first experience diving dry

[cecilb63]

I recently got a diving concept 2mm pinnacle which I really like. I then took a pool class at my lds to get familiar and comfortable with it. Since then I have dove twice with the suit on both shallow 30ft shore dives. I have a few questions at this point, and though the answers may lie with preference, I'd appreciate any feedback.

My instructor recommended to turn off the auto venting and only ever vent manually. I have done this so far but wonder if this is good advice?

I didn't mind the press at all. In fact I didn't really find myself feeling the need for air in the suit until I hit about 20, and then only a short burst. Is this the right approach or should I follow a more disciplined schedule for adding air? I do know I could have been a little warmer, probably because I didn't have much air for insulation.

I have trouble making my latex neck gasket lie flat against my skin. It wants to overlap, but the size is right most definitely. I went in with a little overlap and had no leaking. How concerned do I need to be about getting the seal flat?

I feel like I have lost a good deal of efficiency in my stroke with the new suit. The boots (not rock) fit fine, perhaps a tad large but mds says they are fine. I use rubber triangles and some ankle weights. But I feel a loss of leverage in my stroke. Will I overcome this or is this the way it is? I'm using aqualung blades II (they are like planks in truth).

I used a ton more air on my first dry dives. Not sure why, I guess I was breathing a lot harder since I wasn't focusing on that. But once used to it, can I expect greater consumption diving dry? A small amount?

It's a crushed neoprene with front-entry. I'd like to kayak dive with it. Will it hold up to the paddling movement or will it cause undue stress/wear? The paddling part would usually be fairly short distances (20 min paddles). I wouldn't go far because it would be reall hot (I'd keep it zipped up for safety - ie in case of capsize)

My lds suggested just using a backpack with it and no BC. That would be a trim outfit compared to my builky seaquest qd. Ok idea?

I ended up using 10 more pounds (40) than when diving with my 5mm wet suit. I'm surprised that much. Is that a reasonable number? When is it too much weight?

Soon I will want to try doubles with it. Any concerns about that? How much less weight using a 100 steel pst when going with two?


I know these a re a lot of questions and don't expect everyone to answer them all. Ifg there any you have info about though, it would be helpful. I'm sure others new to dry would get help too.

Chris

 

[cecilb63]

sorry for the typos

 

[Web Monkey]

My instructor recommended to turn off the auto venting and only ever vent manually. I have done this so far but wonder if this is good advice?

That's bad advice. The auto vent should be completely open. You're only trying to add enough air to stop the suit from crushing you, and allow the underware to loft.

With the vent closed, you stand a much greater chance of the suit taking you on a fast ride to the surface. In fact, with the vent closed, I'm not sure how you would vent it, except by pulling a neck or wrist seal.

I didn't mind the press at all. In fact I didn't really find myself feeling the need for air in the suit until I hit about 20, and then only a short burst. Is this the right approach or should I follow a more disciplined schedule for adding air? I do know I could have been a little warmer, probably because I didn't have much air for insulation.

It's not "discipline", it's physics. You only need to add enough air to counteract the water pressure as you descend. When you start to surface, the air should vent out of the suit. You'll need to help this by making sure the exhaust valve is the high point.

A good drysuit class, from a different shop/instructor would probably help you a great deal. Some of the things you were told sound bizzare, and many things that you should have learned were apparently not covered.

I have trouble making my latex neck gasket lie flat against my skin. It wants to overlap, but the size is right most definitely. I went in with a little overlap and had no leaking. How concerned do I need to be about getting the seal flat?

It shouldn't leak, but it also shouldn't be so tight that you feel like you're choking, or makes your face red. Someone needs to work with you and the seal to make sure it's trimmed correctly for your neck.

I feel like I have lost a good deal of efficiency in my stroke with the new suit. The boots (not rock) fit fine, perhaps a tad large but mds says they are fine. I use rubber triangles and some ankle weights. But I feel a loss of leverage in my stroke. Will I overcome this or is this the way it is? I'm using aqualung blades II (they are like planks in truth).

A drysuit is a little harder to fin with, although it shouldn't be a huge difference. I don't know what "rubber triangles" are, but you shouldn't need them, or ankle weights.

I used a ton more air on my first dry dives. Not sure why, I guess I was breathing a lot harder since I wasn't focusing on that. But once used to it, can I expect greater consumption diving dry? A small amount?

Hard to say. I probably use an extra 10% more air with a drysuit, but I have no idea how that relates to anybody else.

My lds suggested just using a backpack with it and no BC. That would be a trim outfit compared to my builky seaquest qd. Ok idea?

You need some kind of BC in case you have a drysuit failure. Your lds sounds really weird.

 

[dbg40]

Leave The Vent Open!

 

[String]

In fact, with the vent closed, I'm not sure how you would vent it, except by pulling a neck or wrist seal.

All autodumps ive seen have a manual press dump built into the valve.

Of course, my vote would be ripping the thing out, blanking the hole and fitting a nice cuff dump

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Welcome to the world of diving dry - once you get the hang of it theres no going back...

My instructor recommended to turn off the auto venting and only ever vent manually. I have done this so far but wonder if this is good advice?

NO - Leave it open. BTW: did your instructor teach you what to do in case of a stuck inflator or how to get out of a inverted position?

I didn't mind the press at all. In fact I didn't really find myself feeling the need for air in the suit until I hit about 20, and then only a short burst. Is this the right approach or should I follow a more disciplined schedule for adding air? I do know I could have been a little warmer, probably because I didn't have much air for insulation.

Just press when you feel a strong squeeze, and add enough that a very weak squeeze remains: this will keep the amount of air in your suit to manageable amounts.

I have trouble making my latex neck gasket lie flat against my skin. It wants to overlap, but the size is right most definitely. I went in with a little overlap and had no leaking. How concerned do I need to be about getting the seal flat?

If its not leaking that way over several dives then its fine - dont worry about it. I keep mine flat by pushing down the extra neck seal down my neck.

I feel like I have lost a good deal of efficiency in my stroke with the new suit. The boots (not rock) fit fine, perhaps a tad large but mds says they are fine. I use rubber triangles and some ankle weights. But I feel a loss of leverage in my stroke. Will I overcome this or is this the way it is? I'm using aqualung blades II (they are like planks in truth).

By keeping the air in your suit to a minimum (weak squeeze) and by wearing well fitting boots (and in my case two pairs of socks) then the 'floaty feet' can be overcome. Heavy, negatively buoyant fins can also help. Its normal to feel unusual for the first few dives.

I used a ton more air on my first dry dives. Not sure why, I guess I was breathing a lot harder since I wasn't focusing on that. But once used to it, can I expect greater consumption diving dry? A small amount?

In cold water I use less air while wearing a drysuit that when wet - I put that down to being comfortable and warm.

My lds suggested just using a backpack with it and no BC. That would be a trim outfit compared to my builky seaquest qd. Ok idea?

I went with a backplate with a wing when I went dry. You need a BC or a backplate with a wing - your drysuit keeps you warm and your BC controls buoyancy (and provides second source of buoyancy when you do flood your drysuit). Although if correctly weighted adding air to offset squeeze can bring you to, or close to, neutral buoyancy anyway. Search this site for 'drysuit buoyancy' for 100's if not 1000's of posts on the subject.

I ended up using 10 more pounds (40) than when diving with my 5mm wet suit. I'm surprised that much. Is that a reasonable number? When is it too much weight?

Drysuits commonly need a bit more weight than a 7 mm to keep them down, however 30 lb is a lot of lead for a 5 mm -more than double what i would use. For a drysuit I use around 27 lb for a compressed neo suit with 100 loft undersuit in salt water. Other guys I've dived with use anything from 21-36 lb. There are many threads on this board about the amount of lead used for the full range of exposure protection.

Soon I will want to try doubles with it. Any concerns about that? How much less weight using a 100 steel pst when going with two?

As its quite possible to exceed your NDL with a single 80 may I ask why the need for doubles with less than 50 dives under your belt? Is there some reason you really need to do decompression dives at this stage in your diving? I would suggest getting more dives under your belt and a lot more experience with your drysuit before even considering doubles.

If you get a backplate - with a wing - instead of your jacket BC you will be set up for doubles. Steel doubles are best dived dry as, in the case of a BC failure, you can use your drysuit to provide buoyancy - in a wet suit with a non-working bc you may not be able to swim up the weight of the tanks and the air that they contain. My understanding of pst 100's are they are only around -1 lb neg when empty compared to faber 100's that are around -6 lb empty, so with doubles double those vaules and add the weight of the backplate for the amount of lead to take off your belt from whats needed to get neutral in your drysuit alone, and then keep in mind the weight of all that extra air at the start of the dive...

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[USIA]

One of the great things about this board is that it allows people to get perspectives outside of their local dive stores. Definately keep your valve open and I am a big believer in using your BC for buoyancy and to use your suit only for warmth. One of the issues that really affects this industry is that people really try to hard to make diving dry way too complicated. You will notice however that diving with a shell suit will generally use a little more air when you are doing a lot of swimming because of the drag. That's why it is important for you to buy a good fitted suit.

 

[cecilb63]

Ok, I have been out 7 times diving dry and now have my own answers:

- I use the auto venting with no problems, I am surprised my well-respected lds guy recommended only use manual

- I add air to my DS when I get cold -- I maintain a small bubble using BC for buoancy

- neck gasket doesn't always lie flat but I have no problems with leaks anywhere

- my kick is getting stronger again

- air consumption going way down again

- kayak diving with it - will try it soon

- my seaquest pro bc works just fine, no backpack

- my weight is down to 34 and dropping...

- tried doubles with no issue

I strongly recommend the diving concepts pinnacle. It is clearly one of the best in comparison to the other suits I see people wearing. I am tough on tsuff and this thing look like it will handle it. Gaskets tough not flimsy and weak like some I've seen . I got my DC for 1K new from a shop, boots a tad big but fine everywhere else. Get this suit!