Drysuit trouble...

[micklock]

I never took a drysuit class my LDS just told me the basics when I bought the suit (9 yrs ago) and I just taught myself, but the way I vent is I arch my back a little to raise my head and shoulders and cross my arms and squeeze and push in the dump valve button. It's probably not the correct way to do it but it works for me. I put some air in my suit and some in my bc and vent my suit first when acending. I only use 12lbs of lead with a thick neoprene drysuit, hood and gloves. But thats with steel 80 and a steel 40 tank on my back. I did use ankle weights but I havent the last ten or so dives. If you can tow a dive flag to hold onto you can stay a little negative until you get better at it.

 

[ucfdiver]

Don't take this the wrong way, but it is inconceivable that you could have been certified in dry suit diving a week ago and then have had all the problems you cited, yet be "not really sure what went wrong."

I'm not saying you should be an expert right after the course, but for Pete's sake if you paid attention at all during the course you should be able to come up with SOME IDEA about one of the only 3-4 things that could have "gone wrong."

Did you course include academics, a confined water session, and two open-water dives?

I truly believe that you should go back to Scuba Luv and tell them you need another try at the course, and ask them this time to ensure that you actually meet the performance requirements for the certification.

Personally, I'd take a diving buddy out for dinner and have him dive with you to get used to it. The PADI class is a huge waste of time and money. Why pay someone to teach you the wrong way to dive a dry suit?

 

[David P]

I want to know why an inexperienced diver was in a full face mask in local waters....

 

[Web Monkey]

My drysuit class also said to use the suit for buoyancy, but I found that the BC works much better. I only use enough air to keep the squeeze off, then use the BC for adjustments.

I've been on both sides of the issue, I was taught to use the DS for buoyancy, and ignore my BC, then later I found that it was a lot easier to use the drysuit for keeping warm and dry, and use the BC for buoyancy.

Then even later, I found that if I'm properly weighted, I don't need to use the BC, because keeping enough air in the suit to eliminate squeeze actually is just the right amount of air needed to remain neutral, so now I'm back where I started.

Terry

 

[300bar]

I've been on both sides of the issue, I was taught to use the DS for buoyancy, and ignore my BC, then later I found that it was a lot easier to use the drysuit for keeping warm and dry, and use the BC for buoyancy.

Then even later, I found that if I'm properly weighted, I don't need to use the BC, because keeping enough air in the suit to eliminate squeeze actually is just the right amount of air needed to remain neutral, so now I'm back where I started.

Terry

I'm with you on this one,when carring just enough weights you don't have to use a BC just get the squeeze out of your suit.Been doing this for the last20 or so years.

 

[Randy43068]

Personally, I'd take a diving buddy out for dinner and have him dive with you to get used to it. The PADI class is a huge waste of time and money. Why pay someone to teach you the wrong way to dive a dry suit?

I agree.

 

[dannobee]

One problem I see with many new drysuit divers is that when they raise their arm to vent, they actually raise their hand higher than the valve. This will not work, you need to make sure you bend your elbow and actually have the valve at the highest point...

Chad makes a great point. If you dive with your arms out in front of you, it's just a matter of slightly rolling to the right, then the dump valve becomes the highest point.

It could very well be that you were overweighted and ascended faster than the valve could dump. Dump early and often.

 

[diver_pirate]

Just an aside, This weekend a fellow diver had a micropreen dry suit (designed in asia or europe )and it had dump valves in each ankle along with the arm dump. The suit was well designed. I am sure the cost was higher for that feature but it shows people are thinking about that type of issue.
DP

 

[ucfdiver]

Just an aside, This weekend a fellow diver had a micropreen dry suit (designed in asia or europe )and it had dump valves in each ankle along with the arm dump. The suit was well designed. I am sure the cost was higher for that feature but it shows people are thinking about that type of issue.
DP

How is adding more failure points a good thing? :no

 

[RJP]

Just an aside, This weekend a fellow diver had a micropreen dry suit (designed in asia or europe )and it had dump valves in each ankle along with the arm dump.

Another classic "gear solution to a skill problem" for undertrained divers!

Just what we need!

The suit was well designed.

Almost by definition that's not true.