Some basic questions about Drysuit Seals and Weighting

[guyharrisonphoto]

Hi, the DUI manual says to place the wrist seals "above" the wrist bones. Does this mean towards the hand, or towards the forearm from the wrist bone. I may be dense, but am a little confused on that.

Also, I have not yet trimmed my neck seal. The portion that is too narrow "rolls" down on the outside, but the seal is still comfortable once it reaches the appropriate area and it was dry in my pool test at home. Will this cause a problem with leaks until I get it dialed in and know exactly where I want to trim it?

On weighting, I am going to dial in my suit with various tanks and undergarments. When I get the tanks, I am going to get them with 600-800 psi so that they are at their maximum bouyancy. This is how I dialed in my wetsuit, and is this the same way to dial in the drysuit?

By the way, I am not using the drysuit for bouyancy, but only with just enough air to eliminate the squeeze and provide warmth, will be using my wing for buoyancy.

Thanks for any feedback!

 

[Peter_C]

Hi, the DUI manual says to place the wrist seals "above" the wrist bones. Does this mean towards the hand, or towards the forearm from the wrist bone. I may be dense, but am a little confused on that.

Put the seals where they are comfortable. I have never paid much attention. My arms are fairly hairy so the closer to the hand the better. The seals tend to go over my bone just a little, covering maybe a 1/5 of the bone.

Also, I have not yet trimmed my neck seal. The portion that is too narrow "rolls" down on the outside, but the seal is still comfortable once it reaches the appropriate area and it was dry in my pool test at home. Will this cause a problem with leaks until I get it dialed in and know exactly where I want to trim it?

Neoprene, latex, or silicon? Sounds to me like you are trying to put it too high up. Lower it down some so it doesn't roll. If it is comfortable don't cut it. If your face turns red and you feel like your arteries are being pinched take one ring off at a time with sharp scissors. Do not leave any ragged edges.

On weighting, I am going to dial in my suit with various tanks and undergarments. When I get the tanks, I am going to get them with 600-800 psi so that they are at their maximum bouyancy. This is how I dialed in my wetsuit, and is this the same way to dial in the drysuit?

Pretty much. Work with the wing empty, and make sure you have plenty of loft in the drysuit before beginning your weight checks. Remember you will be doing this at the end of the dive when typically you will be the coldest. I would also starting with around 900 psi if not more as you can always dump air quickly.

By the way, I am not using the drysuit for buoyancy, but only with just enough air to eliminate the squeeze and provide warmth, will be using my wing for buoyancy.

See my note above about making sure you can have plenty of loft for the coldest point in the dive. I put on an extra 2 lbs over what I could possibly use, then when I am cold I can put extra air into my suit for loft to stay warmer. Without the 2 lbs I am shrink wrapped and cold.

 

[Herb-alaska]

I have a very pronounced tendon in my wrist so I need to place the seal higher toward my forearm so that I can get a good seal when I am working my wrist. You want your seal where you have about 1 inch of good solid contact with the seal and your arm If the extra seal then rolls back down over that one inch that is fine as long as it does not pull the one inch up.

On the neck seal you do not want a roll over at all. Slide the seal down again so that you have about one inch of good neck contact it should be a feeling similar to the first time you wore a neck tie You know the I'm choking feeling but your not really.

Your seal should fit comfortable snug.

This is for latex seals Neoprene are different as they actually roll under for the contact point.

 

[Bopper]

Hi, the DUI manual says to place the wrist seals "above" the wrist bones. Does this mean towards the hand, or towards the forearm from the wrist bone. I may be dense, but am a little confused on that.

There are a lot of good "DOGTV" videos on YouTube, and you can get your answer from the horse's mouth (seal goes BEHIND the wristbone at 3:09 - away from the hand).


But regardless of what the owner of DUI says, my (limited) experience diving dry agrees w. Peter_c that you should experiment and see what works best for you. Sometimes manufacturers aren't in tune with all of the variables that might exist for different users. (For me I don't seem to have a problem with latex seals wherever I set them. Neoprene wrist seals...just don't seem to seal for me regardless of where I put them.)

 

[TSandM]

As has already been said -- the wrist seals will give you the best seal where your anatomy is the flattest, which is on the elbow side of the wrist bones. How far up you need to slide them will depend on how prominent your wrist tendons are.

Neck seals should sit flat, if they are latex or silicone. If the seal is comfortable rolled, don't trim it -- just pull the seal down until it will lie flat on your neck. A new neck seal ought to be just a little bit uncomfortable -- just so you notice it on land, and forget it in the water. Otherwise, it will stretch out fairly quickly to where it leaks.

Neoprene seals are different, because you fold those under to get them to seal against your neck.

Checking your weighting with near-empty tanks is the perfect way to do it, but recognize that, if you weight yourself with the suit completely empty (as it generally is if you have been standing or floating upright) then you are committing yourself to getting the suit that empty at the end of your dive. I have found adding a couple of pounds means that I don't have to contort myself, trying to get that last couple of cc's of air out, and also that being able to keep a little air in the suit at the end of the dive, when I'm chilled, makes me more comfortable.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

Thanks Lynne. I will factor in a couple extra pounds for the heavier undergarment, and maybe just a pound for the light stuff. Going to start with the rule of thumb of 10% body weight + 5 pounds and work up or down from there. Going to weight myself for neutrality at 15feet in horizontal trim.

I have latex seals. Odd about the neck, the thin part rolls down so the part actually sealing my neck is pretty comfortable. Will trim it after the dive. Looking at my wrists, definitely the seal to the elbow side.

A "dry" friend of mine who is also an instructor is going to assist/mentor me on Friday in my first try-out.

 

[TSandM]

Seriously, DON'T trim it. Just pull it down so more surface seals. If the part that is rolling down isn't unpleasantly tight, trimming it off just shortens the life of the seal.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

OK, good to know. I will leave it as is. It does not create any problem.