Aow=bs

[Sas]

Please, please, please don't tell me there are that many of us out there that don't know how a wetsuit works! Perhaps it isn't AOW that some of us should be taking. Basic class anyone??

I am not sure I know how one works now based on your comment! I have been told a few things by different people (this is before I started diving and just wore one for the surf). I never bothered to look into it further as it isn't going to impact on my diving...

Theory 1: Small amount of water gets trapped between the wetsuit and your skin, and it warms up. This is on wikipedia and most places when I google too. This is how I thought they work.

Theory 2: Insulation is done via bubbles in neoprene...

Which one is it? Or is it something else all together?

 

[Dive Junky]

I am not sure I know how one works now based on your comment! I have been told a few things by different people (this is before I started diving and just wore one for the surf). I never bothered to look into it further as it isn't going to impact on my diving...

Just reread the above posts, its covered. Not to mention it is covered in the basic OW class. Not sure how its not going to impact your diving. ???

Theory 1: Small amount of water gets trapped between the wetsuit and your skin, and it warms up. This is on wikipedia and most places when I google too. This is how I thought they work.

Theory 2: Insulation is done via bubbles in neoprene...

Which one is it? Or is it something else all together?

Neither one are theories, water in the suit heats up to keep you warm and the insulation properties of the suit keeps the water warm.

 

[Sas]

Yes that is what I thought but given your comment I thought you were referring to the comments about how wetsuits work - I thought maybe I had it wrong when I posted before! Yea the one I posted originally was what I was taught on OW - but I have been told other things when I have surfed and waterskiied in wetsuits.

Cheers

 

[Dive Junky]

Yes that is what I thought but given your comment I thought you were referring to the comments about how wetsuits work - I thought maybe I had it wrong when I posted before! Yea the one I posted originally was what I was taught on OW - but I have been told other things when I have surfed and waterskiied in wetsuits.

Cheers

No, no, I apologize. It was not your post I was refering to. It was a couple of post before yours. Your post was accurate.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

From Wikipedia

"Wetsuits help to preserve body heat by trapping a layer of water against the skin; this water is consequently warmed by body heat and acts as an insulator."

It also states this on a number of other websites I just read... so I am wondering in what way was your student incorrect? (Obviously the black wetsuit bit was incorrect ;p)

It's incorrect because the water is constantly flushing out --even in a very well fitting wetsuit --and the reason that water is warm is because it is drawing heat from your body. If this thin layer of water idea would actually keep you warm, you would not need progressively thicker wetsuits for progressively colder water; you could simply wear a thin layer of rubber and not have to carry all that extra weight. Wetsuits are a barrier, and the neoprene bubbles help act as an insulator.

And this student was taking Stress/Rescue, where the discussion was about how to avoid the stress of getting cold --so, it did, in fact, have to do with diving.

Last time I checked, Wikipedia was not considered a course material reference for diving --which, returning to the OP, was my point. Buddies, and apparently other resources, are often sources of innacurate information.

I've certainly learned from people I dive with, as I'm sure we all have. But I can tell you, I have also heard some very innacurate information and that was my point --how do you know?

Some of the courses that make up the AOW certification are pretty intuitive and straight forward, no doubt. But others are not and require someone who actually knows what that are talking about to teach --not to mention, have the proper safety training and equipment.

*sigh*

Jeff

 

[Dive Junky]

It's incorrect because the water is constantly flushing out --even in a very well fitting wetsuit --and the reason that water is warm is because it is drawing heat from your body. If this thin layer of water idea would actually keep you warm, you would not need progressively thicker wetsuits for progressively colder water; you could simply wear a thin layer of rubber and not have to carry all that extra weight.

And this student was taking Stress/Rescue, where the discussion was about how to avoid the stress of getting cold --so, it did, in fact, have to do with diving.

Last time I checked, Wikipedia was not considered a course material reference for diving --which, returning to the OP, was my point. Buddies, and apparently other resources, are often sources of innacurate information.



Jeff

If wikipedia is not good enough than perhaps this quote from NAUI's basic book will be better.

' To work properly, a wet suit must fit your body quite snugly. Once you enter the water, a thin layer of water enters the suit and is trapped between your skin and the inner surface of the suit. This water is warmed to your body temperature.'

 

[Jeff Toorish]

If wikipedia is not good enough than perhaps this quote from NAUI's basic book will be better.

' To work properly, a wet suit must fit your body quite snugly. Once you enter the water, a thin layer of water enters the suit and is trapped between your skin and the inner surface of the suit. This water is warmed to your body temperature.'

That water is warmed by your body --by drawing heat from your body. That thin layer of water is flushed from the suit --and the process is repeated, each time drawing heat from your body. It is radiant cooling and you will get progressively colder as this happens. If the water would not flush, or you were to not have that layer of water, you would stay warmer. But neither is the case with a wetsuit.

The error in the NAUI manual, among others, is the notion that the water is trapped, which doesn't really happen. So, the NAUI manual clearly has a factual error in it --which is where much of this view comes from.

The thermal properties of a wetsuit are the neoprene bubbles and the barrier the suit provides.

It's simple physics.

Jeff

 

[almitywife]

If wikipedia is not good enough than perhaps this quote from NAUI's basic book will be better.

' To work properly, a wet suit must fit your body quite snugly. Once you enter the water, a thin layer of water enters the suit and is trapped between your skin and the inner surface of the suit. This water is warmed to your body temperature.'

but depending on the make of the wetsuit, either the water continually flushes thru the suit so your body is constantly expending energy in warming the water (ie, farmer john) or it can be trapped so your body works less in warming the cool water (ie semi dry)

cheers

 

[SCUBA_Phil]

Were going off topic!!

There are three main types of people who take AOW.
1) Fresh out of class (OW). These people are smart enough to realize that they need more training than the minimum that PADI gives with OW. Are they advanced? - no, but get more time with the instructor. I belive this was the type of diver from the first post. This is most likely a good thing!
2) Student who wants to improve skills. Most of these are actualy disappointed with the class.
3) Those who don't like their picture on the OW card. This was my case, I was 13 (1977) when I got my OW cert. AOW in 1997.

Bottom line: Don't expect advanced skills with someone that hold a AOW cert.

Phil

 

[Dive Junky]

That water is warmed by your body --by drawing heat from your body. That thin layer of water is flushed from the suit --and the process is repeated, each time drawing heat from your body. It is radiant cooling and you will get progressively colder as this happens. If the water would not flush, or you were to not have that layer of water, you would stay warmer. But neither is the case with a wetsuit.

The thermal properties of a wetsuit are the neoprene bubbles and the barrier the suit provides.

It's simple physics.

Jeff

This is why a snug suit is so important. What I posted is an exact quote from from NAUI's Basic book. sorry if you don't like the answer.

As far as the bubbles in the suit, I'm not arguing that point at all. It is ONE of the ways a wetsuit insulates.