Wetsuit In 4 Below

[ontario-diver]

I am going on the same Charter, If I don't have to work, It will be a bit colder than 35, probably more like 30 31 at depth. Last year I was out on Lake Huron with a bunch of guys that were diving the Wexford and the water temps were low 30's at depth. 2 peple in the group were diving 7mm wetsuits with vests and 7mm hood and gloves. They were duct taped to the nines. They made the first dive to approx 70 ffw or so, they surfaced approx 20 min later, they were shivering a little. They stripped off the wetsuits and stood in front of the huge heater on this boat and drank plenty of water and hot chocolate. Poured hot water into their wetsuits and did a short second dive. The Viz was awesome and they seemed to enjoy the dive, once they stopped shivering. There were 2 free flows, one as a diver was headed down the line and one at depth.

 

[Gil57usa]

Tolerance for cold water is what it comes down too....

:shakehead

Tolerance only goes to a certain point. With a single layer wetsuit and the temperatures you are talking about, Hypothermia is a real concern. You can be Hypothermic in 80 degree water. In 30 degrees in a wetsuit it is almost a certainty. Once your core temperature drops you are in serious trouble. First you will lose feeling and strength in your hands and feet, then as your core temp. drops your body will shut down blood flow to the extremities to preserve heat in the core, you will start to shiver (the body's way to generate heat), your judgement will become compromised, and in the worst case scenario you could pay the ultimate price. I dive in Lake Ontario and the Finger lakes in NY year round. I use a drysuit with wet gloves. Last week the air was 10 deg. and the water was 37 deg. After a 30 minute dive I had no strength in my hands to even disconnect the inflator hose to my suit. Mother Nature will cut you no slack, use your head.

 

[Tom Winters]

So people down here in --->southern<--- Florida wear drysuits in the winter, and people in Canada debate the pros and cons of wetsuits through the ice.
I gotta think about this for a while.

 

[ontario-diver]

There's usually 1 or 2 that are diving their wetsuits during charters in the winter. From what I've seen most of them will thumb the dive after a short period of time and stay out of the water after that, then go shopping for a dry suit. I love my drysuit and use it 50deg or less.

 

[naui 15694]

Like someone said it is all about what you are used to. I did about 30-40 ice dives in a 7mm farmer john wetsuit back in the late 80's. I was in aclub with about 30 active ice divers and no one owned a drysuit. We are talking one about 20 minute dive, but as soon as the ice melted we might be in 40 degree water for 30-40 minutes. I started diving dry in the early 90's. Now I live in Savannah GA and need a drysuit as soon as the water gets below 75.

 

[djb_1965]

Brandy, you are right.....we yanks are a little touched in the head....but hey ya gotta do what ya gotta do. I only dive under the ice for search and recovery stuff...and as far as the crazy part...my wife would probably vote yes, except she is there beside me.

 

[carlislere]

Painful, very Painful. Personally, no one is getting me less than 50 degree water in a wetsuit. It is drysuit time with LOTS of undergarments! You won't be underwater long!
Good luck!

 

[spectrum]

I'm No G.i.joe, But I Am A Cold Water Canuck And With Scuba Brians Warm Water In The Old Wetsuit Trick, I'm Goin' Divin'. I Dive With Total Redundency And Do Know My Limits. We Dive In A Group And In Our Plan I Will Tell Them If They See Me Calling Off My Dive, It Just Means That My Nuts Have Just Entered My Small Intestines And I'm Headed Back To The Boat! I Appreciate All These Excellent Ideas! Still Diving Wet, Narco.

Be careful

 

[k4man]

Thanks Scubagang, For Some Strange Reason I Think This Is What I Needed To Hear! They Are Two Sweet Wrecks But They Will Have To Wait For Me. I Have Booked My Drysuit Class, So Then I Know What To Look For When I Go To Buy One. Thanks For The Suggestion, Pete, But That Money With My Charter Money Has Just Started The "i Need A Drysuit Fund". Thanks Again For Your Inputs. Cheers And Safe Diving.

There's a smart lad....call the dives off and wait for better (warmer) times!!

 

[spectrum]

There's a smart lad....call the dives off and wait for better (warmer) times!!

That was post 16, he had a relapse in post 30