Question regarding pool dives from a complete newbie

[boulderjohn]

I teach OW classes in a recreation center pool, heated as such pools usually are. They are not as warm as a dedicated dive pool might be because it would be too warm for all the lap swimmers and the competition swims held there by the local high school. (I don't know the exact temperature.) All my students and I wear 3mm full suits, and I need to have the students take a break half way through the class to get warmed up. We get a bathroom break and then sit in the hot tub while I brief them on the next steps before we put the wet suits back on and return to the pool. WIthout that break, almost all students would be too cold to continue.

There is a DM who sometimes assists me, and he wears only a rashguard. He jokes about being able to do it because of the "bioprene" that covers his body. He is definitely the exception.

Now, I do wear a rashguard. I wear it to cover my upper body so that students don't have to look at it while I am going over things on the pool deck, and I then cover it with my wet suit when we get in the water. So, if you want to buy a rash guard for that purpose, go ahead. Jsut don't be fooled into thinking it will keep you warm enough during the full instructiional process.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I teach in a dedicated pool for scuba training. The water is between 86 and 88 degrees.

When we are doing the 300 yd swim, tread float, underwater swim, and snorkeling/skin diving skills we are in bathing suits.

From then on I am in a 3 mil fullsuit and students are in 3 mil shorties or full suit. Their choice. Some get too warm in the fullsuit. Most do not.

I limit my sessions to 2 hours or so (2 1/2 max). After that people seem to start to get tired. When they get tired they seem to get cold. When those two things happen the learning process often comes to a grinding halt and they no longer have fun.

As RJP said, simple physics. The water and items in it want to equalize temperatures. The water will win. Every time.

For the last two pool sessions I put students in a 7 mil or 6.5 mil farmer john top. The last one is in a 7 mil or full FJ rig of 6.5 or 5 mil.

We do our checkouts in a local lake ten minutes from the shop with several thermoclines. Last weekend it was 76 down to 14 feet or so. below that to 25 it dropped to 68. at 35 it dropped to 62. At 45 feet it was 54 degrees.

I want my students dressed for the coldest temps they will encounter on checkouts. That means I also want them to know what a 7 mil with gloves and hood feels like or the FJ set up before we get to open water. At first they are warm in the pool. Two hours later they are not complaining at all about being too warm.

In fact about a half hour in they start smiling because they don't have to keep moving to stay warm.

 

[Neilwood]

Definitely sounds like you heard what you wanted to hear.

Probably right - but the added info that I omitted to mention is that my course will almost be 1-1 with an instructor so I shouldn't be having a lot of time waiting around in the pool doing nothing and getting cold.

The other part is that for £10 for a rash vest (which can be reused for other things such as wearing it like a thermal top when out of the water) against probably £50-100 for a wetsuit that might not be used after the course (if I went for a 3mm, it would be no use for our climate here and I am not looking at warmer water holidays in the immediate future.