Any Drysuit users self-taught?

[Randy43068]

Jumped in my pool and played around a bit until I felt comfortable. Then I went diving. My wife did the same thing. No problems to date.

The only formal class I know of is PADI, and their standard is to use the drysuit for buoyancy and I knew I didn't want to do that.

I agree with you. Using the DS for buoyancy control is just nuts.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I'd recommend the book Dry Suit Diving, 3rd Edition, by Steve Barsky, Dick Long and Bob Stinton. I found it very helpful. Much better than the PADI manual IMO.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

Pretty much same here --as others have said, I went out with a buddy who pointed out the fundamentals.

From there I did relatively shallow, conservative dives and just learned to work the suit.

Some things I learned:
--Know how to recognize of your legs/boots are filling with air. For me, it is the feeling that I am finning properly but not really getting anywhere. It means air is migrating toward my feet and pulling my legs up.
--Decide if you really need ankle weights. I tried it with them and always felt my legs were heavy. Most of the dry suit divers I know use ankle weights, but I don't need them so I don't wear them. try it both ways to see what works for you.
--Pay attention to weighting and consider a weight harness.
--(As has been mentioned) Make sure you can remove your suit inflator hose and (ideally) reattach it. Make sure you can do it with the gloves you will be wearing, with a pressurized system, in the water. I think it is a good idea to try filling your suit up --over filling what you would expect to have in the suit, and see if you can get the hose off then.
--I know a lot of DS divers suggest using your suit for buoyancy, and only use your BCD or Wing as a sort of back up. I found this less than ideal. My dry suit is to keep me warm, not be buoyancy compensator. I keep enough air in the suit to insulate me and use my wing for buoyancy. I have more control over the BC. Of course, it is a game of matching to get the suit and wing to work in harmony.

And, finally -- perhaps the single most important thing I learned...

Don't try the suit on the first time without someone around to help you get out of it!



Jeff

 

[dave4868]

I'd recommend the book Dry Suit Diving, 3rd Edition, by Steve Barsky, Dick Long and Bob Stinton. I found it very helpful. Much better than the PADI manual IMO.

Excellent book! That book and 10 minutes in the water should do it for most divers who already have a few dozen dives under their belts.

I agree with you. Using the DS for buoyancy control is just nuts.

I must be a raving loon then....most of my dive buddies, too, I guess....

I find several advantages to using only the drysuit for buoyancy control, but to each his own.

No doubt you have good reasons why you prefer a different method.

I know there are many DVDs, manuals and courses out there for someone wanting to learn the correct and safe way to use a drysuit for diving. I will be using these materials probably as well as I have never used a drysuit before.
How many of you bought a drysuit and practiced basic skills and techniques with someone(a dive buddy who uses a drysuit and knows what they are doing) who had been drysuit diving for some time without taking a formal course?

To use a drysuit, there are just a handful of important things to remember. Only a few people would be unsafe without a formal course, IMO.

Unfortunately, those few may have difficulty assessing themselves.

That's where a little experience can really help to learn drysuit techniques safely on one's own.

Dave C

 

[Doc Intrepid]

i just put it on and went diving and figured out more with each dive

true, i did choose my divesites so they were shallow and easy to get help if i needed it but touch wood, no worries so far.

Like Almity, I just bought one, donned it, and went diving relatively frequently. I started shallow, but once I had the basics down the rest was a matter of learning details over time. The biggest issue is control of trim and bouyancy, but there are details about valves, seals and zippers that are also important.

I bought my first, a Viking, in 1985 and at the time there were no classes taught that I am/was aware of.

Now that classes are available, they are not a bad idea - insofar as they shorten the learning curve. But you can do it on your own if you choose...

 

[Randy43068]

Excellent book! That book and 10 minutes in the water should do it for most divers who already have a few dozen dives under their belts.



I must be a raving loon then....most of my dive buddies, too, I guess....

I find several advantages to using only the drysuit for buoyancy control, but to each his own.

No doubt you have good reasons why you prefer a different method.



There are just a handful of important things to remember. Only a few people would be unsafe without a formal course, IMO.

Unfortunately, those few may have difficulty assessing themselves.

Having the experience of a few dozen dives can make a big difference in how one handles learning on one's own to use a drysuit.

Dave C

Most people find that good buoyancy control is done with the BC not the dry suit. I'm glad it works for you, it doesn't for me.

I'd venture to say that no cave diver uses his suit for buoyancy control either. None that I know of anyway.

Perhaps if diving a single, you could manage it, but it's not the best method of control.

 

[xiSkiGuy]

I read Dry Suit Diving, the PADI Dry Suit manual, and posts on Scubaboard. Then I just got in the water and figured it out. I found it pretty easy.

 

[Tim Greaves]

I'm self taught.. I started with a Bare 6mil crushed neoprene drysuit which wasnt much different than a wetsuit and now im diving a Viking drysuit which is alot different than a wetsuit.. Not a big deal either way..

 

[ShakaZulu]

Too funny...so many didn't take a course. Yep, neither did I, we're all going to burn in hell!

PS. Drysuit squeeze is not fun; don't forget to hook-up the LP inflator hose

 

[grf88]

I just read a book and practiced first in the pool and then on shallows dives until I was comfortable. I use the BC for buoyancy control. One suggestion is to make sure you vent the suit before doing a backroll from a boat. The first time I did one I had not vented my suit and the results were quite entertaining.