Otter Bay hood.

[eelnoraa]

Cool, I am just about to order one. Good tips!

 

[p1p]

How is this still working for you? I'm debating getting one for our winter diving up here.

 

[Peter_C]

How is this still working for you? I'm debating getting one for our winter diving up here.

There is no debating, you just do it! I couldn't imagine diving there in the summer without my Otter Bay hood and our waters are barely warmer if not the same temp sometimes.

 

[p1p]

how did that hood affect your trim? I'm abit foot heavy as is.

 

[Peter_C]

how did that hood affect your trim? I'm abit foot heavy as is.

What fins do you use? What kick do you use? Also do you know where your feet are when you are stationary? Integrated weights or weight belt? BC? You can always move weight up higher if needed. If using a frog kick you can bring your feet in more towards your butt.

The Otter Bay hood has a lot of buoyancy to it, although it doesn't really matter. If you are warm you will enjoy the dive. If you are cold...well then it is not as much fun.

 

[p1p]

I lightened my fins from jets to F1's which helped alot, as well as moved a few pounds up higher on my tank bands as well (from 8-10 pds).

rest of my lead is on a DUI Weight and trim. I'm pretty well trimmed now, slightly foot heavy but workable, but with the neoprene helmet, I'm concerned it'll mess my trim all up again, which is why I asked. I'm not head cold, just overall cold due to a 40pd weight loss (less bioprene), plus I dive a GEM rebreather, so long dives (1:15-1:30)(or more) are the norm.

 

[Peter_C]

If you are frog kicking work on bringing your feet more towards your head and see what happens. In doubles I face plant hard if I bring my feet forward. Getting someone to film you helps a lot, but you probably already know that.

If you are over all cold, do you notice your hands and feet getting cold? Sometime grab someones hand who hasn't been in the water and see how much colder you are. I find with dry gloves I can keep my hands warm. My feet require thick socks and 400g booties not only to stay warm but to also fill in my shoes for a connection to my fins. We have been known to do up to 80 minute dives in 48 degree water and come out chilled but not shivering cold.

The rebreather helps keep you much warmer too doesn't it?

 

[Akimbo]

…The rebreather helps keep you much warmer too doesn't it?

Depends on the water temperature and the ‘breather. We did some studies several years ago on eCCRs for saturation bailout systems. The break-even point on the models we evaluated was between 38 and 49° water temperature on a 2% HeO2 mix. We didn’t test Trimix, which should be better.

We had thermocouples in the mouthpiece, exhalation bag, on the outlet side of the ‘sorb, and in the inhalation bag. The heat/calories were greater from the diver’s exhalations than from the exothermic reaction of the ‘sorb under light workloads. Insulated and non-compressible breathing bags plus a canister cover would make a huge difference… if we could get it.

 

[p1p]

If you are frog kicking work on bringing your feet more towards your head and see what happens. In doubles I face plant hard if I bring my feet forward. Getting someone to film you helps a lot, but you probably already know that.

If you are over all cold, do you notice your hands and feet getting cold? Sometime grab someones hand who hasn't been in the water and see how much colder you are. I find with dry gloves I can keep my hands warm. My feet require thick socks and 400g booties not only to stay warm but to also fill in my shoes for a connection to my fins. We have been known to do up to 80 minute dives in 48 degree water and come out chilled but not shivering cold.

The rebreather helps keep you much warmer too doesn't it?

I already use insulated dry gloves, and merlino wool socks, , plus 3mm neoprene socks, plus rock boots. I may just try a neoprene beanie cap.