Blackbeard's Liveaboard

[hantzu701]

Hey, I'll be going on a Blackbeard's Liveaboard trip to the Bahamas this upcoming weekend. I did my checkout dive in my 7mm wetsuit and my dive buddy said that I should get a 3mm suit. He felt that 7mm was too much for the Bahamas.

While I understand that the Bahamas can get as warm as 80 degrees, I was given the impression that water temps are about 73 right now. Should I bother with getting a full 3mm or is my 7mm fine. I'm a little heistant getting a wetsuit that I'll use only a few weeks a year.

Hantzu

 

[RICHinNC]

Great shades...I realize it is totally up to ones tolerance for cold but I have never dived anything other than a set of skins in the Caribbean or the West Indies. IMHO a 7mm would be OVERKILL. I wouldnt be surprised if you didnt see people diving with just swim suits.

If you get cold easily...a 3mm would do just fine.

Good luck and do a trip rpt pls on your return.
Rich

 

[chrpai]

You could always just rent your wetsuit. BB's rents a shortie for $25 a week.

I assume you have cold weather gear, so I'd reccomend a 7mil hood, and a 3mil shortie along with a .5mil skin if you like. If you have a 7mil shortie you could wear that also assuming it seals good around you without the farmer john and you dont mind the extra lead and bouyancy shift at depth.

 

[Warren_L]

I would think a 3mm would be more than enough in 73 degree water. I suppose if your bottom times are pretty long with repetitive dives, something more might be required depending on your tolerance for cold. Adding a 1mm or 0.5mm as chrpai mentions would be the way I would go myself.

 

[Boogie711]

I'm a little heistant getting a wetsuit that I'll use only a few weeks a year.

Hantzu

Hmmm - cost of a Blackbeards trip - well over $1,000, factoring travel costs.
Cost of a 3mm fullsuit - $100, or less if you shop around.

Get a 3 mm.

 

[Mverick]

I should be there. And I have a 3mm and a 5mm and a 3mm hooded vest.

Usually in warm water I wear a 3mm. And am a little to warm. Just my experience. But if you're diving Caribean. A 3mm will get more use.

I got a 5mm for $100. Only reason I bought it. Because if I need one. I usually use a drysuit. But don't want to bring it there. As I figure I'll be using the 3mm..... With a hood....

Oh, I have a Henderson Gold 3mm. I wouldn't buy a cheap 3mm. I like the new silver and gold linings. And Henderson isn't the only one selling them.

5mm was from Divers Supply. It has the lining to. Think it was a Dacor.

 

[artcumming76]

You say that you did your checkout dive in a 7mm, does this mean you are just newly certified? If so, I would recommend sticking with what you know at this stage just for the comfort/familiarity factor.
You are going on a liveaboard, making possibly up to 5 dives a day including night dives. If the water is ~73F, you will feel the cold after a couple of days. There's no fun in being cold on a dive especially after paying good money for the holiday. Depending on weather conditions over there at the moment, it's not unheard of for the water temperatures to drop below 70F.

 

[chrpai]

You say that you did your checkout dive in a 7mm, does this mean you are just newly certified? If so, I would recommend sticking with what you know at this stage just for the comfort/familiarity factor.
You are going on a liveaboard, making possibly up to 5 dives a day including night dives. If the water is ~73F, you will feel the cold after a couple of days. There's no fun in being cold on a dive especially after paying good money for the holiday. Depending on weather conditions over there at the moment, it's not unheard of for the water temperatures to drop below 70F.

Normally good advise, but BB's typically does 3-4 dives a day ( 18 dives total on a 1 week trip ), and most of them are very shallow. ( <30' ). A 7mil really is way overkill.

 

[Mverick]

He says in his profile he is OW and AOW.

 

[SueMermaid]

I have said this before in other threads, so forgive me for repeating myself. Everyone's cold tolerance is obviously different! I went on a BB trip in November, and was cold on every dive. (I am not a skinny girl, I'm a size 10, so I have some insulation). I wore a 3 mm shorty over a half mil skin, and it was not enough. I wished I had my 7 mil longsleeved shorty on the boat with me.