New drysuit, jonesing for a dive, need a buddy

[dnight]

I just got a new drysuit, and don't have a steady dive buddy. I want to continue to dive in the MA/NH area (have a lobster permit ) and am looking for someone to dive with.

Anyone want to hit cape ann next weekend?

 

[decapoddiver]

I might be able to go. Let's look at the weather later on this week. My drysuit "might" be dry

 

[Soggy]

dnight once bubbled...
I just got a new drysuit,

Do you have drysuit training?

 

[dnight]

Yep, sure do. I am pretty new to diving, and am looking to get as much bottom time/experience as I can fit in time-wise so I don't atrophy.

 

[decapoddiver]

Could you tell me what your experience has been and did you take a dry suit class or just do a few dives in it? Thanks

 

[MASS-Diver]

Ya, becareful you are new to diving in general and new to diving dry. You may want practice in confined water first - we do alot of training dives in ponds toward the cape, but, that's probably be a hike fo you. And of course, just because you can dive dry that doesn't mean your are ready to dive in really cold water. Even beach dives in Jan or Feb can become challenging.

Basic DS pointers (I'm not instructor or the world's expert), but, I have over well 100dives dry:

1.) Be properly weighted - take the time to weight yourself with 500psi in your tank(s)

2.) Don't use your DS as BC - add some air to the suit, but, use your BC to control bouyancy

3.) Practice pulling off your infaltor valve

3.) Think about what you are going to do in a run-away ascent: Pull open a wrist seal, pull open your neck, slash your feet with your knife.

There was fatality last winter off Cape Anne that is linked to a DS class - so just remeber to always dive safe.

 

[dnight]

I've successfully completed the padi drysuit course, confined in a pool and open water at winnepesaukee, have dove Hathaway pond twice, back beach twice (first lobster caught) and mystic lake twice (eww, but it's close).

"Hammering 2 nails a year doesn't make you a proficient Carpenter. Doing 2 dives a year doesn't make you a proficient Diver."

Sums up my reasoning for wanting to get in the water.

 

[Dash_Riprock]

MASS-Diver once bubbled...


2.) Don't use your DS as BC - add some air to the suit, but, use your BC to control bouyancy

Mass-Diver,
This is a very interesting statement. I appreciate that you have many dry dives under your belt. I just finished dry suit training two weeks ago, and your quote completely contradicts my training. I was taught to use the dry suit for buoyancy and only add air to the BC for surface buoyancy/floatation. This technique has been working very well for me. Buoyancy and trim have never been better.

Were you formally trained to use your BC for buoyancy or did you simply find that you preferred to do it that way over time?

 

[Soggy]

I think you will find most training agencies teach using the drysuit for buoyancy and most experienced drysuit divers using the BC for buoyancy. There are several reasons for it and doing a search on the board will return a plethora of threads on the subject.

The long and short of it is that the reason why the agencies teach using the drysuit for buoyancy and not the BC is because of task loading. With a little practice, you can learn to dive with both quite easily and you will learn to feel which one needs to be dumped.

 

[MASS-Diver]

Dash_Riprock once bubbled...


Mass-Diver,
This is a very interesting statement. I appreciate that you have many dry dives under your belt. I just finished dry suit training two weeks ago, and your quote completely contradicts my training. I was taught to use the dry suit for buoyancy and only add air to the BC for surface buoyancy/floatation. This technique has been working very well for me. Buoyancy and trim have never been better.

Were you formally trained to use your BC for buoyancy or did you simply find that you preferred to do it that way over time?

I took my course w/ a very well known local instructor - he told us PADI wants it taught that way (just using the suit), but, that it was bascailly stupid and he then taught us the "right way."

It makes me physically ill to think about the fact that PADI teaches this the wrong way. If you can't manage 2 air spaces, you're not ready to dive dry. Espically on deep dives - a lot of air in the suit will lead to problems (slow dumping), a good wing dumps very fast and is clearly the way to go.

Everyone is entitles to their view, but, just using the suit for bouyancy is an outdated practice and is just not right. For example, if you get into doubles (which mean you're going to prett negative at the begining of the dive - because of the weight of the extra air) you would have to add TONS of air to your suit (probably even closing the valve somewhat). Why not start out doing the right way in the first way? Sure, just using your suit on a 20' beach with a al80 might not kill you, but, it's a bad habit.

Again, one of the reasons I have such strong feelings relates to a death last winter that was tied to a DS course - sure using your suit works well in a 13' deep pool, but, if you are out on the Poling and something goes wrong, you want to be able to dump air FAST - and only BC will let you do that. Also, long burst of air (need if you are diving deep only using your DS)into a DS increase the chance (in winter) of a stuck/freeflowing valve - I woudl much rather have air freeflowing into my BC (which after pulling the inflator off) can be easily dumped than my DS. Again, you want to think about what can go wrong.