Exposure protection lesson

[DiveMaven]

Okay, so on our trip last month to Maui we dove every morning for 8 days straight. With the water at 79-80 degrees, it never occurred to me that my 3mm full suit wouldn't be enough.

Low and behold, on our 7th and 8th day of diving I got cold on our second tanks. Heck, I dove in Maui in a 3mm shorty the year before in 74 degree water and was fine, would never have predicted getting cold in a full suit in water 5 degrees warmer. Since we're doing our first liveaboard in Belize in December where the water will be about the same as Maui was, I realized that 3mm simply isn't enough for repetitive diving. I wrestled with the decision of buying a beanie, buying a vest, buying a core warmer, or buying a 5mm full suit. Finally after lots of conversations with people more experienced than I, the decision was made to buy a 5mm full suit.

We'll see how the 5mm works in Belize, but I know that when we're back on Maui in April, and the water is 74 degrees, I'm betting I'll be very glad I bit the bullet and went for the 5mm suit. Especially since even though we'll be in Maui for a short trip ....only 6 days...waaa!....we're planning to dive 4 of them. Its amazing how quickly the body's core temperature will go down with repetitive diving, and it was a good lesson for me. Just thought I'd share.

 

[The Kraken]

Unless the water is 98.6 degrees F, you're going to lose body heat.

the K

 

[kidspot]

Since the zipper on my 3mil got busted on my trip to Oahu last week, I'm considering replacing it with a 5 mil suit ... either that or replacing the zipper with velcro ... I wonder how that would hold up?

I still start getting chilled in my 3mil full (with hood) after about an hour, so I understand your choice of a 5. I know several DM's/Instructors on Maui that wear 7mil suits, and 1 friend of mine wears a 7mil farmer john for freediving...



Aloha, Tim

 

[Charlie99]

Unless the water is 98.6 degrees F, you're going to lose body heat.

the K

Your point is good, but IIRC, normal skin temp is something more like 91F/33C and the body is used to dumping internally generated heat, so the truly neutral temp is something a bit lower than 98.6F/37C.

91FF being the neutral point also matches up with my crude observations about the relative thermal protection I prefer for 86F vs 80F.

 

[The Kraken]

Whatever.

 

[Charlie99]

Whatever.

I guess the difference only counts to use warm-water-wusses that consider 84F temperate, and anything below 80F kind of chilly. :banana:

 

[justleesa]

Yeah, the water will sink your core temp, There was a time last year where I dove 16 dives in 4 days.....By the end of the day I was feeillng chilled. Hope the suit works for you!

Sorry Tim, I didn't know your Suit broke while you were here....I guess you and Wildcard were Jinxed :frown:

 

[pants!]

Water that's 98.6F would mean your body cannot possibly expel the heat it creates, and your core temp will rise. Charlie is spot on

 

[kidspot]

Sorry Tim, I didn't know your Suit broke while you were here....I guess you and Wildcard were Jinxed :frown:

lol - a little cave line and an awl let me sew it up instead of zip it up ... that's why I didn't take it off between the last 2 dives - too much hassle to get it sewn back together again It worked fine and I had a great time!

Too bad about Wildcards camera though

Aloha, Tim

 

[fdog]

DiveMe, I was diving in Kona a month ago, and did 27 dives over 6 days. Using a 3mm suit I was (very) chilled by day 3. Water temps were 80 to 76, depending on the dive site.

I have a 3mm core warmer as well as a 3mm hood I take on these trips, and was toasty warm with those on top of the 3mm suit, even on the last days.

My wife has a White's Tropical Drysuit she switches to when she gets chilled.

All the best, James