Do I Need A Drysuit Course?

[markfm]

I took the class, had to since I combined OW with drysuit.
I do believe at least borrowing a book from a buddy, reviewing what's in it, practicing in a pool environment, is really smart to do. As has been noted, a DS isn't a simple passive item -- there are connections to make, skills to develop that if not learned can result in a ride.
Personally, I'm glad I took the class, and have heard of moderately experienced people who picked up a suit, did some self-teaching with experienced friends, who still went back and took the class after a few feet-first events.
In the big scheme of things, cost of gear and everything else we do, I'd have to think the DS course, where you explicitly work skills with an instructor, is a good use of $.
(Again, for myself only, even though the course says to use the DS only UW, I found that I was better off using DS for squeeze, BC for buoyancy. Even with my DS dump valve fully open I find it a pain in the butt to dump from it on ascent, pumping -- prefer to have as little air as possible and just focus on a normal BC dump.)
Good luck -- it's great to extend the diving season

(Now, if you asked about the need to take the Boat Diving specialty... )

 

[VTernovski]

I am not saying that you shouldn't take the class. it all depends on an instructor... I took a class only because it was required to go Ice Diving... however, in my case - the drysuit class was a waste of money. I think I knew more about diving dry than the instructor.... basically I was thought the wrong things in the class - to use the dry suit for buoyancy and don't use the BC, and was also told that I should invest in ankle weights, "otherwise your feet go up"... oh well.

 

[Soggy]

I would disagree "Respectively" about that. Bouancy should be controlled by the suit as a rule to avoid multiple air filled compartments to dump however as you get accustomed to the dry suit a little BC tweaking can help. So maybe the course aint so bad after all. Again I didnt take it but to each his/her own eh!!!!

Have fun diving a set of double 104s and 2 deco bottles like that...or even a large single tank.

Learn it correctly from the beginning and you won't have to relearn as your diving progresses. The *buoyancy* compensator is for adjusting *buoyancy* (imagine that!) and the drysuit is to keep you dry. The thermal/insulated undergarment is to keep you warm. Isn't it strange how those items are all named with self-describing nouns?

 

[markfm]

Instructor is always key -- where I live, a bunch of people dive dry, real experience, so the course isn't just to get you to part with $.
(I do have ankle weights, but that was part of doing multiple things at once, plus fully expecting that I wanted to continue training -- I've got a mix of different weights, handy when with other people, same with other save-a-dive widgets that are useful to help out.)
I was taught by-the-book, since da course is da course, but knew about using BC for buoyancy as an option, changed to it as soon as things were done and I started to do normal dives. Kind of similar to snorkels -- I have to wear one for class, but otherwise it's sitting in my BC pocket unless explicitly needed. My Instructor's been good about teaching per standard format, then giving little real-world options that make life easier.

(Those simple things, like using the shoulder dump rather than the inflator-hose-over-the-head, sure make a difference.)

 

[dbg40]

*sniff,sniff*......scuba nazzi?

 

[mnj1233]

Have fun diving a set of double 104s and 2 deco bottles like that...or even a large single tank.

Learn it correctly from the beginning and you won't have to relearn as your diving progresses. The *buoyancy* compensator is for adjusting *buoyancy* (imagine that!) and the drysuit is to keep you dry. The thermal/insulated undergarment is to keep you warm. Isn't it strange how those items are all named with self-describing nouns?

I bow to your wisdom.... Thankyou for allowing
me my opinion. Im truly not worthy.

 

[George Scherman]

Soggy,
I got my instruction from a lds owner with hundreds of drysuit dives who controls bouyancy with the suit. Imagine that.

 

[JeffG]

Soggy,
I got my instruction from a lds owner with hundreds of drysuit dives who controls bouyancy with the suit. Imagine that.

So?

 

[String]

Have fun diving a set of double 104s and 2 deco bottles like that...or even a large single tank.

No problem with steel 15l single and 3l pony. I know of 2 others that dive twin 12l (Slightly bigger than AL80) and a stage who use suit for buoyancy again without issues.
The amount of incorrect rabid paranoia about which method to control buoyancy is incredible. Yes above a certain weight kit its not a good idea but for singles and small twinset provided the diver is properly weighted it works perfectly.

Try both, play with both, see which you prefer.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I'm with Soggy. Even without deco bottles, and a set of double 95s, if I had to control my buoyancy with my dry suit, I would look like the dude in ianr33's photo!

Proper weighting with a AL80 on your back means you shouldn't even have to touch the bc inflator hose. Taking off squeeze should be enough to keep you neutral. That's not buoyancy control. That's just good weighting and diving. If you can't help but be overweighted because of the kit you've got on, you compensate for the extra weight with the wing, not the dry suit.