Well, I guess I'll be joining the GLWC

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Me too..... me too.

Anyone care to inform me what thickness wetsuit is appropriate for the Great Lakes? The one I own currently is the one our rescue swimmers uses and is only 3mm, so I'm hoping it will suffice, but I don't think it will.....
 
DropkickMurphy:
Me too..... me too.

Anyone care to inform me what thickness wetsuit is appropriate for the Great Lakes? The one I own currently is the one our rescue swimmers uses and is only 3mm, so I'm hoping it will suffice, but I don't think it will.....

We plan on a lot of wreck diving in Erie this year with 7's.
 
DropkickMurphy:
Me too..... me too.

Anyone care to inform me what thickness wetsuit is appropriate for the Great Lakes? The one I own currently is the one our rescue swimmers uses and is only 3mm, so I'm hoping it will suffice, but I don't think it will.....

You want a 6.5 to 7mm suit, a 5mm will work in the summer for shallower depths (maybe 50-60 feet) depending on how easily you get cold. Sometimes you can wear a 3mm down to 20-30 feet in the quarries if it's been a warm summer.
Ber :lilbunny:
 
DropkickMurphy:
Me too..... me too.

Anyone care to inform me what thickness wetsuit is appropriate for the Great Lakes? The one I own currently is the one our rescue swimmers uses and is only 3mm, so I'm hoping it will suffice, but I don't think it will.....

Welcome Steve. Realistically, for Great Lakes diving any thing more than shallow protected bays, you will want a 7mm Farmer John and hood, or a 7mm streamer style with a hooded vest. I've been out with guys who try to do the big pond in a 3mm. They come back up blue and shivering, usually talking about getting a new wet suit, or dry suit. :eek:
You have to do it though, some of the best wreck diving is in the Great Lakes.
 
I would go a minimum of a two piece 7mm for Great Lakes diving.

Of course, this is from someone who dives dry in 72 degree water in Brockville, ONT and plans to dive dry in North Carolina this summer, so take that for what it is worth.

I am sure that we could find you a nice deal on a drysuit in Midland. :)
 
How much does a drysuit run, and isn't there special training needed to use one of those? I've never seen anyone use one.
 
Ber Rabbit:
You want a 6.5 to 7mm suit, a 5mm will work in the summer for shallower depths (maybe 50-60 feet) depending on how easily you get cold. Sometimes you can wear a 3mm down to 20-30 feet in the quarries if it's been a warm summer.
Ber :lilbunny:
Well, I have practically no body fat (damn metabolism) so chances are I'll become a human popsicle pretty quick.
 
So what are some of the must dive wrecks? I've never dove wrecks before (save for the Cessna I found LOL) so it should be an interesting change as will be being able to see more than the distance of my outstretched hand.
 
DropkickMurphy:
How much does a drysuit run, and isn't there special training needed to use one of those? I've never seen anyone use one.

That is kind of like asking what does a car cost? Depends on the type (neoprene vs trilam) manufaturer, and the bells and whistles you have put on it.

Some of the cheapest tri-lams run for as little as $500-$600 a top of the line suit will run $2000-3000.

There is a dry suit certification. You don't have to have the cert to use a dry suit, but I would recomend using a drysuit in a pool before taking it into the open ocean, and getting some sort of training- lots of LDS's will include some sort of introduction pool dive with a purchase. June 3-4 Gilboa, DUI (one of the manufacturers) will have suits there for people to test dive.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

Back
Top Bottom