Storage of Dive Gear !

[off-the-grid]

Any recommendations?

I was keeping a bin with wetsuit, gloves, masks, bags, fins, etc. in one of the lazarettes. I'm damn sure it was dry when I put it in, since I hadn't been in the water in a while. Although, it may have gotten a little wet from rain. Well, now I have a slightly moldy wetsuit and hood. Not bad, but it needs a good bath now.

Would it be a better idea to store it inside the cabin, maybe not the entire bin (not sure where I could fit it anyway), but at least all the neoprene goodies. Or do I really need to just take it out every once in a while, even when I'm not doing any diving, and give it a rinse, and let it bake on deck a while.

I also have my rig on a tank and ready to go sitting in the sail locker. Noticed it has a little bit of rust on it. Once again, nothing bad, but not as shiny as it was when I first put it in there. Would it be a good idea to maybe hit first stages, inflators, buckles, etc. with some T9 on occasion? Or maybe be a little less lazy and take it off the tank if I'm going to be out of the water for a while and store it inside the cabin?

[iiii]

We have always carried wetsuits and BCs in a hanging locker.
Regs go in a canvas bag on a shelf in the v-berth.

[Kirok]

I rigged a SS "closet rod" in the shower to hang wet gear. Find a hanging locker for the dry stuff and stock a lot of "Sink the Stink".

Kirk

[whatever]

We keep all dive equipment, except tanks, in a deck box on our bow. After each use, it is rinsed extremely well with fresh water and then air dried in the sun. We have not had any rust or mold on anything we have.

[Bash]

some advice from a retired liveaboard scuba instructor: it's not good enough to rinse 98% of the salt out of your gear. Salt leads to mildew.

Don't just rinse your gear in fresh water--soak it. And don't stow it until it's completely dry to the touch. Any and all violations of these rules will be punished by the mold gods.

[off-the-grid]

Hmm...so the short answer is:

1. Rinse well
2. Dry completely
3. Store inside the cabin or in air tight container
4. And maybe a little shot of T-9 on the tank valves every now an then

or

Splash at least a few times a week, so it never gets a chance to dry at all.

[sailordiver]

I am the owner of a 42' Whitby Ketch, and storage of dive gear is something that doesn't worry me too much except for where to store my dive tanks which are low pressure steel 95's. The lazarettes are too small although I am thinking about storing them in the hanging lockers after first putting in brackets, but I am looking for ideas, which I am more than open to!