Exposure protection around Maui in early December

[muddiver]

Ok dumb question time.

Yes, I have been to Maui a few times, but the water temp. / exposure protection thing is still not dialed in for me yet.

I will be diving Maui the first two weeks of December. The last time I was out was in February and teh temperature at depth for the 90' and 60' dives I made chilled me when wearing a 3/2 one piece. Here in So. California I am usually good to go in a 5 mil farmer john down into the 52 deg. range.

So, I am thinking that my dry suit with light insulation might be a better bet for boat dives around the island. I have my reservations because I will still need a wet suit to do any shore dives. A dry suit and a 5 mil wet suit in one bag is gonna be pretty heavy. There were two guys on one of the trips I went out on with Seaport Divers in Kauai so I get the impression that dry is starting to be seen more often over there.

Any thoughts for or aginst my reasoning?

 

[KrisB]

I haven't seen many people diving dry around here, unless they're just working out the kinks in a new suit in comfortable waters.

I would suspect that your 5mm will be more than sufficient -- if it's good for California, it's probably overkill here. If you have a 5mm fullsuit, that might be the ticket for you -- or even a full 3mm (not 3/2mm) might cut it.

 

[Charlie99]

Your visit in February was during the coldest part of the year. December temps will most likely be around 78 or 79F.

Adding a hood or beanie to your 3/2 wetsuit would be an easy way to get a bit more warmth. Or go to the 5mm + a hood or beanie.

I like lots of wetsuit and typically dive Maui with a 3/2 full wetsuit + beanie until around the end of January. Then I change to 5mm for boat dives. Only when the water temp gets down to about 77F do I move to the 5mm + more lead for shore dives. Boat dives tend to be deeper, meaning more compression of the suit and therefore less insulation. The waters around Maui are generally pretty well mixed up and I have yet to see much in the way of a thermocline above 130'.

A drysuit is overkill.

 

[divebri]

Adding a hood or beanie to your 3/2 wetsuit would be an easy way to get a bit more warmth. Or go to the 5mm + a hood or beanie.

A drysuit is overkill.

Agreed on both points. I dive socal a lot, with a drysuit, but I used a 7 mil hyperstretch one-piece for many years in February in and around Catalina, so I think you and I are fairly compatible in cold tolerance, I'm probably a little more cold-sensitive than you are.
I wouldn't take my drysuit to HI under any circumstances. WAY too much weight and bulk for nothing.
I dove in mid-Jan with a 3 mil, no beanie, two dives a day for six days and was fine. I would recommend for you a 3-mil, with a hooded vest just in case, and gloves. Then that's all you'll probably need.
I've been there many times, summer and winter, and a full 3/2 or 3 mil is fine even in Feb. But a 3-mil hooded vest or something close would be cheap insurance as well.
Most of your head comes out through your head, so a hood makes a big difference.

Have a good time!!!! Hawaii water in Feb. is still warmer and clearer than CA water in September!

 

[DiveMaven]

We dive Maui every Christmas and according to my computer, the water is pretty consistently 74-76 degrees year to year. If you plan on the water temps being mid-70's (75-77) that should tell you how much suit you need.

Personally, I'm taking my new 7mm full suit this year to ensure I'm diving warm during my entire trip. I've done the 3mm shorty, the 3mm full, the 5mm full, and the 5mm full with a vest, so for me the 7mm isn't overkill. My husband is moving from a 3mm full with a vest to a 5mm full for this trip since he was getting chilled last year as well. He's a photographer and I'm his "spotter", so we tend not to move too much or too quickly, which is likely why we chill a bit more than others. We also dive at least 2 tanks daily, and after a few days in a row, the core temperature really starts dropping.

 

[muddiver]

Thanks to everyone that has responded. I was doing three dives a trip so with teh repetive diving I was getting chilled. I think I will stick with my wet suits for this trip.

I use a Viking Extreme dry suit that I suspect is a little less bulky and a lot less weight than divebri is probably thinking. Even with my artic insulation it has to weigh less than a neoprene dry suit.

Thank again folks.

 

[Oside Jimc]

I just got home from Kauai and with my 3/2 I was got chilled a couple of times, one day I dove Tunnels and the temp was 76-77 and by the end of the 2nd dive I was getting chilled. Also did a 3 tank on the south side (78) and by the end of the 3rd dive I was distinctly chilled! (Also noticed that the OP I did the boat dive with used 5mm full suits for clients that needed suits). And even on Maui last month on a 3 tank trip I was chilled by the end of the 3rd, next time I may bring along the 7mm for those days where I'm doing more than a basic 2 tanker.

 

[socaldiver]

I am amazed at what I read sometimes. Diving in socal I would wear a 7 mil, until the water reached around 65, then I would go with my full 3 mil and hood, or my 3 mil farmer john and hood. Only problem I would have is sometimes hitting a thermocline at Casino Point.

Diving off Maui shores I normally dive wetsuit free, but in the winter months I do go to my 1 piece 3 mil and cook.

At any rate, diving is good and whatever makes you comfortable the most is what you should wear.