with the valve pointing away from people.
- Never leave a cylinder standing unsupported. A cylinder that falls can damage its valve, or a person.
- Secure cylinders in a vehicle so they cannot roll or slide. Use straps, a rack or a padded box.
- On a boat, lay cylinders flat and wedged, or use a rack, so that they cannot move in the swell.
- Fit valve protection or a cap if you are travelling with an empty cylinder.
Why heat matters
Gas pressure rises as temperature rises. A cylinder in a closed vehicle in the sun can become very hot. The heat raises the pressure inside, and it also weakens rubber and plastic parts. Keep cylinders and kit in the shade, in a ventilated space, and out of closed hot vehicles.
Take a guess first
A cylinder filled to 200 bar at 20 degrees Celsius (293 K) is left in a hot car where it warms to 50 degrees Celsius (323 K). Using pressure proportional to absolute temperature, about what pressure would it reach?
Travelling by air
Airline rules vary, so check with your airline before you travel. In general, cylinders must be empty, and often with the valve removed or open. Batteries, including those in lights and dive computers, are often restricted by type and size, and spare ones usually go in the cabin. Computers, masks, regulators and other delicate items are better kept in carry-on baggage where possible, and the rest padded in a bag.
- 1.Check the airline's rules about cylinders, batteries and weights well before you travel.
- 2.Pack a regulator, gauges and computer in your carry-on bag if you can, or in the middle of a padded bag.
- 3.Rinse and dry everything before packing, so that nothing grows mould or corrodes.
- 4.Keep weights within the baggage limit, or plan to hire them at the destination.
- 5.Take a small repair kit: spare straps, O-rings, a mask strap and a small tool.
Predict first
Where is the best place to keep a regulator when you travel by plane?
Storing kit between trips
- Store everything clean, completely dry and out of direct sunlight, in a cool, dry, ventilated place.
- Hang a wetsuit on a wide hanger, or lay it flat, so that it does not crease or stretch.
- Store a BCD partly inflated, or hung, so that the inside does not stick together.
- Keep regulators in a bag or case with the hoses in loose curves, and the dust cap on.
- Keep masks and fins in a case or flat, and not under heavy items.
- Store a cylinder with a little pressure, upright and secured, away from heat.
04 Explore
Try it yourself
Put these steps for packing a kit bag in a sensible order.
Put the steps in order.
- 1Put delicate items in the centre, padded by soft items
- 2Check airline rules on cylinders and batteries
- 3Rinse and fully dry every item
- 4Check the weight against the baggage limit
- 5Pack heavy items low and near the wheels
05 Apply
Scenario
After a morning dive, you leave your full cylinder in the boot of a closed car in the sun while you have lunch, with your regulator and computer on the back seat. It is a hot day, and you will be there for two hours.
What should you have done instead?
06 Check
07 Summary
Key points
- Carry cylinders by the neck or body and secure them in vehicles and on boats.
- Heat raises cylinder pressure and damages rubber, so keep kit out of hot cars and sun.
- For air travel, check cylinder and battery rules, and protect delicate items in carry-on or padding.
- Store kit clean, dry, cool and away from chemicals.
Before you apply this in the water
- Have I been trained by a qualified instructor for this?
- Am I medically fit to dive?
- Do I have a buddy and a plan?
- Am I diving within my training and limits?
Answer every question in the Check section to mark this lesson complete.