Technical Tip

Stainless does not mean Stainproof

A common misconception among divers is that stainless steel does not corrode at all. There are various types of stainless steel, each with different corrosion properties, that make a specific grade more or less suited to a particular application. Because there is no perfect stainless steel, the selection of the grade is often a compromise between corrosion resistance and malleability. Stainless grades selected because they hold a sharp cutting edge will corrode relatively fast compared to other grades. The most corrosion resistant grades are not usually a good choice for bolt snaps and hand tools because depending on the use application they may not offer the best wear resistance or may be too brittle.

Stainless does not mean Stainproof and all diving products made of stainless steel must receive some basic care to help minimize corrosion. Rinse any stainless steel components in dive equipment with fresh water after diving or when otherwise in contact with salt water, allow them to dry and do not store them in damp or moist environments. Make sure any storage sheath or pouch is also rinsed and allowed to dry before returning the stainless item to the pouch. When rinsing bolt snaps, be sure to work the bolt action several times to eject any saltwater trapped in the slider and spring mechanism. In particular, avoid storing stainless steel near or in contact with other metals having strongly dissimilar electropotentials, especially aluminium, such that moisture can induce galvanic corrosion. In cases of galvanic corrosion where the stainless item is in close proximity to some types of metals, rust or other colour stains will electrolytically transfer to the surface of the stainless item.

An invisible film forms on the surface of stainless steel when it's in contact with oxygen. This allows it to withstand damage from corrosives including many acids, bases, and detergents, as well as salt water. However, depending on envirionmental conditions you may notice some surface 'stains' that can form on various stainless items. In general these are cosmetic in nature and we recommend you allow the cosmetic stains to remain when practical. Using an abrasive is more likely to remove the invisible corrosion resistant film that forms on stainless, allowing corrosion to spread and ultimately making the corrosion worse.

Properties of Stainless Steel

Hardness - As hardness increases, metals become more wear resistant but they may be less malleable. Some types of stainless steel harden by cold working, and others can be heat treated. The 300 series hardens by cold working, many in the 400 series can be hardened by heat treating.

Formability - Stainless steel is generally formable and bendable, but types that harden by cold working can require more force to bend than carbon steel.

Machinability - During machining, stainless steel can become gummy and stick to cutting tools, making it typically more difficult to machine than steel.

Weldability - Take care to clean stainless steel before and after welding operations. Contaminants, such as lubricants and particles from grinding tools, will reduce corrosion resistance at welded points.

Finish - Stainless steel does not always have a shiny finish. In fact, stainless steel is available in a number of finishes, ranging from an unpolished, dull surface to a reflective mirror-like shine.

Boulder Point Reef

Reef Dive | Boat access

Depth: 5 m (16 ft) to 15 m (49 ft)

Level: Open Water and beyond.

Boulder Point Reef is a boat diving site, which lies offshore from Boulder Point (aka Cape Reamur), about 9 kilometres west of Port Fairy, on Victoria's Discovery Coast. It's a good location to get a taste of the boulder shore and reef complexes found between Port Fairy to the east and The Crags to the west.

Diving at Boulder Point Reef

Boulder Point Reef lies about 900 metre west-south-west from Boulder Point (aka Cape Reamur). The reef runs for about one kilometre on a 140° heading (north to south) or a 320° heading (south to north). The GPS mark is for a spot around the middle of the reef.

The depth at Boulder Point Reef ranges from 5 to 15 metres and the site features plenty of interesting habitat for the usual inhabitants. Take your catch bag if you're hunting Black-lipped Abalone or Southern Rock Lobster (aka Crayfish).

Location: Port Fairy, Victoria 3284

Ideal Conditions: This boat dive site is prone to surge and swell and is best dived in very good conditions with a low swell with light offshore north or northerly winds. See WillyWeather (Tea Tree Bay) as a guide for the tide times and the height of the tide.

Boulder Point Reef is reached by boat heading out from the Port Fairy, Griffiths Street Boat Ramp.

Abalone Dive Site
© Mark Norman, Museum Victoria

Divers have the opportunity to catch Abalone at this dive site. Remember your catch bag, legal abalone tool, current Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence, and abalone measure. Please abide by all current fishing regulations if you intend to catch abalone.

See article-catching-abalone for practical abalone hunting advice from The Scuba Doctor, plus melbourne-abalone-dives for a list of other Abalone dive sites near Melbourne.

Divers have the opportunity to catch Southern Rock Lobster (aka Crayfish) at this dive site. Remember your catch bag, current Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence, rock lobster measure, and cray tags. Once you get back to the dive boat, or shore, make sure you clip the tail and tag your Crayfish as per Fisheries requirements. Please abide by all current fishing regulations if you intend to catch crays. See article-catching-crayfish for practical cray hunting advice from The Scuba Doctor, plus melbourne-cray-dives for a list of other crayfish dive sites near Melbourne. For tips on cooking your Crays, please see article-cooking-crayfish.

Eastern Maar country

Traditional Owners — This dive site is in the traditional Country of the Eastern Maar people of south-western Victoria between the Shaw and Eumerella Rivers and from Yambuk in the south to beyond Lake Linlithgow in the north. This truly ancient Country extends as far north as Ararat and encompasses the coastal townships of Port Fairy in the west, Warrnambool, Peterborough, Port Campbell, Apollo Bay, Lorne, and Airies Inlet in the east, including the Great Ocean Road area. It also stretches 100 metres out to sea from low tide and therefore includes the iconic Twelve Apostles. "Eastern Maar" is a name adopted by the people who identify as Maar, Eastern Gunditjmara, Tjap Wurrung, Peek Whurrong, Kirrae Whurrung, Kuurn Kopan Noot and/or Yarro waetch (Tooram Tribe) amongst others. We wish to acknowledge the Eastern Maar as Traditional Owners. We pay respect to their Ancestors and their Elders, past, present and emerging.

Boulder Point Reef Location Map

Latitude: 38° 23.522′ S (38.392026° S / 38° 23′ 31.29″ S)
Longitude: 142° 8.101′ E (142.13501° E / 142° 8′ 6.04″ E)
Datum: WGS84 | Google Map
Added: 2022-05-20 06:45:21 GMT, Last updated: 2022-05-23 19:04:14 GMT
Source: GPS
Nearest Neighbour: McKechnie Craig Bommie, 400 m, bearing 22°, NNE
Port Fairy, Discovery Coast.
Depth: 5 to 15 m.

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DISCLAIMER: No claim is made by The Scuba Doctor as to the accuracy of the dive site coordinates listed here. Should anyone decide to use these GPS marks to locate and dive on a site, they do so entirely at their own risk. Always verify against other sources.

The marks come from numerous sources including commercial operators, independent dive clubs, reference works, and active divers. Some are known to be accurate, while others may not be. Some GPS marks may even have come from maps using the AGD66 datum, and thus may need be converted to the WGS84 datum. To distinguish between the possible accuracy of the dive site marks, we've tried to give each mark a source of GPS, Google Earth, or unknown.