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[mfolsom]

Guys
Thanks for all the good advice. The dive shop is sending a 5 mil suit along and I am considering a hooded vest. This shop is an SSI shop. I have been playing with the dive watch since Feb doing sims but they offer a class so I'm on for that. I may not get to the UW Photo this trip but we'll see. I ride my motorcycle in weather down in the 50s with just a jacket and jeans, in the 40s with leather on so again, we'll see. They do have rental stuff at Loch Low Minn too if I don't bring enough.

 

[Damselfish]

Riding a motorcycle has nothing whatsoever to do with diving. As someone before said you lose heat much faster in water.

I'd also reconsider taking UW photography so soon. You should have your buoyancy control pretty dialed in and your skills mostly second nature before you add taking pictures. Very few folks are there without some additional practice. At the very least you probably won't get much out of the class this soon, you'd get more benefit out of taking it later. If you have time for additional dives after the OW dives, I'd suggest simply diving to get more comfortable with everything and more practice at the basics.

 

[liuk3]

If diving water that cold, I wear a 7mm wetsuit along with a 5mm hooded vest. 50*F water is cold in a wetsuit particularly if you are doing multiple dives in a single day. Good luck!

 

[Web Monkey]

I have had my class room and pool sessions on OW and and UW Photography. Tomorrow I go for classroom/pool for Nitrox and Friday will be for Dive Computer. The weekend of the 29th is when I actually get to go to Loch Low Minn and finish/begin. :cool2: I hope that 3 mil wetsuit is enough for water in the 50's.

You can hope all you like, but you'll be in the hospital getting treated for hypothermia if you do all those dives in a 3mm wetsuit. I won't do 50 degrees without a drysuit. A 3mm wetsuit is good for 80 degree Caribbean water.

Most brand new divers have a hard enough time remembering "don't hold your breath" and "where's my buddy?" I'd suggest skipping the other classes until you've been diving for a little while.

Terry

 

[Goannaman]

Riding a motorcycle has nothing whatsoever to do with diving. As someone before said you lose heat much faster in water.

It does have a bit do do with it. Granted, you loose heat faster than water, but, if you are comfortable on a motorcycle in the 50's with only light protection, it says something about how your body copes with the cold. Keep in mind, that while riding a motorcycle you will be creating your own 20mph and up wind, and factor in the wind chill.

Everyone is different. I think the op has it right. Try the 3mm. I don't think it will be enough protection, and if it isn't, the shop is bringing along a 5mm.

While I would certainly want more than a 3mm on, a lot of people around here recommend five's in the springs (which are usually around 72 degrees, year round, varying depending on the spring you are in). I on the other hand, am quite comfortable with nothing on for a dive around an hour or so, and am comfortable pretty much indefinitely with a 3mm.

There just isn't a one size fits all answer.

 

[JohnB47]

Two weeks ago, my buddy and I went diving in a local quarry. The temperature was 51 degrees at 62 feet, a little warmer at the surface. I was wearing a Bare Velocity 7/6, and was pretty comfortable - only my hands got chilly with 5mm gloves. My buddy was wearing a 5mm wetsuit, and he was complaining about the cold. I would say that 5mm is the minimum for diving in 50 degree water. I would really recommend that you should not try it with a 3mm suit. You will be cold, which will affect your ability to concentrate on your diving.

 

[Damselfish]

It does have a bit do do with it. Granted, you loose heat faster than water, but, if you are comfortable on a motorcycle in the 50's with only light protection, it says something about how your body copes with the cold. Keep in mind, that while riding a motorcycle you will be creating your own 20mph and up wind, and factor in the wind chill.

Everyone is different. I think the op has it right. Try the 3mm. I don't think it will be enough protection, and if it isn't, the shop is bringing along a 5mm.

While I would certainly want more than a 3mm on, a lot of people around here recommend five's in the springs (which are usually around 72 degrees, year round, varying depending on the spring you are in). I on the other hand, am quite comfortable with nothing on for a dive around an hour or so, and am comfortable pretty much indefinitely with a 3mm.

There just isn't a one size fits all answer.

ok, a bit - yes tolerance to cold helps and I agree everyone is different. I'm also a person who can wear less neoprene than many folks. But there are limits, and hypothermia while trying to complete the OW dives is a bigger deal than being on a motorcycle (where it's also likely a little more convenient to stop at Starbucks and warm up. ) A new diver saying they're ok on a motorcycle at 50 degrees so 3mm might be ok is some combination of inexperience/denial/wishful thinking.

 

[Straegen]

I ride a motorcycle in a mesh jacket almost exclusively and easily ride down to 45 without issue. I wear shorts pretty much all year round as well. I would not try to dive below 60 in a 3mm. I could probably do it, but why torture myself and why take the risk? Diving isn't about being tough and manning up (no matter how many people you run into think it is). This isn't a hobby where you start light and improve gear as you make mistakes. It is the complete other way around. As you have experience you should begin to test your imposed limits one at a time.

 

[john844]

Talk to the shop and see if they have a 7 that fits you. You will also want a hood and gloves. I also use your shop and know they have some 7 mil suits. We went to the quarry yesterday and it was cold. Surface temps were around 73, but only for the first few feet. There was a thermocline at around 15' and another one at 25'. I want to say at 30 feet the temps were mid to upper 50's You would be very cold in a 3mm. The student that was getting checked out had a 5mm on and had to add gloves and a hood after the first dive. Surface intervals were spent trying to warm back up, even for those of us wearing 7mm, hoods and gloves.

If you get real cold there and have trouble warming up, I've been told the showers at the top of the ramp have hot water. Just stand in the shower for a few minutes letting the warm water into the wetsuit.

I might see you out there. Hope you have sunny weather. Good luck and enjoy.

If you need someone to go diving with after your checkout dives, let me know. I would be more than happy to dive with you.

John

 

[john844]

I just noticed you are going out next weekend and not this weekend. The water is warming up pretty quickly. 4 weeks ago it was a constant temp from top to bottom of about 47, so you can see how much it has changed in a short period of time. It might be in the 60's at the depths you will be using for checkouts by then. I still would advise against the 3mil, unless you are a polar bear and always hot.