I'm have been thinking about taking a drysuit class, and have found this thread very interesting - particularly the discussion of PADI teaching to use the suit for buoyancy interesting. Are there any agencies (e.g., NAUI) that teach to use the BC for buoyancy when wearing a drysuit?
Drysuit Insight
- Thread starter Scubaliz
- Start date
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I have had both, and would like to trash the cuff dump I now have. Not only can I not close it, but it dumps very slowly, I have to raise my left arm and turn my body to make sure that any trapped air goes up my arm. It is impossible to maintain trim doing that. The only thing I didn't like about the shoulder dump on my old suit was getting it snagged on the harness every time I donned/doffed my gear. I would gladly go back to that inconvenience.
Have 21 dry dives including 1 yesterday and 1 today. Dove argon and full face aga yesterday with 28 lbs. 20 in BC and 8 in weight belt. Today convetional mask and air for inflation. Was warmer with argon. Not incredilby but a definite difference. Max depth was 33 ft. Only enough air to remove squeeze. used bc for buoyancy.Surfaced with 1000 lbs left. Was officially taught PADI way but then told to do what was most comfortable. For me managing 2 inflators is no problem. Today's dive was to 125 ft (my deepest to date also).( Steel 72 both days by the way with 10 cuft steel argon bottle yesterday.) At around 90 ft I found myself using both inflators. To offset squeeze,drysuit, and bc for trim. No problem with this. What I did notice was that at that depth the changes in buoyancy when using the suit inflator were more subtle and as the bottom was very silty I used it for some fine tuning and left the bc alone and this worked well. Surface with 300 lbs left and could have used an extra 2 lbs at the safety stop. Would have been easier but I still held the stop OK. Next time I'll leave a 2lb clip weight there.
As for the exhaust I usually have it about halfway open when descending. and if I need to vent a slight roll and pump of the arm is good. When beginning my ascent I open it all the way so I really only have to vent the bc and the suit does it's thing on it's own. This has worked well for me and unless someone shows me a better way that works for me personally I'll continue to do it this way. One other thing is gaiters. I use em and love em. Mine are dive rites. On these unless you have very large calfs(like Walter Payton size) order the mediums. They are very adjustable and run big. They also work better for me than ankle straps as they distribute the pressure over the entire area from ankle to calf. I have never needed or used ankle weights. Don't seem to need em with the gaiters.
As for the exhaust I usually have it about halfway open when descending. and if I need to vent a slight roll and pump of the arm is good. When beginning my ascent I open it all the way so I really only have to vent the bc and the suit does it's thing on it's own. This has worked well for me and unless someone shows me a better way that works for me personally I'll continue to do it this way. One other thing is gaiters. I use em and love em. Mine are dive rites. On these unless you have very large calfs(like Walter Payton size) order the mediums. They are very adjustable and run big. They also work better for me than ankle straps as they distribute the pressure over the entire area from ankle to calf. I have never needed or used ankle weights. Don't seem to need em with the gaiters.
Gidds
Contributor
Things they do not teach you in drysuit class:
....how to use the portapotty while wearing jumpsuit-style undergarments without dropping the arms anywhere gross :yuck:
....how to use the portapotty while wearing jumpsuit-style undergarments without dropping the arms anywhere gross :yuck:
Yeah, Gidds, another part of life where the guys have all the luck, huh?
Gidds
Contributor
*glares at the guys* Yeah, geeeeeeze. I figured it out, you just have to be somewhat acrobatic.
Gidds:
Be happy the porta-potties are still there. Ours are all packed up. I bring my own just in case.
To be honest once I have added enough air to offset the squeeze (and it is only a small amount) I am pretty much nuetrally buoyant and have no need to add air to my wing.
I wear 4 Kg (8-9lbs?) of weight and dive a tri-lam suit with polar fleece undergarments so do not experience compression at depth.
I used to wear 6kg (13ish?) and did have to add a fair bit of air to my wing when I dived a crushed neoprene suit that supposedly didnt compress...
I am also a PADI Instructor and do teach drysuit divers that wear neoprene or compressed/crushed neoprene suits to add air to their BCD/wings for buoyancy.
It makes sense to me...
I wear 4 Kg (8-9lbs?) of weight and dive a tri-lam suit with polar fleece undergarments so do not experience compression at depth.
I used to wear 6kg (13ish?) and did have to add a fair bit of air to my wing when I dived a crushed neoprene suit that supposedly didnt compress...
I am also a PADI Instructor and do teach drysuit divers that wear neoprene or compressed/crushed neoprene suits to add air to their BCD/wings for buoyancy.
It makes sense to me...
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