Drysuit Training

Well, having just completed my open water dives for my drysuit certification this weekend all I can say (if my personal experience is any indication) is make sure you get some training! It had to be the hardest most frustrating experience of my diving life. Some tips I did discover that may help others breeze through their introduction to their drysuit are as follows:

• no matter what the dive shop told you, that BC that you bought for tropical diving will likely be too small for your drysuit and difficult to manage. Look into a backplate and wings
• you may not be able to get enough weight into an integrated BC and may also have to wear a weight belt (very uncomfortable and yet another reason to go to the BP/W)
• dive with a steel tank so that you don't need as much weight on your belt/in your BC
• wear ankle weights (not fun to feel like the floating Michelan Woman who can't get her feet below water)
• no matter where your instructor parks, park closet and gear up closet to the shore. Nothing like an instant 35 pound plus weight gain to walk around with to make you appreciate that 50 feet can be a HUGE distance!
• make sure to hit the gym before going out (I am exhausted today)
• remember, enough weight even in a soft weight belt can bruise the hips!
• bouancy is VERY different in a drysuit!

This being said, I am glad to have it done and look forward to improving my skills and exploring the waters of the PNW!

Who-hoo! cmt489!

Oh you forgot one for your list:

9. WINE, lots of WINE......

Did you consider/were you introduced to using Gaiters?

Half the Folks in N FL SWEAR by them, the other half swears AT THEM

Norm
still divin' wet

[*]wear ankle weights (not fun to feel like the floating Michelan Woman who can't get her feet below water)

Well, having just completed my open water dives for my drysuit certification this weekend all I can say (if my personal experience is any indication) is make sure you get some training! It had to be the hardest most frustrating experience of my diving life. Some tips I did discover that may help others breeze through their introduction to their drysuit are as follows:

• no matter what the dive shop told you, that BC that you bought for tropical diving will likely be too small for your drysuit and difficult to manage. Look into a backplate and wings
  
• you may not be able to get enough weight into an integrated BC and may also have to wear a weight belt (very uncomfortable and yet another reason to go to the BP/W)
  
• dive with a steel tank so that you don't need as much weight on your belt/in your BC
  
• wear ankle weights (not fun to feel like the floating Michelan Woman who can't get her feet below water)
  
• no matter where your instructor parks, park closet and gear up closet to the shore. Nothing like an instant 35 pound plus weight gain to walk around with to make you appreciate that 50 feet can be a HUGE distance!
  
• make sure to hit the gym before going out (I am exhausted today)
  
• remember, enough weight even in a soft weight belt can bruise the hips!
  
• bouancy is VERY different in a drysuit!

This being said, I am glad to have it done and look forward to improving my skills and exploring the waters of the PNW!

It takes a while to get used to it. You will probably be able to drop some weight after you get more experience with the suit. You will be able to drop the ankle weights as well unless your boots are a little on the big side.

The biggest trick is to just keep enough air in the suit to prevent most of the squeeze and to stay warm. Use your BC after that and you won't feel (and be) a big balloon.

Another key is to make sure you are getting all of the air out of your suit when you think you are. On the way up as you get to about 30 fsw get vertical for a second to allow all of the air from your legs and feet to vent. Make sure your vent is all the way open.

You don't have to have a steel tank, BP&W to be able to easily handle a drysuit but it does seem like the way to go after you have tried it and that's the way I dive as well but I had a drysuit before I made the switch and it's doable either way. It is great for shifting the weight though.

Anticipate the changes in pressure on the way up and vent before you have to but that's much easier if you aren't putting so much air into your suit in the first place.

By the way I understand those who learn in a drysuit from the start don't have so much trouble. I learned later as you are doing and it did take me a while to feel totally in control.

Post more after you've done a few dives. It will be interesting to read of your progress.

Who-hoo! cmt489!

Oh you forgot one for your list:

9. WINE, lots of WINE......

Vats of wine! I need it today (bruised, sore hips from weight belt, sore ego and tired legs...)

Congratulations, Michelle!

Couple of questions...

1. You wrote drysuit certification. Based on the rest of your report, I'm guessing your drysuit experience would have been even more difficult had you just taken a brief intro to drysuits during your OW as opposed to taking the actual drysuit course?

2. Did you do your dives at that Whytecliff (sp?) place?

3. Other than the drysuit issues, how were the dives themselves? See anything interesting?

Some may remember my story of demo'ing a 905 at Ginnie last July...hint: It was NOT pretty...the best advice I got AFTER the fact was from Skiles, who commented wryly after hearing about how many shot of air I used BEFORE getting in the water..."Don't add air until it HURTS" ...

Norm

The biggest trick is to just keep enough air in the suit to prevent most of the squeeze and to stay warm. Use your BC after that and you won't feel (and be) a big balloon.

Congratulations, Michelle!

Couple of questions...

1. You wrote drysuit certification. Based on the rest of your report, I'm guessing your drysuit experience would have been even more difficult had you just taken a brief intro to drysuits during your OW as opposed to taking the actual drysuit course?

2. Did you do your dives at that Whytecliff (sp?) place?

3. Other than the drysuit issues, how were the dives themselves? See anything interesting?

Thanks for the congrats. Not one of my prouder dive days (I was so damn frustrated!)

In answer to your questions, I can say as follows:

• everyone is different re what is easy and hard. Actually, so long as the BC fits the suit correctly it may not be that much worse ( but, I could definitely be wrong on that!)
• we dove at Porteau Cove so at least while I was floating on my back like the Michelan Woman I had a great view!
• the dives were actually not bad although there was not a lot out that day. Several large ling cod and cold water anenomies. I was concentrating so much on my bouyancy, I really didn't notice much else... oops!

You will find that the ankle weights will contribute to making your legs get tired. So, if you do not have a custom suit, try the gaiters instead. They will allow you to get all of the gas out of most of your lower suit, removing the need for the ankle weights. This still might not be enough. However, it often will do the trick.

Even with a custom suit, it will take a while until you learn to dive without the ankle weights sometimes. So, don't worry about it. Keep playing with your weight distribution and such until you are able to dive without the ankle weights. Consider them training wheels, and don't get dependent upon them.

You will find that the ankle weights will contribute to making your legs get tired. So, if you do not have a custom suit, try the gaiters instead. They will allow you to get all of the gas out of most of your lower suit, removing the need for the ankle weights. This still might not be enough. However, it often will do the trick.

Even with a custom suit, it will take a while until you learn to dive without the ankle weights sometimes. So, don't worry about it. Keep playing with your weight distribution and such until you are able to dive without the ankle weights. Consider them training wheels, and don't get dependent upon them.

Congrats...now the cold is no longer an excuse
If the boots are to big or the legs to long this will also create problems.Something else to try are fin keepers(but this depends on the style of boot).Another way to add weight to your feet is the fin you use and like ScubaDad says ankle weights create more problems than they solve.

Did you use a rental drysuit or your own?

What style of suit(shell,crushed neoprene)?

What did you use for undergarmets?

Eric

Did you use a rental drysuit or your own?

What style of suit(shell,crushed neoprene)?

What did you use for undergarmets?

Eric

Used my own suit - it is a custom crushed neophrene suit but the booties are, perhaps, a little big but the next size down was too small with undergarmets. I used the Bare thiinsulate undergarmets and booties. While I stayed very warm in the 38 degree water with them with some additional light layering of silk long underwear (which are amazing), I must admit that the undergarmets felt like they bunched at my elbows, making it hard to bend my arms and, at times, painful. I actually have marks and small bruises on my elbow joint area from this.

And, oh yeah, the sore legs aren't from kicking - its from lugging the damn gear and weights back and forth and up and down the stairs! Man that sucked! Boat diving for me!

Did you use a rental drysuit or your own?

What style of suit(shell,crushed neoprene)?

What did you use for undergarmets?

Eric

Used my own suit - it is a custom crushed neophrene suit but the booties are, perhaps, a little big but the next size down was too small with undergarmets. I used the Bare thiinsulate undergarmets and booties. While I stayed very warm in the 38 degree water with them with some additional light layering of silk long underwear (which are amazing), I must admit that the undergarmets felt like they bunched at my elbows, making it hard to bend my arms and, at times, painful. I actually have marks and small bruises on my elbow joint area from this.

And, oh yeah, the sore legs aren't from kicking - its from lugging the damn gear and weights back and forth and up and down the stairs! Man that sucked! Boat diving for me!

Don't go to Whytecliff then. The walk is a bit longer.

Could the marks and bruises be from suit squeeze (before you realized that you needed to put more air in)?

38 degrees! Wow, that's a little cold even for BC isn't it? I'm guessing that was just the surface layer. Head over to Quadra and it will all be worth it however (and all boat dives).

no, unfortunately the marks and bruises were from trying to bend my arms to do the BC removal and replacement while at the surface. I could feel it happening. No suite squeeze was happening then.

Yes, 38 was VERY chilly even for here but the good news is that I stayed warm!

Who-hoo! cmt489!

Oh you forgot one for your list:

9. WINE, lots of WINE......

That was WINE not WHINE But really Michelle, there is some really good information you provided, when I finally join the ranks of dry suit diving

no, unfortunately the marks and bruises were from trying to bend my arms to do the BC removal and replacement while at the surface. I could feel it happening. No suite squeeze was happening then.

Yes, 38 was VERY chilly even for here but the good news is that I stayed warm!

Underwear selection counts a lot for more than just warmth. It can also influence freedom of movement. Dontcha love paying all this money just to find out?