01. List the essential items of dive equipment.

• Demand valve
• Diving cylinder
• Weight system
• Depth gauge and watch
• Exposure suit
• Buoyancy compensator

02. What should a diver look for when buying a new mask?

• Check so that the mask is sealed - hold against your face unstrapped, gently inhale through nose, see if it remains sealed
• Check so that it's comfortable - also when strapped, that attaching a snorkel doesn't change fit, you can pinch your nose
• Then, practically:
  • Tempered-glass lens for safety, or lenses made from really strong, high-quality composite materials
  • Comfortable, feathered, double-skirt made of soft silicone rubber
  • Enclosed nose so that you can adjust for pressure changes by exhaling
  • Finger pockets around your nose so that you can equalize your ears
  • Low profile for easier clearing of water and a wider vision field
  • Adjustable strap that can be locked in place

03. How should a diver care for his/her dive equipment after each dive?

• General: Soak in warm, fresh water, then rinse
• Wetsuit, booties, hood, gloves: Wash inside and outside
• Regulator: Rinse everything, but ensure water doesn't enter the first stage
• BDC: work the buttons, rinse hose, inside bladder, inflate and dry
• Accessories: Leave to soak to allow salt to dissolve

04. How should a diver prepare and store his/her dive suit, regulator, and dive cylinder if they are to be unused for an extended period of time?

• All equipment should be rinsed and cleaned such that dirt, salt deposits, and chemicals are removed from all gear
• All equipment should then dry completely - without going near the sun or heat
• After this they can be stored away:
  • Exposure suit: Store hanging or loosely rolled up in a cool, dry location out of the sun
  • Hoods, Gloves, Booties: Store in a cool, dry location out of the sun
  • BCD: Store in a dry place out of the sun
  • Regulators: Once dry, store loosely coiled up in a dry place out of the sun
  • Fins, Mask and Snorkel: Store in dry location, and store fins flat or with support
  • Computers: Store in dry location out of the sun, and if storing for a long time, consider removing the battery to avoid acid leaks from expired batteries
  • Cameras and Dive Torches: Remove any batteries from all units, and if they’re rechargeable, recharge them all the way before storing
  • Cylinder: Stored upright with 10-20 bar of pressure

05. What are the regulations regarding VIPs and Hydro's for dive cylinders?

• VIP: Every 2.5 years
• Hydro: Every 5 years

06. Do these regulations apply to the mini cylinders in buoyancy devices?

• Yes, they should be treated the same

07. Is the working pressure for these mini cylinders the same as the main dive cylinders?

• Yes, it's the same

08. What is the difference between TP (test pressure) and WP (working pressure)?

• Test Pressure - The pressure used in hydrostatic testing to measure cylinder volume before and after the test
• Working Pressure - The pressure used in day to day diving

09. To what pressure (in bars) should a dive cylinder be filled?

• The working pressure stated on the cylinder, which commonly is 232 bars

10. In his/her own words, how does a regulator work.

• The regulator consist of a first stage and a second stage
• The first stage allows air to move from the cylinder to the diver, while reducing the pressure to 8-11 bars (9.5 bars in mine) above the ambient pressure
• The second stage reduces the pressure of the air from 8-11 bars to ambient pressure, and allows the diver to inhale air freely and on demand
• The flow when the first stage is connected to the cylinder and the valve on the cylinder is opened, can be described as:
  • High pressure air enters the Intermediate Pressure Chamber
  • The air in the chamber exert a force on the piston or diaphragm, which is equal to the force of the first stage plus ambient pressure
  • That's why the piston or diaphragm will remain closed when the diver is not inhaling
  • When the diver inhales, the air pressure behind the piston or diaphragm is reduced
  • The reduction in pressure, causes the piston or diaphragm to move
  • This opens the valve and allows air from the Intermediate Pressure Chamber to flow through the hose to the second stage
  • In the second stage, the inhalation causes the diaphragm in the second stage to move, which pushes the demand lever, which opens the valve in the second stage
  • Air will then enter the second stage at ambient pressure from the hose
  • When a diver is not inhaling, the pressure in front of the diaphragm in the second stage and the pressure on the lever will keep the valve closed

11. How often should a regulator be serviced?

• At the manufacturer's recommended intervals, or once a year, whichever is sooner

12. Explain the features of a single hose regulator.

• The first stage uses either a piston or a diaphragm as an operating mechanism
• The first stage can be either balanced or unbalanced
• The second stage may include an air flow adjustment, and either a lever or tilt operating mechanism

13. What is the inter-stage hose air pressure during a dive?

• Approximately 8-11 bars

14. Why should oil or grease not be used on a regulator? What should a diver use instead?

• It can clog up moving parts, and render the regulator defunct
• Use warm fresh water to clean the regulator

15. If the needle deflects while test breathing the contents gauge what should a diver do?

• Check that the cylinder valve is fully open or that the sintered filter is not corroded

16. What do A.B.L.J. and B.C. stand for?

• A.B.L.J. - Adjustable Buoyancy Life Jacket
• B.C. - Buoyancy Compensator

17. Explain the need for a buoyancy device.

• Ultimately, the buoyancy device is the key device to ensure we can achieve and maintain neutral buoyancy during a dive.
• It can also provide buoyancy for:
  • Emergency rapid ascent
  • Emergency escape from depth
  • Recovery from an inverted position
  • Alternate air supply

18. What are the C.F.T. recommendations about buoyancy devices?

• Buoyancy devices should have adequate means of oral inflation and alternative means of inflation

19. How do we release air from a buoyancy device While ascending normally?

• We release air via the low pressure deflator

20. Explain the principle of how wetsuits work.

• A wetsuit is a neoprene insulation suit
• It functions by trapping a thin layer of water between the body and the suit
• This layer of water is warmed by the body which prevents you from losing too much heat while in the water

21. After a dive wearing a dry suit, a diver complains of having red pinch marks on his/her skin where the suit was uncomfortably tight. What could be to relieve this during the dive?

• Add a minimum of air to the dry suit to avoid dry suit squeeze
• The diver maintains comfort by adding or venting air throughout the dive

22. Which is generally warmest - wetsuit, semidry suit or a dry suit?

• Dry suit

23. The examiner tests candidate in a variety of hand signals.

• Compulsory hand signals:
  • Indicate You or Object
  • Indicate Me
  • OK, all is well, are you OK?
  • Go up, I'm going up
  • Go down (dive), I'm going down
  • I have no more air
  • Something wrong
  • I am on reserve, I have 50 Bar left in my cylinder
  • Danger
  • OK on surface
  • Stop, or, pay attention
  • Distress
  • No signal on surface - should be treated as an abnormal situation, with the diver in difficulties, and requires swift attention
  • Night Dive (signal with torch)

24. When buddy gives no signal how should a diver interpret this?

• This should be treated as an abnormal situation, with the diver in difficulties, and requires swift attention

25. How often should a diver and his/her buddy exchange signals during a dive?

• Frequently - as often as one feel is required, which can be every couple of minutes, or more often should circumstances say so

26. How often should a diver and his/her buddy check gauges during a dive?

• Frequently - as often as one feel is required, which can be every couple of minutes, or more often should circumstances say so

27. How often should a diver check his/her buddy's gauge during a dive?

• Frequently - as often as he/she checks their own, which can be every couple of minutes, or more often should circumstances say so

28. Who checks out a diver before a dive?

• The buddy checks out the diver

29. What should be in a good buddy check?

• Check hand signals are understood
• BCD fits and functions correctly - check operation of BCD controls
• Check operation of weight belt buckle or integrated weights
• The dive cylinder is fully turned on
• Cylinder is filled to working pressure
• Demand valve is functioning properly
• Watch, depth gauge, compass
• All equipment is fitted correctly
• Dry suit controls - check location and operation of dry suit controls, of appropriate
• Feeling OK

30. Which is the best entry method for a shore dive in unfamiliar territory?

• Wade without fins until hip deep, put on fins, snorkel out for depth, slowly descend

31. Before a diver enters the water his/her exit should be considered. Why?

• The effects of the tide, as well as currents, can be significant and impact the dive plan
• Taking this into account while also taking the exit into consideration, allows us to determine how to execute the dive and exit where we want to
• This will be communicated to the DO and Cox'n, so they also know where to expect to find us

32. How should divers in a small boat enter the water?

• Divers enter the water from opposite sides of the boat using the backward roll or simply by climbing or dropping over the side

33. How should resurfacing after a dive take place? Why should this method be used?

• Deploy the DSMB (the closer to the safety stop, the easier to manage)
• Ascend to 3-6 meters for the safety stop
• Safety Stop 3 minutes - most conservative dive computer rules
• Slowly ascend, max 10 meters per minute, to the surface, while keeping tension on the DMSB reel, looking up for objects and holding one hand above your head as protection
• We do this to:
  • Be safe
  • Indicate ascent location

34. The most efficient finning technique has a variety of factors. Explain two of them.

• A comfortable fit - loose fins will chafe the feet and a tight pair will restrict circulation and cause numbness and cramp
• Medium flexibility of the fin blade - they should be neither too stiff or too yielding, but allow the leg muscles to push the blade up and down for long periods without strain

35. Why is there a need to plan a dive?

• All dives are carried out safely
• Dives run smoothly and are enjoyable
• Contingency plans are ready in case of problems or accidents during the dive

36. Complete the saying: plan your dive and...

• ...dive your plan

37. Who needs to attend the dive brief?

• The entire dive group

38. In planning a dive, list the things a diver would need to know.

• Maximum depth and profile of the dive site
• Type of bottom
• Boat slips or entry and exit points for a shore dive
• Tides - Time of high and low water and tidal range - effects depth of dive, currents and entry/exit points
• Emergency plan and procedures - consider emergency services and nearest recompression chamber
• Direction, depth and purpose of dive
• Any special precautions or arrangements for the dive

39. What is the role of the shore marshal?

• To keep track of all returning divers
• Call out the emergency services if necessary

40. What information should be given to the shore marshal?

• Dive location
• Estimated time of return
• The dive marshal is also present during the brief

41. Where is the nearest recompression chamber?

• University Hospital Galway
• Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, or the Isle of Man
• Naval base at Haulbowline in Cork - while closed to the public
• National Hyperbaric Centre Ireland, Great Grand Street, Dublin 1

42. List the good sources of information for a dive site.

• Look up sea charts
• Obtain local knowledge from other divers and fishermen

43. During the dive (the one with the examiner) where were the oxygen, and the flares located?

• Oxygen and flares are on the boat:
  • Oxygen in large yellow box in front of the boat
  • Flares in yellow bucket at the back of the boat

44. What was the weather forecast for today?

• Be sure to look up weather forecast and wind before arriving

45. When was high tide?

• Be sure to look up the tide tables before arriving
• Note that the tide around Muglins is roughly 1-1.5h ahead of the Dun Laoghaire tide table

46. List the things which should be done when a dive is finished and back to shore.

• All divers report back to shore marshal
• Ensure all dives are logged - dive times, bottom times, maximum depth, any problems
• Debrief all divers, check everyone is present and OK, check if there were problems or incidents during the dive
• Recover boats and any equipment
• Tidy the dive site
• Report all incidents

47. When should the diver down flag be flown?

• When the first diver enters the water

48. Is it a good idea to track divers from a boat by zigzagging over the bubbles? Why?

• The boat should follow the bubbles, not zigzag over them.
• Zigzagging over the bubbles could complicate an emergency ascent, or tangle a deployed DSMB

49. What are the different kinds of boats normally used for diving?

• Semi-Rigid Inflatable
• Collapsible Inflatable

50. Why can a diver find him/herself out of air during a dive?

• Miscalculation
• Distraction
• Overloading
• Malfunction of equipment

51. List some ways that a diver could get air, in an out of air situation.

• Buddy's octopus
• Pony cylinder
• Buddy breathing
• Buoyancy Device mini cylinder

52. What is the first thing he/she should do, if a diver has to do a free ascent?

• Drop the weight belt
• Then retain the regulator in the mouth, maintaining neck extension, while finning towards the surface

53. What is the signal for out of air, distress and being on reserve?

• Show hand signals - consult the club diver book if required

54. How often should a diver have a diving medical?

• On joining CFT
• Every 3 years after the age of 35
• Every year after the age of 55

55. With whom may trainees dive and to what depth'?

• An instructor to max 10 meter

56. What is an active diver?

• An active diver is someone who has:
  • Paid club fee to be registered with CFT and have CFT insurance cover
  • An up to date medical
  • Completed the Online Medical Assessment
  • Completed CFT water fitness test
• Additional prerequisites to dive with CSAC:
  • Club CPR refresher completed
  • Has the snorkels completed - minimum 3 snorkels
  • Equipment in perfect working order
  • Cylinder current for VIP and Hydro

57. Does C.F.T. endorse solo diving?

• No