I learnt to dive in 1991. We used stab jackets then. Even then the toilet
seat ABLJs are well on their way out.

Jason

Hi Judith,

My polite answer would for you to take a little look at your equipment.  Get
things serviced, or at least seen by a suitably wqualified technician.

If anything appears to be too worn out, for example if the blabber doesn't
keep fully inflated anymore, consider updating.

I started back in '89 and even then people had started to moved towards
stabs.  Have you ever tried diving in one?  They do have many plus points,
and the current ones are more tailored to the female figure.

Depending on the type of diving that you may condsider doing (i.e. UK,
abroard, shore, boat, training, pleasure) you may find that your requiements
have somewhat changed since you last dived.  Particuarly if you are
considering diving abroad in warmer waters, you may find the convienence of
a stab over an ablj better, especially when swapping cylinders/tanks.

Stab jackets can be a drag in the water, whilst an ablj can be quite compact
when not inflated.  However stabs can give a more comfortable dive position
in the water and on the surface.  Choosing the right stab would influence
these factors over an ablj.

Having dived with, taught with and used both, I have always prefered stabs
over abljs, but then this is just my homble opinion.  There are many divers
who will always prefer what they learnt with.

If you wish to start teaching once more, it may be better to have something
similar to your students, but then that woud be a whole new thread.

Have fun blowing bubbles once more. :-)

Robyn.

Young men, Rod, Jason, M\artin and Robyn (Male?)

Thank you so much for your comments.  I am not going to take my own
equipment with me, I am going to hire when I am there and I was
worried because I have only used stab jackets in the West Indies and
then on returning to England went back to my trusty ABLJ.

I have noted all the advice given and I intend to work up to a deep
dive and hopefully by then I will be used to the unfamiliar equipment
and also I may have some more confidenece in myself.

I was a good diver, a safe and experienced diver but age does make a
difference in that one is a bit more vunerable, now if I had a young
Buddy, that would be another thing!!!

I too have some fabulous stories about diving.  e.g.  A silly one, I
was diving in the South of France at Agay where Jaques Cousteau built
the underwater village for the Disney film, 2000 Leagues Under the
Sea.  For any of you who have dived there, it was lovely to emerge
under the overhanging rock and glide down the "street" to the little
church with the spire.  It was what a metre high? and although heavy,
I could see through the window something in there, I tilted it
slightly, very heavy even down there and lo and beyond, treasure, a
coke can!  Pollution reaches everywhere.

Good bubbling boys and take care of yourselves and your buddy.

Judith

No need to be sceptic Nigel, I always used my own equipment, which as
you point out, is old.  Now I won't be using it anymore ; so I am a
bit ignorant of new stuff, new to me as in not personlly used it but I
dive with a doctor who has used nothing else.

As you get older Nigel, one tends to stick with tried and trusted,
it's because of lack of confidence in one's self.  Although, it amuses
my grown up children that I resist change in some aspects but embrace
it in, for example, computers whereas a contemporary of mine runs away
screaming to her manual typewriter whenever she wants to write a
letter!

Judith