Hello all,
After my experience that I outlines in this thread http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/283282-had-my-last-dive-ever-today.html I have purchased a drysuit. I have done a lot of research on drysuits and know the theory of how it all works and today got into the pool to test out the suit and try to get a feel for diving dry.
For the most part it went pretty good. It took a few minutes to get weights sorted out but I think I have know found that sweet spot.
The major thing I noticed was the drysuit squeeze. The main problem I had was determining the correct amount of air to let into the suit. If i let too much in so I didn't feel any squeeze at all I was too buoyant and had to tuck and roll to vent before i floated to the surface. I also found I had to try to keep too much air from entering my legs least my feet float up too much. (yes I did have some ankle weights on and trim seemed fine if I didn't let too much air get up there.)
I guess the trick is finding the balance between squeeze that hurts and is too much and squeeze that is comfortably tight without too much air to make you too buoyant.
Lastly as a question does anyone have any tips or general suggestions if I were to invert myself and swim down headfirst obviously air is going to move to my feet and I found it awkward to try to roll back into a horizontal position.
What methods of diving dry to people find works best for them? I have some friends who never use their BC but just use the suit instead for buoyancy and I have some who just put enough air in the suit to be comfortable with the squeeze and then use their BC (or wing depending on what you dive) to get to neutral buoyancy.
I was always spot on with my buoyancy in my wetsuit so I'm beginning to feel like a noob again and having to completely re-learn buoyancy. However after an hour in the pool I was beginning to feel like I was getting the hang of it. I'm going to be back in the pool for another hour or so tonight and then will over the weekend make an easy 30 ft open water dive to continue to get the feel for the new suit.
Any tips or general suggestions would be great if you have anything to share.
After my experience that I outlines in this thread http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/283282-had-my-last-dive-ever-today.html I have purchased a drysuit. I have done a lot of research on drysuits and know the theory of how it all works and today got into the pool to test out the suit and try to get a feel for diving dry.
For the most part it went pretty good. It took a few minutes to get weights sorted out but I think I have know found that sweet spot.
The major thing I noticed was the drysuit squeeze. The main problem I had was determining the correct amount of air to let into the suit. If i let too much in so I didn't feel any squeeze at all I was too buoyant and had to tuck and roll to vent before i floated to the surface. I also found I had to try to keep too much air from entering my legs least my feet float up too much. (yes I did have some ankle weights on and trim seemed fine if I didn't let too much air get up there.)
I guess the trick is finding the balance between squeeze that hurts and is too much and squeeze that is comfortably tight without too much air to make you too buoyant.
Lastly as a question does anyone have any tips or general suggestions if I were to invert myself and swim down headfirst obviously air is going to move to my feet and I found it awkward to try to roll back into a horizontal position.
What methods of diving dry to people find works best for them? I have some friends who never use their BC but just use the suit instead for buoyancy and I have some who just put enough air in the suit to be comfortable with the squeeze and then use their BC (or wing depending on what you dive) to get to neutral buoyancy.
I was always spot on with my buoyancy in my wetsuit so I'm beginning to feel like a noob again and having to completely re-learn buoyancy. However after an hour in the pool I was beginning to feel like I was getting the hang of it. I'm going to be back in the pool for another hour or so tonight and then will over the weekend make an easy 30 ft open water dive to continue to get the feel for the new suit.
Any tips or general suggestions would be great if you have anything to share.