Spanish Student Alex

Blue Water Sports team up with The Training Partnership to offer a marketing placement for Spanish Student Alex.

Hi my name is Alex, i am from Barcelona (Spain) and today i am going to start my internship program at Blue Water Sport.

Actually I am studying business administration at Abat Oliba University and I hope to learn new things about the business world and i also want  to use my knowledges acquired during my studies.

Blue Water Sports employee honored by Peter Jones

This week BlueWaterSports.com employee Alistair White received an award from Dragon Peter Jones.

Alistair forgot that Peter is keen on formality and presentation and so failed to wear a jacket for the photo... bonus points for managing to convince Peter to help him out!

Alistair’s award was for receiving a very good mark on his recently completed Business and Enterprise diploma at South Devon College.  Well done Alistair!

What do I need to start Spearfishing Part V: The Speargun

A speargun is an underwater fishing implement designed to fire a spear at fish.
The basic components of a speargun are: A spear, a stock/barrel, and a handle/grip containing a trigger mechanism. Spearguns are usually from .5 m to 2 m (1.5 ft to 6.5 ft) long, round or roughly rectangular from 28 mm - 75 mm (1 in to 3 in) in diameter/width.

The two most common types are:
Rubber (or band) powered - which are the simplest and cheapest to maintain, with rubber being the predominant type
Air powered (Pneumatic).

- Rubber powered ones come in two types: those made from wood, and those of sealed tubing metal or composite and/or a combination of these materials construction: referred to as the Stock or Barrel respectively.
Those of a tubular barrel variety have separate "muzzles" fitting in or over one end of the tube, for attaching the rubber bands; whilst others (usually those made of wood), mainly have the bands passing through a horizontal slot in the stock.
A rubber powered gun, besides the barrel, has the following parts:
A spear (being a steel shaft slightly longer than the stock/barrel of from 6 - 10mm in diameter, which lies on top of the barrel or in a track or groove on the top), and a trigger mechanism to engage the spear (usually in or near a handle or grip at or near the rear) to keep the gun in a loaded state of readiness when it is loaded.
Such loading is from one or more latex rubber bands (usually tubing)- which provide the propelling force - and are about one third of the barrel length and from 9 – 20mm in diameter, being attached to the front of the gun.
The ends of these bands have ‘bridles’ or 'wishbones', (which are usually metal or synthetic cord) fitted to them and when these bands are pulled by the diver to engage the 'wishbones' in notches in the spear or 'fins' welded on the top at the rear just before the trigger, the gun is loaded.

What do I need to start Spearfishing? Part IV

Part IV: The Wetsuit

 
Wetsuits designed specifically for spearfishing are often two-piece (jacket and high waisted pants or 'long-john' style pants with shoulder straps) and are black or fully  partially camouflage. Camouflage patterns include, blue for open ocean and  green or brown for reef hunting. Commonly they have a pad on the chest to aid in loading spearguns. Sometimes they have reinforced elbows and/or knees. Often they have an "open-cell" interior, which offers superior warmth because of its very close suction fit to the skin (consequently lubrication is required to put on an open-cell wetsuit). Nylon exteriors are generally used to protect the spearfishing wetsuit from reefs. More delicate uncovered "smooth skin" wetsuits are sometimes used when diving from boats, because they dry quickly.

For more wetsuit specific info you can visit our wetsuit guide.

Guide on how to choose the right surfboard

This is a short guide to help you choose the right board for your specific needs.

 

1. What is your current surfing ability?

Beginners are best to start off with a soft surfboard or longboard if your budget permits. This way you will have a surfboard that will provide you with the stability you will need as paddling, catching waves and balance will all be new to you.

2. Size? - A good average size board for a beginning surfer would be around 7 feet long and 19-21 inches wide and at least 2-3 inches thick. We recommend that your surfboard should be at least 12 inches / 30 cm longer than your height. Also take into consideration your weight. If you have a heavy muscular build then adding a few centimetres to your selected board length is recommended.


This chart below can help you as a general guideline.  

Height		Weight		Surfboard Length
Feet	Centimetres	Pounds	Kilogram	Feet	Centimetres
5'2”-6’0"	158 - 183	110-140	50 – 63.5	7'0"-7'6"	213 - 232
5'4"-6’2"	165 - 189	140-180	63.5 - 82	7'4"-7'10"	226 - 238
5'10"-6'2"	177 - 189	150-200	68 - 91	7'10"-8'0"	238 - 244
5'11"-6'3"	180 - 193	170-220	77 - 100	7'11"-8'3"	241 - 253
6'1"-6'6"	186 - 201	190-260	86 - 118	8'1"-9'6"	247 - 293

For children up to about 5’6” and about 100 pound we can recommend a smaller softtop board in the 5’6” to 6’0” range.

What do I need to start spearfishing? Part III

Part III. The Snorkel: In this part we will try to give you all the information you need so that you can choose the right snorkel.

3. Snorkel
The most important feature to consider when choosing a snorkel is the material of the mouthpiece. It’s highly recommended that the mouthpiece is made out of silicone to provide the most comfort.

When it comes to snorkels there are three main types of snorkels. You have standard snorkels, semi-dry snorkels and dry snorkels.

- Standard snorkels are either straight “j-tubes” or slightly curved / angled and come without valves.

- Semi-dry snorkels come with a water deviator on the top of the tube which helps in reducing the the amount of water that can enter a snorkel while at the surface. They also have a valve near the mouthpiece that assists in expelling water making it much easier to “clear” the snorkel.

- Dry snorkels are snorkels that have a valve on the top of the tube which should prevent the entry of any water into the snorkel tube. Most of them also have a valve near the mouthpiece that assists in expelling water in case it does manage to make its way past the dry valve.

There are two popular types of fasteners for snorkels. Rigid plastic with quick disconnect and simple silicon fasteners with loops at each end (similar in shape to the number 8). The later, silicon fasteners, are more popular among freedivers again due to the reduced drag. The plastic quick disconnect versions are more popular among SCUBA divers do to the ability to simply attach/detach the snorkel from a mask.

An example of a good Snorkel is the Mares - DUAL Unbreakable Snorkel with Orthodontic Mouthpiece

What do I need to start spearfishing? (Part II)

Part II: Fins. In this part we will try to give you all the information you need so that you can choose the right fin.


2. Fins
There are a lot of different options out there when choosing a fin. When it comes to spearfishing you will need a pair of fins that will fit you comfortably and that you find easy to use. Below you will find a list of some general tips which should help you decide on which fins to choose.

Location: Where will you be spearfishing?
- Reefs and wrecks: When you spearfish around reefs and wrecks it’s recommended that you avoid longer fins. These can get in the way when you are spearfishing in close quarters. Split fin designs are also not really recommended around wrecks and reefs. In general shorter, stiffer one blade fins can provide you with more manoeuvrability in these tighter conditions.
- Open waters: When spearfishing in open waters you will need a pair of fins that offer you the most power with each kick. This way you can move more quickly and easily over longer distances without tiring your legs out to much. Fin straps are considered a good investment as they can help you to secure your fins in place when travelling over longer distances.

What do I need to start spearfishing? (part I)

In the following days we will discuss some of the essential parts that are needed if you decide to pick up spearfishing. We will cover the mask, fins, snorkel, wetsuit, buoy, dive knife, fish keep/catch bag and of course the speargun.

Today we’ll start with part I: The mask.

 

1. Mask
How do you find the perfect mask? Here are a few guidelines that can help you decide.

Clear silicone mask or black silicone mask? Black silicone is usually ideal, but clear masks also have certain specific pros and cons. Clear silicone has a tendency to cast images or reflections on the inside of the lens causing distractions or even loss of clarity to viewing, however, some people prefer clear silicone claiming a less “claustrophobic” feeling. So this choice is kinda up to you personally, whichever you prefer.

Kayaking and Canoeing - What Floats your Boat?

One of the UK's fastest growing sports, kayaking is fun, relaxing, exciting and best of all its good exercise!  Here in Devon we are spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing a Kayaking location.  The coastline and rivers are fantastic for both scenery, wildlife and bouncing over white stuff!  The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site which covers 95 miles of truly stunning coastline from East Devon to Dorset, with rocks recording 185 million years of the Earth's history.  After something a bit more lively? Dartmoor offers some fantastic white water opportunities.  The upper section of the Dart is challenging enough to keep the more experienced happy, whilst still providing some beginner and intermediate stretches.  The lower section of the Dart, from Totnes to Dartmouth, is flat and is home to several seals, the river offers a spectacular and pleasurable tour of the countryside. 

BlueWaterSports.com is major internet retailer with its head quarters and showroom in Paignton, Devon.  Stocking a range of wetsuits, scuba diving and kayaking equipment, they offer expert help and advice.  A particular area of expertise is inflatable kayaks...

Rigid kayaks are great but can be difficult to transport and store, particularly with the casual paddler in mind.  In recent years inflatable kayak technology has advanced rapidly.  So what are the advantages in having an inflatable kayak? To begin with, they are incredibly convenient to take it with you and can fit in the boot of even the smallest hatchback, the smaller ones you can just stuff into a backpack and you're ready to go. Inflatable kayaks are actually as durable as the hardshell kind; the top of the range craft use the same technology as whitewater rafts that you see careering over the rocks and drops in Canada and the States.  Inflatable kayaks are built with multiple layers in order to survive impacts and scrapes so as to provide safety for its users, rest assured it won't suddenly pop like a balloon if something pointed comes near it. Also, they're very stable and easy to manoeuvre, whether on whitewater or flat.

When it comes to price comparison generally inflatable kayaks are cheaper than similarly spec'ed hardshell kayaks, BlueWaterSports.com advise investing the saving in good quality paddles and buoyancy aids.  As with most hardware it's better to spend more on something that you'll get to use for a few years, rather than pay less for something that'll last a single summer. BlueWaterSports.com has the widest selection of inflatables in the UK so you are sure to find a kayak which will suit your needs, wants and budget.

Information on choosing the perfect wetsuit

Choosing a wetsuit (For the UK)

Types of wetsuits

Shortie - Comes with  short arms, usually finishing just above the elbow and short legs – they will mostly finish just above the knee or on the thigh. Shortie’s are the perfect wetsuits for the hotter summer days. Lightweight and easy to get into. Ex.: The Cressi Playa Men's Shortie Wetsuit with Front Zipper , Cressi - Playa Ladies Pink Shortie Wet Suit - Frontal Zipper Style

After a busy Monday a busy Tuesday!

The nice weather has made an appearance in the UK and caused our order numbers to jump.  The dispatch team worked at double speed yesterday to get all the weekend sales picked, packed and on their way.  Big sellers at the moment are the new range of premium branded beach shoes from Mares and Gumotex inflatable kayaks.

Olympic torch in our home town!

Hope there is a good turn out on Sunday for the olympic torch as is passes through Paignton.  There is a great link showing the people taking part here... http://www.london2012.com/torch-relay/torchbearers/community=paignton/index.html

Blue Water Sports blog pages launched

We now have an blog area on our website!
blog.bluewatersports.com
Here we will be updating you with the latest news on our products and website and we'll also be posting anything that we find relevant, interesting or just funny.
You can send us suggestions on products you think we should be stocking, or send us a report from when you first tried out a Kayak, wetsuit or anything else you bought at Blue Water Sports. We love to hear your stories!
Be sure to check out our blog regularly for your daily dosis of Blue Water Sports!
The Blue Water Sports team