Dive mask preparation

When a SCUBA mask is made it leaves a lot of film and residue on it. If not cleaned off properly you will never get your mask to stop fogging. You can search the Internet for lots of different ways to clean your mask. I am going to walk thru one of the easiest and safest methods to do it. With some of the other methods, if not done correctly you can break your mask glass or damage your frame.

Toothpaste or Soft Scrub (without bleach)

Your first step will be to take some toothpaste (not gel) and with your finger dab some on both sides of the inside of the lenses.  Rub the toothpaste thoroughly and then let it sit to dry. Try to wait an hour or two before you rinse it out; however, if you don’t have the time, just go ahead and rinse it right away; there’s a good chance it will still work. You should do this every couple of months to make sure your mask is clean. There are also commercial cleaners you can use that clean and defog.

Put your dive mask under running water to rinse out the toothpaste.  You can use your fingernail or a toothbrush to get around the skirt that touches the lens. In some cases some of the toothpaste can seep under there. Make sure you get it all out.

Different ways to defog your mask before every dive

Commercial Defog

This is the type of defog you can buy at any dive shop.  There are a million different types, but they are basically all the same.  If you would like to go this route, making sure it is safe for the reef and environmentally friendly. This is a good practice as your face will be in there. If you are diving O2 you want it as O2 clean as possibly. Usually SCUBA divers will put this inside their mask, swish it around with their finger and then rinse and go.

SCUBACLEAR, 30CC scubapro.johnsonoutdoors.com/accessories/mask-accessories/scubaclear-30cc

Baby Shampoo and dishwashing soap

This is a very economical choice in the world of defogging your mask.  Many dive boats will carry an empty plastic water bottle container with a hole in the top and fill it about a quarter full of baby shampoo and the rest water.  Even just a little bit of soapy water will be enough to defog your mask.  Always remember to completely rinse your mask otherwise the residue soap will sting your eyes underwater, even the baby shampoo will cause some tears if you use too much.

You can also spit into your mask. If you use spit, the mask should be completely dry.  If you take off your mask in the water and then spit into it, it is very likely to become foggy during the dive.  Remember – dry mask, spit, rub, rinse with water, and put on your mask.

Preventing a foggy mask even if you have defogged it.

If your face is sweaty and hot, it is a good idea to splash some cool water on it to give it a quick rinse before you put your mask on.

Before putting your choice of defog on your mask, ensure that the lens are dry.

You can apply defog to your mask anytime prior to jumping in the water; however, you should rinse the defog out only moments before jumping in.  If you have rinsed it out, but then are delayed jumping in and you are not ready to put your mask on your face, leave a layer of water in your mask until you are ready.

Once you have defogged and rinsed your mask, put your mask on your face and don’t take it off.  Moving your mask to your forehead, neck, or into the water basically eliminate any defogging you had just put onto your mask. Keep this in mind if you are jumping into a dive or have to wait before you get to where you will leave on your dive. For long transits to insertion points try and keep your inner mask dry, you can store it in a zip-lock bag as it is easily collapsed and store. Lastly you can always leave a little water in your mask during the dive and swish it around to help keep the fog at bay.

Summary

You should clean your mask every couple of months depending on its use. It should be kept in a clean dry place. Most masks come in boxes that are designed for you to store it in. Make sure it is dry before you store it away. Clean your mask after every use; make sure to clean around the outside edge of the mask especially the part close to your mouth. Because it is close to your mouth it can smell like food and that can attack bugs. If this happens, they will eat your mask and it will look like it is dry rotten. Most masks are made of high quality rubber and can resist dry rot. A good dive mask can last for years if taking care of properly.

Inspired by the original Seawing fin with its radical blade profile, the first Seawing Nova appeared in 2009 and
immediately turned heads with its clean-sheet streamlined design.

This innovative fin caught the attention of designers and engineers worldwide. It won Popular Science magazine’s “Best of What’s New in 2009” award. Then it handily won the ScubaLab Testers Choice award for the best performing new fin of 2010. In 2011 the Seawing Nova won the prestigious, internationally- recognized Red Dot Award for product design, then in 2013, when a full-foot version came out, it won the Testers Choice for the best full-foot fin of the year. And in 2015, after benefitting from a number of upgrades to make a great fin even greater, the improved Seawing Nova won the Testers Choice award for the best fin of the year once again.

Built with a space-age Monprene elastomer that is virtually indestructible. (The Seawing Gorilla includes a special additive to enhance stiffness and increase feedback.) Spotlighting its proprietary G4 (4th Generation) articulated hinge with enlarged Pivot Control notches that enables the entire wing-shaped blade to pivot and generate thrust, the Seawing Nova produces a propulsive snap that can rocket you through open water at top speed or propel you along reefs or in and out of tight spots with total control—all with little to no ankle or leg strain. Pivot Control Technology ensures that the most efficient 45-degree angle of attack is maintained no matter how easy or hard you kick.

The Seawing Nova also excels in low- speed maneuvering, including frog kicks, reverse kicks, and turtle backing. Offers improved handling when making small directional adjustments. This is due in large part to a slight increase in rigidity across the trailing edge of the blade which has ratcheted up responsiveness and thrust at full power, while requiring no increased kicking effort in cruising mode.

The fin features a well-engineered footplate that extends all the way to the back of the heel, maximizing power transmission while minimizing stress on legs and ankles. Co-molded Grip Pads provide efficient non-skid footing on wet surfaces. The fin also features the popular self-adjusting heel strap made of marine-grade bungee. This bungee is highly elastic, resistant to the elements and the soft heel pad with over-sized finger loop is comfortable and simplifies doffing and donning. It can also be fitted with a steel spring strap.

SEAWING NOVA FAMILY OF FINS

• Seawing Nova Open Heel This high-performance fin delivers the power, acceleration and maneuverability of a blade fin, with the kicking comfort and efficiency of a split fin. Available in five sizes (XS-XL).

• Seawing Gorilla Open Heel
While identical in design to the Seawing Nova, the Seawing Gorilla uses a special additive in its compound to provide more stiffness and snap to the blade. This results in more power, speed and control for divers who like a stiffer fin with more feedback in their kicks. The stiffer blade also allows for more effective sculling, frog-kicking and reverse-kicking, making it an excellent choice for tech divers. Available in five sizes (XS-XL) Graphite ( while supplies last) Black is available by special order.

THE SEAWING NOVA ADVANTAGE

On a traditional paddle fin, during a typical kick stroke, as water flow hits the fin the blade will curve along its length. This means that the blade’s angle of attack, relative to the water flow, is going to be different at different points on the blade. In such a case, the leading edge remains too flat to generate efficient thrust, while the trailing edge flexes too much. Consequently, only the mid- section is actually able to produce efficient thrust.

Downfalls of traditional fins

 The Seawing Nova will always maintain the most efficient angle of attack along the entire length of its blade, because instead of the gradual curve of a traditional blade, the Seawing Nova’s blade stays relatively flat due to the G4 articulated joint that allows the entire blade to pivot (like the tail joint of a whale or dolphin). Also, the blade is longitudinally reinforced by pronounced rails which help prevent curvature (this is supported by the monocoque effect that takes place when the Variable Blade Geometry wing tips arc upwards).

On a traditional paddle fin, the harder you kick, the more the blade bends. That means a soft fin will achieve the ideal 45-degree angle when it’s kicked gently, but will over-bend and lose thrust when it’s kicked hard. Stiffer fins, on the other hand, achieve that ideal 45-degree angle when kicked hard but remain too flat to be efficient when kicked gently. Consequently, both types require the diver to compromise his or her kicking style to get any efficiency out of the fin.

Inconsistent Angle of attack

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Soft fin  / Soft Kick    Soft fin / Hard kick       Hard Fin/ Soft kick

On the Seawing Nova, by creating a fixed angle of attack, the special G4 hinge also allows the blade to flex easily to that ideal 45-degree angle, but prevents it from flexing further as kicking strength increases. Therefore, the angle of attack is close to the optimal 45 degrees at all times, regardless of kicking strength. Kicking easy or kicking hard, the Seawing Nova lets you always maintain the optimum angle of attack for maximum performance.

On a traditional paddle fin, that non-productive or “dead” section where foot pocket and blade meet creates a lot of drag without generating any thrust.

On the Seawing Nova, engineers eliminated this section, creating a “Clean Water Blade” where water flows cleanly onto the working section of the blade, reducing drag and increasing thrust.

The ‘dead’ section between the foot pocket and the blade of a traditional fin generates drag but not thrust. We removed it! This means that water is free to flow cleanly onto the working section of the blade. Drag is reduced and thrust is increased. Seawing Nova’s also except the SCUBAPRO fin keeper. The Keeper is design to maintain your fins when not in use. They can be clipped to your wrist for climbing or OTB. They can also be attached to your plate carrier or H-Gear.

MATBOCK Skins, SCUBAPRO has been working with MATBOCK to develop Skins for SCUBAPRO fins that will help you adapt your fins to every environment. Perfect for Over the Beach or River and Stream crossing. The patent Pending MATBOCK Skins are a multi-layer adhesive/ fabric laminate designed to give the user the ability to camouflage any surface desired. The Skins are waterproof and oil resistant, can be reused mutable times. Skins are designed and laser cut specifically for the following fins, Seawing Nova’s, Gorilla and SCUBAPRO Jet fins.