Drysuit Question

[guppie9]

OK, total newbie question here. I recently completed my OW training and have a grand total of 6 dives. I have family and friends in the Seattle area and have seen that many people drysuit dive the Puget Sound. My question is, can I drysuit dive without any further training? Is there that much new info? Would I be better off to take some kind of class before I go out with someone? My gut says that I should take a class on drysuits, but I was just wondering if it is so different that it would be dangerous if I didn't.

 

[rab]

Whether you actually get formal training or not, you definitely have to learn some techniques for diving a dry suit that just don't apply to diving wet. In particular, you need to practice recovering from having buoyant feet. This could begin a dangerous ascent to the surface if you didn't know how to control it. If you go diving with some experienced dry suit divers, they can help you, but formal training is a good idea.

-Rob

 

[SteveAD]

You absolutely want some kind of drysuit training. Just exactly what form it should take depends on several factors.

* Your comfort level with diving
* Availablility of a good mentor
* Availability of a drysuit

Most shops, even if they do rent drysuits, will not rent a drysuit unless you have a drysuit certification card. Many shops will include training with the purchase of a drysuit.

Diving dry is not difficult, but it is a bit different. The one thing I absolutely recommend you NOT do is buy a suit off of craigs list et. al. and just go dive it with one of your buddies from your OW class.

 

[D_B]

OK, total newbie question here. I recently completed my OW training and have a grand total of 6 dives. I have family and friends in the Seattle area and have seen that many people drysuit dive the Puget Sound. My question is, can I drysuit dive without any further training? Is there that much new info? Would I be better off to take some kind of class before I go out with someone? My gut says that I should take a class on drysuits, but I was just wondering if it is so different that it would be dangerous if I didn't.

Dangerous? YES ... get training, and from someone who knows what they are doing and will stress you.
I never would have known just how difficult one could be when things go wrong without it, or that some footware is unsuited to use with them.

I've been told that my class was a good one
... My post on my drysuit class and what you will need to know if you dive one .. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/advanced-scuba-discussions/260824-dry-suit-class.html

 

[CamG]

Greetings guppie9! I think you have already answered your own question! Yes, diving dry takes some very specific techniques and some training practice to perfect. I took the class and it still took about 20 dives to fine tune my skills / comfort!
I would highly recommend the course as I would also purchasing your own DS, under garments, etc. From your location and mentioned dive destination it would be a safe bet diving dry would be more comfortable for you.
I recommend training in a safe environment before task loading to much.
There have been fatalities over the simplest over-sites, unconnected Dry suit inflator etc. weighting can be tricky as well. Just play it safe and get the training!
Good luck, dive safe and always with in your skill and comfort level!
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!

 

[Rick Inman]

Once you have your buoyancy control where it is comfortable, the dry suit is no big deal - especially if you are weighted correctly and don't your your dry suit for buoyancy.

I learned to dive mine on the internet (true ), by reading lots of threads about dry suit diving. Then I went out to a shallow area and practiced. I tried some of those legendary feet-first recoveries (something that has never happened in real life), and that was pretty easy, too. Sure there was a learning curve over the next handful of dives. And there is nothing wrong with getting formal training, or mentoring from an experienced dry suit diver. But I never lost control and did a out of control ascent, or a feet-first ascent. Of course, I used my BC for buoyancy, and only put a small amount of gas into my drysuit to eliminate squeeze, so there wasn't much gas in my suit to lose control of. If you are overweighted and then blast a bunch of gas into your drysuit for buoyancy, you might need intense formal training to overcome that buffoonery.

Otherwise, unless you still don't have control of basic buoyancy, IMHO, the drysuit is no big deal.

Again, that's just my opinion. YMMV.

 

[ligersandtions]

I recently started diving a drysuit and clearly remember preparing for my first dive (the slight nervousness), making my first dive, and reflecting back on it to figure out what I could do to make it feel more natural.

It is definitely possible to learn on your own, but you have to take the initiative to read as much as you can, have the motivation to work through issues you come across, and have the patience to deal with things that do not feel natural. Granted, I did all of these things myself, but I also had an experienced buddy take me out and show me around. If you have a buddy who is very experienced (in both diving in general, and drysuit diving as well), it's nice to have someone show you around....and it's really nice to have someone to model yourself after.

It feels awkward at first, but you figure out what works for you. Seeing someone who has already figured out what works for them gives you a lot of hope that you will one day look and feel like that! FWIW, I am also in the group that uses the BC for buoyancy and the drysuit to stay warm and comfortable (i.e. not have too much of a squeeze, but enough that I don't have floaty feet or anything like that).

You will definitely appreciate a drysuit for PNW or Alaska diving (assuming you're planning to do local diving).

 

[Deep-Thief]

I will throw out my $.02 worth, Can you dive a drysuit without further training? Yes, but is it wise? That is the question to be answered. IMO, this is the perfect opportunity for you to get a couple more dives with an instructor. Coming off your OW training this would be great to get to practice a little more in a pool, then two more dives. Sounds like a win win for everyone.

In my class, many, many years ago, we did one night of classroom along with a pool session and then two dives at the quarry. Good experience, will also help with the confidence. I would reccommend taking the class.

 

[mikeyjoe]

My gut says that I should take a class on drysuits, but I was just wondering if it is so different that it would be dangerous if I didn't.

Listen to your gut. I combined my drysuit training with my Open Water class, and I am glad I did.

Take the class, do a few dives with an instructor - you'd be glad you did.

Issues you'll want to work out while you are with your intructor are what type of suit (reg neoprene, crushed neoprene, tri-lam) Your diveshop should let you try a few in the pool. You'll also want to work out whether you use your BC as your main souce of buoyancy control or if you'll keep your BC empty and use your drysuit for buoyancy control.

Good luck - let us know if there are anymore questions.......

Michael

 

[Bruce Justinen]

Hi, this is Bruce from SEASOFT SCUBA. When I bought my first drysuit there were no classes available. You just got the suit and went out and learned to dive it. Now after teaching hundreds of people to dive drysuits and having over 4,000 drysuit dives I TOTALLY recommend taking a class. Here is why:

1. Can a 16 year old learn to drive with good old dad teaching them? Sure, but they are probably going to learn a lot more with a professional driving instructor. Are some dads great instructors? Yes, I am sure they are but again, some are probably....not so good at teaching.

2. Having someone show you the right way can save you having to relearn the wrong way later.

3. A simple reminder, we are on life support and mistakes are magnified underwater, having someone demonstrate the safe way to descend, ascend, when to use the buoyancy of the BC or the drysuit... There are a lot of very good, safe reasons to have a pro show you.

Just as important as having a pro teach you to dive is finding the right pro. ALL drysuits dive differently, a bag suit dives differently than a traditional neoprene suit, a traditional drysuit dives differently than a crushed or compressed neoprene drysuit or a vulcanized rubber suit.

Find someone with experience in a lot of suits, who can show you how to dive YOUR suit! A lot of instructors have experience in only their suit and it may be different than yours.

You should be diving your suit in a pool or shallow water location first, a place free of currents, tides, boat traffic etc. You want to be able to concentrate on how your drysuit interacts with you in this kind of situation first. Your instructor, of course, will teach you that someday you will be diving these other situations and conditions and will teach you how they will effect your safety, comfort, speed, buoyancy etc.

The pool is the right place to find out how much weight you need (or don't need).

I have been diving a long time and my memory is full of stories about divers who ignored the rules and paid a price or even the ultimate price for ignoring the experience, knowledge and skills they could have learned from a professional. Good luck, drysuit diving rocks.

Bruce