How you don't feel cold before/after diving ?

[Manogr]

hello all..

Although here in greece is still :sunny: the weather forecasting is not so good for divers From tommorow we except a drastic change in the temps, wind etc so we should start preparing for our winter dives...

Since this is my first winter as a diver i want to ask you how you protect from cold, not in the water, but outside..on the boat or RIB when you go or return from the dive...:cold:

I don't think that you can change into warm clothes on a RIB after diving...moreover some times we have to swim to get offshore...

I don't think that my 5mm suit can protect me when I am out of the water so I am expecting your hints & tips...

Thanks..

Manogr from still (but for how long ?) :sunny: Greece

 

[Kane(adian)]

interesting... I don't know what you time frame is like for being out of the water sitting in a RIB with your wetsuit on, but I know that on warm days, a drywetsuit is the equivalent to an oven. Could you provide more info on what the temp would be like in the air?

 

[TAM Dive]

hey......................brrrrrrrr
when it starts getting cold, and we starting having to cut holes in the water to get in and warm up....................
I throw on an over sized paraka that I picked up, put it on right over top of the dry suit until I'm ready to dive or ready to get changed into some dry street clothing. This has worked well when the air temp has run in the minus 20 C, and we're standing out on the ice. The big laugh in those temps is...... my neoprene drysuit becomes a cardboard cut out, try getting out of a frozen drysuit gracfully.............NOT!!!!

anyway...........if you were to find your self at least something like a shell type over coat, poncho style works well, at least you will protect your self from the wind and reduce the effects the wind will have on cooling the outside of the suit, and retain some warmth. Using a poncho style will give you a place to duck into, keep your face and head warm on the ride back to shore, and they are easy to doff and don over your gear...............

just my humble thoughts

john

 

[Manogr]

Thanks for the answers so far..


Kanedian...my wetsuit is wet and not dry after the dive so the wind really makes me feel cold, especially at the return after the dive ! I was also thinking for somethink like a jacket or sailing clothes to wear on top of my wetsuit....but I am waiting for your hints and experiences....



Manogr ... that really hates the winter :grrr:

 

[DivingGal]

When I'm wearing my drysuit it's just a case of hood, gloves off -- and put on something warm & dry.

When I'm wearing neoprene, if it's cold - I tend to put on a nylon shell over the suit. Others I know will take some or all of their suit off. I don't like doing that as I hate getting back into cold, wet neoprene.

 

[fredk]

TRY GETTING A GORTEX TYPE OF JACKET, THEY BREAK THE WIND AND ARE WATER REPELLENT. GORTEX PANTS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE

 

[bradymsu]

Manogr,

When you get out make sure you remove your wet hood and gloves. They will only make you colder out of the water. Replace the hood with a dry ski hat. You look silly but it makes a makes a big difference.

Bring along a thermos of hot water. Use the hot water to make some instant cocoa or herbal tea and drink it right after you come out. Use the rest of the hot water to pour inside your wetsuit.

One a cloudy day, a wool sweater over the top of the wetsuit works well. On a sunny day, don't cover up. Even if it's cold & windy, the sun's radiation will warm up the wetsuit and the wind will dry out some of the colder water in the outer part of the wetsuit.

I hope this is helpful. I understand the big difference between diving dry and diving wet after a dive.

 

[Rick Murchison]

In the States we have a long, waterproof coat called a "Duster" - you've probably seen them in Westerns (movies) - that hangs down to nearly your ankles. The combination of a duster over the wetsuit and a wool ski hat will keep you warm and toasty when you can't take off the wetsuit between dives, like when you're in a RIB.
Rick

 

[martinjc]

Rick - are you sure you're not from Texas??

 

[syruss32]

I keep warm using a specially designed item made by my mom. My wife and I used to always go to the Dirt Track in Oregon and when the season opened it was pretty cold, so I asked her to make me a parka/poncho. I wanted it to be big enough to completely get under and cover the chair and all.

Little did I know that big to her is huge. Basically it is a thick snugly blanket like you would put on your couch (you know the ones that come with eagles, and such for a design and every other thing you can think of) She made it about 6 feet wide with a hole for your head and folded in half it is about 6x8. Then on the right and left sides she sealed the sides together and left about a foot on the top by the fold to put your arms through. You can use that to damn near cover your car if needed hehehe. But it works great as it is warm and covers you entirely and the chair if you so choose and when tucked in it covers every inch.

I know they sell a similar item for diving but not as good as my mom made one

here is an ascii drawing sort of:

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6 foot wide 7 foot long! (Dots added to keep shape)