Drysuit vs BCD bouyancy control

[String]

Air movement shouldnt really be an issue if its a single/pony setup diver who is properly weighted.

I dropped some weight the last 2 weeks and have found although lately ive used the BC for buoyancy by the time ive removed squeeze im neutral anyway and havent needed to add any air to the BC. I also forgot how much i liked the "raise arm to dump some air from cuff dump" without needed to reach for buttons etc when swimming along

 

[SubMariner]

Hey, can you engineering dudes go PM?

Thanks,

 

[Daryl Morse]

That's what I meant to say, sorry being inaccurate. With neoprene DS air is needeed both in the DS and in the BC. In the DS becouse of the air in the underwear, and in the BC becouse of the air in the neoprene.

I've dived with both neoprene and shell suits, and you need air in both. I don't think it matters what type of drysuit, if you're wearing insulating underwear, it will squeeze if you don't use the inflator.

 

[Lightning Fish]

Hey, can you engineering dudes go PM?

Thanks,

Yeah, I've been meaning to apologize to the original poster for hijacking his thread - a long time ago. I did vote a long time ago as well. I use my BC for bouyancy and drysuit for squeeze. There are times where releaving squeeze keeps me neutral until I reach deeper depths and start using the BC more.

Bill.

 

[NauticalbutNice]

My name is Nauticalbutnice and I use my drysuit for buoyancy *hangs head in shame*

Hey, so that's the way I work. I find it easier and more streamlined than using bc + drysuit. That's just me. And no I've never had any fin first ascents/massively uncontrolled ascents etc etc.

Come on flamers...make my day :comeandge

Nauticalbutnice :fruit:

 

[MrConclusion]

Drysuit - Add air for comfort to eliminate squeeze. Above 40-60ft if I am properly weighted, a little fine tuning here is all I need.

BCD - Descending below 40-60ft compresses my Neo drysuit, so I end up adding a little air here. I usually dump it all while ascending.

 

[cameron]

I think there is this fear in drysuit divers that if there is a little too much air in the suit then they are going to end up in a feet first ascent. It can be pretty comfortable having a bubble of air rolling all throught the suit. Warm up the feet, warm up the hands, warm up the legs. You can really change body position to maintain trim with lots of air in your suit. Just get past the fear

 

[mempilot]

You can really change body position to maintain trim with lots of air in your suit. Just get past the fear

I'm sorry, but I find this comical and dangerous. Why would a certifying agency teach minimal air in the bc to maintain bouyancy via proper weighting, but then justify putting 'lots' of air in the suit? 'Get past the fear.' ???

I don't think it's fear. I think it's common sense.

Sorry to burst your 'bubble'.

 

[cameron]

why is it dangerous??

 

[mempilot]

Please quote one piece of material that promotes putting 'lots' of air in anything attached to the body while at depth. This would indicate a gross overweighting to allow for a 'lot' of air to be introduced.

Are you trying to tell me that you can get all that air out of a drysuit if needed faster than you can get it out of a bc bladder?

Go back to basic open water - what did you learn about air, volume, and pressure. Boyles - remember.

Now apply that to the drysuit. If you are putting, to quote you, 'a lot of air in the ds', then you are subjecting yourself to a lot of dynamic stability problems with not only the position of the air as it relates to the center of mass, but also Boyle's law at a multiplied factor.

If you don't see the potential danger in that, then I won't waste your time anymore.

Go ahead and do what you want, but putting a lot of gas in anything at depth that is permenately attached to the body without a quick way of dumping it is dangerous.

Properly weighted, you should be able to reduce squeeze and stay neutral by using just a shot or dump of air from the bc without having to mess with the drysuit at all until ascent.