How cold? wetsuit advice

[pasley]

Finding data on water temps below 0.6 meters is challenging.

The below sites are on different topics but of value for SD.
http://sdcoos.ucsd.edu/data/current_data_SIO.cfm
http://sdcoos.ucsd.edu/data/CurrentsList.cfm

 

[WillHarm]

Thanks for all the links, after reading some other post. I think my wet suit will work fine for the summer, till I can get a thicker one, or a simi-dry. Im not really into drysuits, Guess I should try one out first though. Now I need to find a well seasoned buddy to take me and a friend out at La Jolla. Someone who dont mind a new jacks taging along for some easy dives. But thats another post. thanks again

 

[pupdiver]

I don't think you will need a drysuit in the summer (although you certainly see a lot of people diving in them here), but a 4.5mm wetsuit is probably not enough. I would at least get a hooded vest to get 7.5mm in the torso. That might tide you over.

I dive in the LA area in a 7mm fullsuit and a 3mm hooded vest. That's pretty typical for this area. I don't think I have ever seen anyone dive in a 4.5mm.

 

[tonythor]

I have a 6.5MM Farmer john set of overalls, and a 6.5MM shorty suit with long sleeves. Along with my 4MM Hood and gloves, I dove comfortably all winter. I rather prefer my exposure suit, except it's just a tad tight and made valve drills in the GUE class impossible.

I'll probably change wet suits eventually, maybe even go dry, but for 99.9% of the standard fit diver like myself, it's fine.

tony

 

[JMdiver]

I dive a one piece 7m w/ a hood in the winter & it's fine, I could probably do a hooded vest for a little more warmth.

Happy Diving
John

 

[RichLockyer]

but for 99.9% of the standard fit diver like myself, it's fine.

I wouldn't say that 99% of divers are particularly fit, especially not in CA, but regardless, I find this statement interesting, as when I shed 30 pounds I found myself getting MUCH more chilled much more quickly.

If water temp is below 75, I'm wearing my TLS350. A 2 hour dive is not a problem... no discomfort, no feeling of being rushed to get out of my gear and into something "warm"...
Climb out of the water, relax on deck, pull up the anchor, and change out of the drysuit on the way back to port.

 

[Empty V]

I'm no tough guy but this summer I had about 10 dives within a period of a month and a half at Anacappa and Santa Cruz in just my boardshorts and rashguard. Normally I wear a one piece 8765 full wetsuit with an integrated hood. I'm completely comfortable. I just got a ridiculous deal on a drysuit so I'll be using it on my boat dives for the winter, but it's really not necessary, just a luxury.

This probably doesn't help at all but I wanted to chime in anyways.

Billy

 

[LAJim]

Inadequate thermal is a safety issue especially on a beach dive in that the exit (beach) could be a long swim for a hypothermic diver. I think people can overlook this. My recommendation is that you rent a 7-mm suit and hooded vest and get some beach dives in and then see if you want to back off to something less - safely.

Jim

 

[riguerin]

Some great feedback ! FYI ... check the original date of this thread

 

[RichLockyer]

Inadequate thermal is a safety issue especially on a beach dive in that the exit (beach) could be a long swim for a hypothermic diver. I think people can overlook this. My recommendation is that you rent a 7-mm suit and hooded vest and get some beach dives in and then see if you want to back off to something less - safely.

Absolutely.
You can never be too warm. There is nothing "macho" about braving cold water. It increases the risks of DCS, it risks hypothermia, and it promotes dehydration.

I learned using a 5mm fullsuit and 5mm hooded vest. I THOUGHT I was plenty warm. I started diving dry about 6 months after I got certified. I now wear a 3mm fullsuit when diving in the tropics (and on Friday, after 10-15 dives, I still start to get a bit chilled), but at Catalina, I've used the wetsuit once....
About a month ago my buddy and I figured that with a surface temp at 72, we'd be fine. Nope. We hit a HARD thermocline at about 30ft where it dropped to 65, and we were very uncomfortable. Normally, diving dry, I'll do a 2-hour dive and a MIGHT have to pee by the time I get back to the boat. This dive was only about an hour and I "went" 4 or 5 times. I began the dive no more, and probably LESS hydrated than usual.

Dive smart and stay warm.