Thermal protection in May?

[oregondiver]

I will be visiting May 8-16 and doing both shore and boat diving (I hope! any buddies!?!?). I am the only diver in my group so cant' really go to them for advice.

I have some bioprene, but I figure I will need some extra material that you actually put on. My drysuit is big/bulky and dont' really want to travel with it. I dove a 3/2 long when in the Caymans in March about 10 years ago. I was on a rebreather then (ie long dives) so I did get cold but don't know how I would have done if I did a normal hour long dive.

What thermal undergarments do folks use in May? I get cold easily...but I also dive in the Pacific Northwest when we consider water temps of 60 degrees a hot day.

I have a shortie 1/2, or my long 2/3. Or I guess I could swing by the xcel outlet shop I read about when I get there and pick up something warmer?

Folks mention wearing a hood...are they talking a full 7mil hood (like we use in the Northwest) or a smaller mil hood?

Thanks in advance!

 

[scottitheduck]

Another Oregonian, I love it....

So, in a few weeks a 3/2 should be good..... especially with the aforementioned bioprene. You can always pick up a 2mm vest to keep the core warm either here or back in the NW. They are easy enough to travel with and can really make a difference.

Any other questions just ask..... GO DUCKS!

G

 

[kanonfodr]

Well if you ask 20 divers you'll get 20 responses. But a 3mil fullsuit is about the standard around here, as you can always layer up or rent thicker or whatever.

As for hoods, I feel sorry for the person wearing a 7mil hood here in Hawaii. I wear a hood but it's only a 3mil and it does me just fine as I can stretch my dive time up to 15-20 minutes on the right dive site by using it.

Also, a diver from california who regularly dives a drysuit in those nice cold waters of Monterey was wearing two 3mil suits when they visited. Cold water drysuit diving is a lot different from warm water wetsuit diving as the water will leech your core temperatures much faster, no matter what temperature the water is.

Peace,
Greg

 

[friscuba]

As kanonfodr says, responses can be all over the board. My feeling it depends largely on gender, height and weight, cold tolerance, and the number of dives you're doing. Women tend to chill more than men in general, slender people tend to chill more than thicker people, the more you dive the cooler you'll be... Today I had a 260# tallish guy in his 3 mil shorty diving 40 minute dives saying he was cold on the 2nd dive, another was doing 65-70 minute dives and weighed around 190 wearing a 3 mil farmer john and 3 mil shortie combo and mentioned the second dive was cold (he's been diving a lot the last couple weeks though).

I'm finding in general a 3 mil full on the guys or a 4/3 full on the gals does most people of typical proportions right now, a 2 or 3 mil hoodie or a polypro hoodie and vest helps take a chill off that second dive if you are prone to chill. Looking at your profile, female and 200-499 dives, you might want to consider a 5 mil full or a 3mil full with a hooded vest for that second dive if you're planning on diving a lot.

I hope this helps.

 

[DiveMaven]

If you figure the water will be around 77 degrees you can plan accordingly.

 

[BSOD]

If you figure the water will be around 77 degrees you can plan accordingly.

2nd. Different strokes for different folks.

While there in 77* water, I've been a tad chilly on the 2nd dive in a 3mm jacket+farmer john, while on the same dive there was an average built guy fine in just board shorts (and maybe a rash guard), while one of the DM's was in a 7mm (saying he would dive a dry suit if he could, but the shop wouldn't let him).

 

[friscuba]

while one of the DM's was in a 7mm (saying he would dive a dry suit if he could, but the shop wouldn't let him).

On DMs in thicker wetsuits... what the DM wears rarely applies to the general diving public. Practically anyone that dives 300 or more dives a year here will be a candidate for a 5, 7 or 7+hooded vest. The more you dive in a short space of time, the more wetsuit you'll want over time. I've seen a few customers wear 7 mil suits, most of them are under 130# or so and dive with some frequency.

 

[S0ckm0nk3y]

Shell,

You'll probably be fine in your 2/3 full wetsuit + hood. If you're not you might want to think about a hooded vest to keep your core warmer on longer dives.

Your drysuit hood might be a bit overkill.. If you decide not to buy a vest with a hood I would suggest picking up a cheap lighterweight hood.

Enjoy your trip and take lots of photos to make the those pasty white northwesterners jealous

-Eric

I will be visiting May 8-16 and doing both shore and boat diving (I hope! any buddies!?!?). I am the only diver in my group so cant' really go to them for advice.

I have some bioprene, but I figure I will need some extra material that you actually put on. My drysuit is big/bulky and dont' really want to travel with it. I dove a 3/2 long when in the Caymans in March about 10 years ago. I was on a rebreather then (ie long dives) so I did get cold but don't know how I would have done if I did a normal hour long dive.

What thermal undergarments do folks use in May? I get cold easily...but I also dive in the Pacific Northwest when we consider water temps of 60 degrees a hot day.

I have a shortie 1/2, or my long 2/3. Or I guess I could swing by the xcel outlet shop I read about when I get there and pick up something warmer?

Folks mention wearing a hood...are they talking a full 7mil hood (like we use in the Northwest) or a smaller mil hood?

Thanks in advance!

 

[ntense]

Aloha fellow Oregonian (From Eugene, transplanted here due to Military).

I dive year round in a 3mm full, no hood. water temp has been pretty consistant at 75-78 degrees. Sometimes feel a bit chilly 3/4 the way through the 2nd dive when diving back to back dives, an hour each at 60 feet. Never tried a hood or a secondary jacket.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I dive year round in a 3mm full, no hood. water temp has been pretty consistant at 75-78 degrees.

I believe that if one really tracks water temp at regular Hawaii dive sites for years, there is ~10 degrees F of swing from winter to summer. Low 70's in winter to low 80's in summer.

During a drought ocean temps will be warmer, because the comparatively cold rain runoff has less impact.

~10 winters ago I often saw 69 degrees on the deep first dives off Oahu. You have to go really deep now to find 70 degrees, or find a significant fresh water seep.