Stupid dry suit questions

[beanojones]

Stupid dry suit questions

Since I am staying right on the ocean front, but it is in New England. And I have never dove anywhere but the very hot pacific. And only in T-shirts, and occasionally .5 mm suits (yes that is half mil, and not a typo) Where I dove wetsuits made you too hot underwater sometimes.

What do I have to pay to get a suit (and the other things) that will let me dive through the winter?

Problem: I (almost surely) won't ever use it ever again after this winter, because I am heading back out to the hot pacific for the rest of my life. So it is just for this winter. Will I be able to resell it all after winter is over?

Should I first try and rent a suit to see if I can stand it?

Will my face just be in incredible pain where it is not covered?

How do I stand the heat before I hit the water? (it's only a one minute walk but..)

Will my lips get chapped from being uncovered?

How am I supposed to rinse my gear when it is below freezing outside?

How much weight do I gotta carry (assume an aluminum 80)?

Are there any stinging things floating around in the sound in winter time?

Are night dives worth it? Will it make a difference if I do it at 2:00 am?

Any and all advice welcome.

 

[ohmdiver]

Okay, Get Drysuit certified 1st then rent a suit when you want to dive. You can spend anywhere from $1000-$2000 for a good suit. Then you won't have to try to get rid of it later

Never had much of a problem with the exposed skin, but we are diving fresh water and shore diving.

Rinse your gear inside...

 

[Tanked]

If you don't plan on diving cold water after this year then I would take the course to see how you feel in a dry suit, and in cold water. After that just check with the shop, and rent one.

 

[tstormdiver]

Stupid dry suit questions

Since I am staying right on the ocean front, but it is in New England. And I have never dove anywhere but the very hot pacific. And only in T-shirts, and occasionally .5 mm suits (yes that is half mil, and not a typo) Where I dove wetsuits made you too hot underwater sometimes.

What do I have to pay to get a suit (and the other things) that will let me dive through the winter?

Problem: I (almost surely) won't ever use it ever again after this winter, because I am heading back out to the hot pacific for the rest of my life. So it is just for this winter. Will I be able to resell it all after winter is over?

Should I first try and rent a suit to see if I can stand it?

Will my face just be in incredible pain where it is not covered?

How do I stand the heat before I hit the water? (it's only a one minute walk but..)

Will my lips get chapped from being uncovered?

How am I supposed to rinse my gear when it is below freezing outside?

How much weight do I gotta carry (assume an aluminum 80)?

Are there any stinging things floating around in the sound in winter time?

Are night dives worth it? Will it make a difference if I do it at 2:00 am?

Any and all advice welcome.

- The $1000- $2000 range is about right for a good drysuit.
-You could resell it, but will probably lose some $ for it. Almost no one is going to buy even a slightly used drysuit for full retail.
-Rental could be a viable option since you will only do it for this winter.
-Yes I would try it out in a drysuit course to see if you can stand the cold water to begin with. In fact most dive operations will require proof of drysuit experience (c-card or log book) before renting a drysuit. They can be a little tricky to handle at first, if you're not familiar with them.
-As you descend you will feel the cold around your face (I assume you would be using a hood of some sort- otherwise it could be "ice cream headache"- city. As your skin comes in contact with the cold water, I wouldn't exactly call it painful (although some might). It's more like a prickly feeling. After a few minutes, the skin will numb & then you won't feel a thing (including whether the regulator is in your mouth).
- the heat before the dive- you can leave the suit unzipped, or you can rinse off over the head to cool off (or use a wet towel on the head). I can almost bet that at this tie of year or later,... it won't be much of an issue.
-Your lips shouldn't chap, unless they are prone to anyway. Mine never have.
-You will just have to find somewhere warm to rinse the gear (bath tub at home). I dive freshwater, so it's not typically an issue.
-Weight- it all depends on your body type & what kind of drysuit you dive (neoprene vs trilam or such) & what & how thick of insulation you wear underneath. I wear anywhere from 18- 40 lbs. the 18lbs I will wear with my warmer water undergarments (50- 100gm weight) & the up to 40 lbs I wear with the heavier undergarments (up to 650gram weight).
- I do not dive your area so can't comment on the marine life & diving conditions there.
I would suggest you dive the first time with either an instructor or someone with a good amount of experience in diving your area. Like I said above, drysuits can be a little tricky to master at first (though not impossible) & also cold water diving can be quite a shock, if you've never done it before. There is also all the weight to have to deal with, hoods, gloves (which can affect hand dexterity). Also just as a suggestion, you might also want to make sure you know or remember how to breathe off a free flowing regulator, as this can be a common issue in very cold water. Not trying to scare you off, but just a few things to consider before cold water diving.

 

[SteveAD]

not sure where in new england you are, but if you're anywhere near danverscome on by and we can take you out for a drysuit test dive free of charge.