How Dry is Dry?

[Kamala]

My intended and I are getting married on the water in her hometown of Key Largo. Since she introduced me to scuba, we'd like to include scuba as part of the wedding. (Danielle got me an OW course for my birthday, knowing that for years I'd wanted to take up scuba but hadn't had the time.:07: ) So the current plan is for me to hang out under water, generally using the snorkel, but possibly a few feet down to stay hidden, wearing a drysuit. I know there are a large number of safety precautions we have to take if we go through with this, but before we get to that stage, my future wife needs some assurance that I will be reasonably dry and presentable after I get out of the water. So how dry will I be? Also, how quickly will I be able to duff the drysuit? This will be a far from formal affair; hawaiian shirts will abound, groom included, so if I have a quick dry bathing suit and a white t-shirt on under the dry suit and I'm reasonably dry, I can have my clothes waiting for me at the arch and change out of the drysuit and into the wedding gear in front of the guests to their delight and amusement. Or to their shock and chagrin. Also, feel free to throw in any safety considerations you can think of, a little outside input never hurt. What say you? Or will you forever hold your piece? (or is it peace?)

 

[String]

Dry, often isnt totally dry.

You sweat a lot in a drysuit, in cooler water you get condensation forming inside the suit, dump valves can seep occasionally.

Depends how presentable you want to be...

 

[Kamala]

Hmmmm. I guess I'll have to go with a short haircut so my hair looks decent post-water. What's a lot of sweat? Will I be reeking from 30 minutes of sitting in the water doing nothing?

 

[SubMariner]

My intended and I are getting married on the water in her hometown of Key Largo. Since she introduced me to scuba, we'd like to include scuba as part of the wedding. (Danielle got me an OW course for my birthday, knowing that for years I'd wanted to take up scuba but hadn't had the time.:07: ) So the current plan is for me to hang out under water, generally using the snorkel, but possibly a few feet down to stay hidden, wearing a drysuit. I know there are a large number of safety precautions we have to take if we go through with this, but before we get to that stage, my future wife needs some assurance that I will be reasonably dry and presentable after I get out of the water. So how dry will I be? Also, how quickly will I be able to duff the drysuit? This will be a far from formal affair; hawaiian shirts will abound, groom included, so if I have a quick dry bathing suit and a white t-shirt on under the dry suit and I'm reasonably dry, I can have my clothes waiting for me at the arch and change out of the drysuit and into the wedding gear in front of the guests to their delight and amusement. Or to their shock and chagrin. Also, feel free to throw in any safety considerations you can think of, a little outside input never hurt. What say you? Or will you forever hold your piece? (or is it peace?)

After 10 yrs diving dry with various suits, I can tell you that no suit is 100% dry. That's because even with good seals, water MAY travel down your neck if you suddenly look up or up your arms if you do an upward reach. (Water tends to travel down arm or neck tendons.)

That being said, I think barring any huge complications, like forgetting to properly zip the drysuit zipper , you SHOULD be "reasonably dry".

How quickly you get out of the suit depends on the suit: if it is a self-donner (big diagonal zip across the front) it's a no brainer. Drysuits with a zip across the shoulders in the back DEFINITELY require assistance. Also trilams tend to be easier to get in/out of than neoprenes.

Some advice: try to get in a few practice sessions in advance, esp with regard to weighting. That way you won't have to fight with the suit when this is all hapening.

Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.

:yelclap: Meanwhile: congrats!!! :yelclap:

 

[Daryl Morse]

my future wife needs some assurance that I will be reasonably dry and presentable after I get out of the water. So how dry will I be? Also, how quickly will I be able to duff the drysuit?

As was already said, even if no water gets in through the neck and wrist seals, you sweat in a drysuit. The sweat tends to condense on the suit due to the temperature being colder than your body. If it's at all hot, you can be sure you'll come out looking damp and wrinkly. Don't even think about trying this in a neoprene suit. They are even warmer than shellsuits and fit tighter. If you want to do this alone, you'll need a self-entry shell-suit. Be aware that some self-entry suits aren't that easy to get into without being a bit of a contortionist. I strongly suggest you rehearse this before you do it for real. It would be a shame to mess up your wedding.

 

[Kamala]

I think I'm definitely going to be able to get some practice in (along with some actual Keys diving!) during the few days we're down there before the wedding. I'll be sure to post some pictures if all goes well. Actually, I'll post them either way because it might help it get to "it's funny now."

 

[Gary D.]

On "some" dives I can hit the water in uniform and be dry enough to go back back to work within 30 minutes with just the car heater on.

Gary D.

 

[Kamala]

Also, getting in isn't the problem. How limber will I have to be to get out?

 

[Daryl Morse]

Also, getting in isn't the problem. How limber will I have to be to get out?

It depends on the type of suit.

A neoprene suit is like a wetsuit, except a bit looser. It will definitely compress your clothing.

A shellsuit is like a bag. They are relatively easy to get in and out of because they fit loosely.

The zipper is the iffy part. A back entry suit will be practically impossible to get out of unaided, although I have heard that a few people claim to be able to do it. Even some self-entry suits aren't really that easy to zip and unzip unaided.

Like I said, give it a try first.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Drysuits are only a theory. I use a top of the line DUI TLS350. With around 200 dives on it now, I have been completely dry on maybe a dozen dives. I just replaced the neck and wrist seals last month and still get out of the suit a little damp.