Left post problem

[do it easy]

Just the other day I was thinking of putting in a silk lining to my drysuit to make it easier to don...

One of the things that I do when I first get underwater is to stretch out- hands in front and legs straight out the back- I think this probably helps get the undergarments where they need to be, although Clare's point about keeping the suit fluffed is certainly a good one. I do add gas on the way down, but that is just for squeeze, not for preventing my panties from bunching up.

 

[ianr33]

Sidemount?

 

[Nailer99]

What I finally learned to do is get one finger enough around the valve to give my arm a good pull and stretch the tight suit fabric out, and then I can get my entire hand around the valve. It took some practice, but I can do it now regularly.

BTW, I'm writing this post from the airport in Honolulu, waiting for my connection to Kona, where I can't wait to reach right back (dressed in that WWW 5mm wetsuit) and do the drill without even trying.

That's been my experience, too- once I get a landing party on the valve to secure the beach, I can move the other troops in to finish the job, so to speak! Have fun in Kona, Rick!

 

[stiebs]

When I was doing my fundies last weekend one of my fellow students could reach his left post easily, but really struggled with the right post. Looking at the video afterwards, his left arm lifted straight up, with elbow point directly in front of his torso. But when doing the right post, he lifted his arm with the elbow point out sideways. Maybe you're doing something similar?

 

[rjack321]

Is your weightbelt pulling slack out of the suit in the process of donning and getting in the water?

Try a valve drill at the surface (2ft) before going anywhere. Just decsend a touch with the suit dump open. The suit is basically at ambient and if you can reach it there, you can reach it anywhere without excess gas in the suit. If you can't reach it on the surface at ambient pressure, over inflating the suit is a poor substitute for a good fit. Bad news I know.

I can see how the valve and zipper might get in the way of reaching your valve when you're compressed. While I haven't had to do this myself, try regularly reaching back and manipulating the valve during descent. To keep fabric where you need it.

I wish we had tried this the other night when I can see the issues first hand.

 

[TSandM]

Richard -- Want to join us Wednesday? I'm diving after work with Bob.

Rick -- Thanks for that feedback. For some weird reason, I always eventually seem to get both the isolator and the left post late in the dive, when I'm simply furious and frustrated. That may be the stretch you're describing.

 

[mania]

TSandM
I had similar problem. My solution is similar to Do it Easy:
At more or less 3 meters before doing bubble check and OOA procedure I add a bit of air to dry suit and I try to make myself comfortable with undergarments. Which maybe looks stupid (I strech out completly - hands and legs straight) but helps. Once it's done I exhaust the additional air I had in the dry suit and continue diving. Then I don't have problems with reaching left post. Usually when I put my suit on the undergarments gets fold in different places and streching helps to put all of it back in place...
Mania

 

[amascuba]

Richard -- Want to join us Wednesday? I'm diving after work with Bob.

Rick -- Thanks for that feedback. For some weird reason, I always eventually seem to get both the isolator and the left post late in the dive, when I'm simply furious and frustrated. That may be the stretch you're describing.

What about stretching the muscles around your shoulder before the dive? Maybe your muscles are to tense? I typically have the most trouble doing valve drills during the first dive after that I seem to be able to reach my valves more easily.

Maybe like this: Reaching Your Valves: Five Stretches for Shoulder Mobility (PDF)

 

[rjack321]

Sure, I'm pretty sure I can come out Wed. Drop me a note with the time.

 

[GreenDiverDown]

TSandM
I had similar problem. My solution is similar to Do it Easy:
At more or less 3 meters before doing bubble check and OOA procedure I add a bit of air to dry suit and I try to make myself comfortable with undergarments. Which maybe looks stupid (I strech out completly - hands and legs straight) but helps. Once it's done I exhaust the additional air I had in the dry suit and continue diving. Then I don't have problems with reaching left post. Usually when I put my suit on the undergarments gets fold in different places and streching helps to put all of it back in place...
Mania

Same here. Seems to help.