What type of wetsuit for Bonaire?
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No question that 90 degrees is colder than body temperature. It does depend how you handle that cold though. It also depends on how deep you'll go and how many dives you'll do. My buddy and I did about 34 dives in one week. A drysuit was required. Granted we had minimal underwear but, if you plan 6 dives a day, you'll want that warmth.
If you're the type of diver who kicks like mad and swims with your hands and arms flailing... it's easy to get too warm in a wetsuit. I'm the buddy tajkd mentions in the previous post. I barely kick (ask David, as he's usually w-a-y ahead of me) and spend 99% of my time underwater as pictured here. I dive dry in Hawaii, Curacao, Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Truk Lagoon, Turks & Caicos, Puerto Rico, Egypt, Florida, etc, etc.
Far cooler on the surface (seen here at noon, resting up for a dive on the Hilma Hooker) than I've ever been in a wetsuit:
Same in Cayman...
Photos provided by tajkd 
If you're the type of diver who kicks like mad and swims with your hands and arms flailing... it's easy to get too warm in a wetsuit. I'm the buddy tajkd mentions in the previous post. I barely kick (ask David, as he's usually w-a-y ahead of me) and spend 99% of my time underwater as pictured here. I dive dry in Hawaii, Curacao, Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Truk Lagoon, Turks & Caicos, Puerto Rico, Egypt, Florida, etc, etc.
Far cooler on the surface (seen here at noon, resting up for a dive on the Hilma Hooker) than I've ever been in a wetsuit:
Same in Cayman...
drrich2
Contributor
I'm big & chunky, and can dive down to 75 degrees in swim trunks & a t-shirt. If I hold still awhile in 75 degree water, I get a little chilly.
Recently at Bonaire 4-20-13 to 4-27-13, diving 4-21-13 to 4-26-13, and I think my backup computer read 77 degrees first day, and 78 on other days I noticed. My buddy had a skin suit, got chilly & rented a shorty to wear over it. But he's small, really lean and chills easily.
I wore swim trunks, and for sun protection (& to reduce the area I had to put sun screen on) I wore a black long-sleeve Champion shirt a buddy gave me. Light, dries fast, slick & smooth, very easy to rinse & wring out after a dive, it did the job. But I did not wear it for warmth.
Richard.
Recently at Bonaire 4-20-13 to 4-27-13, diving 4-21-13 to 4-26-13, and I think my backup computer read 77 degrees first day, and 78 on other days I noticed. My buddy had a skin suit, got chilly & rented a shorty to wear over it. But he's small, really lean and chills easily.
I wore swim trunks, and for sun protection (& to reduce the area I had to put sun screen on) I wore a black long-sleeve Champion shirt a buddy gave me. Light, dries fast, slick & smooth, very easy to rinse & wring out after a dive, it did the job. But I did not wear it for warmth.
Richard.
Just curious... what's the average bottom time for you guys that are diving in shorts and t-shirts? I'm not trying to make this into a contest, but am assuming we all want to maximize bottom time during our dive vacations.
I keep my dive log in MS Excel, so I just ran a little basic analysis on my Bonaire diving with various wetsuits. On my first couple of trips to Bonaire back in the 90's I was diving with a 3/2 shorty. I averaged 48 minutes/dive on the first trip and 50 minutes/dive on the second trip. When I switched to a 3/2 full suit I averaged between 60 and 63 minutes/dive on the next 6 trips. On my most recent trip I wore a 5/4 mm full suit and my average bottom time for 38 dives increased to 68 minutes/dive. Bottom line: When your body loses heat your system works harder to replace it, and that increase O2 burn rate and thus increase breathing gas consumption rate.
Assuming a dive profile, gas, and pace that permits extended bottom time, why wouldn't you want to wear a wetsuit or drysuit if it helps extend bottom time?
I keep my dive log in MS Excel, so I just ran a little basic analysis on my Bonaire diving with various wetsuits. On my first couple of trips to Bonaire back in the 90's I was diving with a 3/2 shorty. I averaged 48 minutes/dive on the first trip and 50 minutes/dive on the second trip. When I switched to a 3/2 full suit I averaged between 60 and 63 minutes/dive on the next 6 trips. On my most recent trip I wore a 5/4 mm full suit and my average bottom time for 38 dives increased to 68 minutes/dive. Bottom line: When your body loses heat your system works harder to replace it, and that increase O2 burn rate and thus increase breathing gas consumption rate.
Assuming a dive profile, gas, and pace that permits extended bottom time, why wouldn't you want to wear a wetsuit or drysuit if it helps extend bottom time?
DiveMaven
Contributor
We wear 3mm full suits in early July on Bonaire, water temps are about 80 degrees, 4 dives per day, average bottom time on our last trip was 75 minutes (3 years ago), for 2 weeks (51 dives total).
Our Bonaire routine is to start out early, get 3 dives in before having a light late lunch, take a siesta, then do a 4th dive on our house reef before cleaning up for dinner, then going out and enjoying a cocktail and nice meal. I typically get cold at around the 45 minute mark of our 3rd dive each day, but spending time in the sun during our surface intervals keeps my core temperature from dropping, so I don't need a thicker suit later in the trip.
Our Bonaire routine is to start out early, get 3 dives in before having a light late lunch, take a siesta, then do a 4th dive on our house reef before cleaning up for dinner, then going out and enjoying a cocktail and nice meal. I typically get cold at around the 45 minute mark of our 3rd dive each day, but spending time in the sun during our surface intervals keeps my core temperature from dropping, so I don't need a thicker suit later in the trip.
drrich2
Contributor
WWWGuy:
You raise a good point. Not sure how much my anecdotal example will do. I recently had 20 dives in Bonaire, trunks & a thin shirt, and I'm 44 years old, out-of-shape white collar worker, 6'1", close to 275 lbs., Sherwood Avid jacket-style 2x BCD with 16 lbs. lead, Tusa split fins, with a Cobalt for my main computer & a wrist Oceanic VT3 as a backup. Dove EAN 32 with 80 cf tanks. I pay considerable attention to & invest effort into controlling my breathing rate to keep consumption down. We tend to mill around the shallows 'rubble diving' late in dives to extend dive times considerably, and I'm okay with coming up pretty low on gas when I'm ending dives in 6 feet of water by shore. My data from 20 dives (all shore dives):
1.) 39 minutes, max depth 51.11, average depth 31.32, SAC 0.68 cfm (came out with 951 PSI). Low temp. 77.
2.) 55 minutes, max depth 42.50, average depth 15.56, SAC 0.74 cfm. Low temp. 77.
3.) 51 minutes, max depth 51.21, average depth 22.08, SAC 0.63 cfm. Low temp. 77.
4.) 47 minutes, max depth 52.61, average depth 24.89, SAC 0.60 cfm. Low temp. 77.
5.) 43 minutes, max depth 100.33, average depth 35.83, SAC 0.73 cfm. Low temp. 77.
6.) 56 minutes, max depth 48.89, average depth 19.87, SAC 0.67 cfm. Low temp. 77.
7.) 48 minutes, max depth 49.84, average depth 20.14, SAC 0.66 cfm. Low temp. 77.
8.) 42 minutes, max depth 50.17, average depth 25.04, SAC 0.70 cfm. Low temp. 78 for this & all remaining dives.
9.) 45 minutes, max depth 50.79, average depth 20.33, SAC 0.69 cfm.
10.) 34 minutes, max depth 80.59, average depth 31.71, SAC 0.66 cfm (Hilma Hooker; came out with 1278 PSI left).
11.) 48 minutes, max depth 53.72, average depth 19.37, SAC 0.68 cfm.
12.) 50 minutes, max depth 50.98, average depth 25.53, SAC 0.62 cfm.
13.) 51 minutes, max depth 60.38, average depth 23.34, SAC 0.59 cfm.
14.) 36 minutes, max depth 40.73, average depth 18.82, SAC 0.76 cfm.
15.) 51 minutes, max depth 38.02, average depth 16.95, SAC 0.66 cfm.
16.) 28 minutes (diving on a partial tank), max depth 49.35, average depth 23.58, SAC 0.56 cfm.
17.) 52 minutes, max depth 53.14, average depth 27.93, SAC 0.63 cfm.
18.) 50 minutes, max depth 56.50, average depth 16.75, SAC 0.79 cfm (we had considerable current on this dive).
19.) 1 hour 8 minutes, max depth 54.57, average depth 24.85, SAC 0.52 cfm.
20.) 1 hour 9 minutes, max depth 41.71, average depth 23.05, SAC 0.56 cfm.
Like some other folks, I think the Cobalt gives high temp. readings, so I use the VT3 for my temps.
For my large body form, age & physical conditioning (or lack thereof), I think my SAC is reasonable (I've got over 150 dives, with over 100 of those in Bonaire - 7 trips & hoping for more).
I find my 2-piece 'Farmer John' wet suit at home awkward to get in & out of. Plus, while I can pee in a wet suit, I don't like to, and diving induces a diuretic effect so I need to 'go.'
If, oh, say, a 5 mm shorty would extend my bottom time substantially, or just let me relax without deliberate gas use conservation & get the same times, I might try it. Assuming the thing is comfortable; not too tight in the gut, not made for someone a few inches taller (like my home wet suit clearly was; my knee pads look like shin guards & I roll up the legs a bit - mail order 'custom' suit...). I'm likely not an 'off the rack' fit.
But getting that wet suit (particularly a nice, comfortable stretchy one like those Henderson's) to fit my chubby frame would cost a decent amount of money! And I'd need another pound or two of lead to off-set the added buoyancy, which adds mass/inertia to drag through the water.
And while walking into 77 degree water is chilly, I quickly acclimated, and I don't recall shivering or subjectively feeling cold while diving any of those dives (3 to 4 per day).
So, I wonder whether a 3 mm or 5 mm shorty Henderson 'hyperstretch' (or whatever they've got out now) would drop my SAC & add to my bottom time?
Richard.
You raise a good point. Not sure how much my anecdotal example will do. I recently had 20 dives in Bonaire, trunks & a thin shirt, and I'm 44 years old, out-of-shape white collar worker, 6'1", close to 275 lbs., Sherwood Avid jacket-style 2x BCD with 16 lbs. lead, Tusa split fins, with a Cobalt for my main computer & a wrist Oceanic VT3 as a backup. Dove EAN 32 with 80 cf tanks. I pay considerable attention to & invest effort into controlling my breathing rate to keep consumption down. We tend to mill around the shallows 'rubble diving' late in dives to extend dive times considerably, and I'm okay with coming up pretty low on gas when I'm ending dives in 6 feet of water by shore. My data from 20 dives (all shore dives):
1.) 39 minutes, max depth 51.11, average depth 31.32, SAC 0.68 cfm (came out with 951 PSI). Low temp. 77.
2.) 55 minutes, max depth 42.50, average depth 15.56, SAC 0.74 cfm. Low temp. 77.
3.) 51 minutes, max depth 51.21, average depth 22.08, SAC 0.63 cfm. Low temp. 77.
4.) 47 minutes, max depth 52.61, average depth 24.89, SAC 0.60 cfm. Low temp. 77.
5.) 43 minutes, max depth 100.33, average depth 35.83, SAC 0.73 cfm. Low temp. 77.
6.) 56 minutes, max depth 48.89, average depth 19.87, SAC 0.67 cfm. Low temp. 77.
7.) 48 minutes, max depth 49.84, average depth 20.14, SAC 0.66 cfm. Low temp. 77.
8.) 42 minutes, max depth 50.17, average depth 25.04, SAC 0.70 cfm. Low temp. 78 for this & all remaining dives.
9.) 45 minutes, max depth 50.79, average depth 20.33, SAC 0.69 cfm.
10.) 34 minutes, max depth 80.59, average depth 31.71, SAC 0.66 cfm (Hilma Hooker; came out with 1278 PSI left).
11.) 48 minutes, max depth 53.72, average depth 19.37, SAC 0.68 cfm.
12.) 50 minutes, max depth 50.98, average depth 25.53, SAC 0.62 cfm.
13.) 51 minutes, max depth 60.38, average depth 23.34, SAC 0.59 cfm.
14.) 36 minutes, max depth 40.73, average depth 18.82, SAC 0.76 cfm.
15.) 51 minutes, max depth 38.02, average depth 16.95, SAC 0.66 cfm.
16.) 28 minutes (diving on a partial tank), max depth 49.35, average depth 23.58, SAC 0.56 cfm.
17.) 52 minutes, max depth 53.14, average depth 27.93, SAC 0.63 cfm.
18.) 50 minutes, max depth 56.50, average depth 16.75, SAC 0.79 cfm (we had considerable current on this dive).
19.) 1 hour 8 minutes, max depth 54.57, average depth 24.85, SAC 0.52 cfm.
20.) 1 hour 9 minutes, max depth 41.71, average depth 23.05, SAC 0.56 cfm.
Like some other folks, I think the Cobalt gives high temp. readings, so I use the VT3 for my temps.
For my large body form, age & physical conditioning (or lack thereof), I think my SAC is reasonable (I've got over 150 dives, with over 100 of those in Bonaire - 7 trips & hoping for more).
I find my 2-piece 'Farmer John' wet suit at home awkward to get in & out of. Plus, while I can pee in a wet suit, I don't like to, and diving induces a diuretic effect so I need to 'go.'
If, oh, say, a 5 mm shorty would extend my bottom time substantially, or just let me relax without deliberate gas use conservation & get the same times, I might try it. Assuming the thing is comfortable; not too tight in the gut, not made for someone a few inches taller (like my home wet suit clearly was; my knee pads look like shin guards & I roll up the legs a bit - mail order 'custom' suit...). I'm likely not an 'off the rack' fit.
But getting that wet suit (particularly a nice, comfortable stretchy one like those Henderson's) to fit my chubby frame would cost a decent amount of money! And I'd need another pound or two of lead to off-set the added buoyancy, which adds mass/inertia to drag through the water.
And while walking into 77 degree water is chilly, I quickly acclimated, and I don't recall shivering or subjectively feeling cold while diving any of those dives (3 to 4 per day).
So, I wonder whether a 3 mm or 5 mm shorty Henderson 'hyperstretch' (or whatever they've got out now) would drop my SAC & add to my bottom time?
Richard.
Richard,
It's great that you're tracking your air consumption rate. You appear to be tracking RMV (volume measurement) rather than SAC (pressure measurement), but either are more accurate than my examples. I used to track my SAC rate with manual calculations and then I got my first air-integrated dive computer and the calculations were performed automatically in real time. More than anything else, ability to view my consumption rate in real time influenced me to modify and refine my diving style and behavior. In recent years I've gone back to a traditional dive computer and haven't been tracking SAC rates, else I would have offered those numbers in lieu of average bottom time.
Your examples above provide a great baseline for you to measure against. To be useful in this context I think you'll have to capture some comparative consumption rates while diving in similar conditions wearing a wetsuit. I agree with all of your concerns about wetsuit fit and need to add extra weight etc. It's hard to know how much a wetsuit change alone would improve your bottom time. If you don't feel cold after the 4th dive in a day you might not realize significant improvement by diving in a wetsuit. I just know it made a difference for me. I've also done other things too, like change my pace and kick style, switch air to EAN, reduce my max depth, and distributed weight for a more streamlined profile. It's also worth noting that the biggest improvements in my air consumption over the years were the indirect results of lifestyle changes I made away from the water. But that's another discussion.
It's great that you're tracking your air consumption rate. You appear to be tracking RMV (volume measurement) rather than SAC (pressure measurement), but either are more accurate than my examples. I used to track my SAC rate with manual calculations and then I got my first air-integrated dive computer and the calculations were performed automatically in real time. More than anything else, ability to view my consumption rate in real time influenced me to modify and refine my diving style and behavior. In recent years I've gone back to a traditional dive computer and haven't been tracking SAC rates, else I would have offered those numbers in lieu of average bottom time.
Your examples above provide a great baseline for you to measure against. To be useful in this context I think you'll have to capture some comparative consumption rates while diving in similar conditions wearing a wetsuit. I agree with all of your concerns about wetsuit fit and need to add extra weight etc. It's hard to know how much a wetsuit change alone would improve your bottom time. If you don't feel cold after the 4th dive in a day you might not realize significant improvement by diving in a wetsuit. I just know it made a difference for me. I've also done other things too, like change my pace and kick style, switch air to EAN, reduce my max depth, and distributed weight for a more streamlined profile. It's also worth noting that the biggest improvements in my air consumption over the years were the indirect results of lifestyle changes I made away from the water. But that's another discussion.
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