Proper (optimal) body position while submerging and ascending in a dry suit.

[IceCube]

I"m working on my trim at this moment and I would love to ask you, experienced guys, about what your body position is during accent and submerging. I have clear understanding about how the dry suit works and that the dry suit and BCD valve should be the on the top of the whole system for the air to go out

The question is more about most optimal position that you have found for yourself during those 2 stages of the dive.

Well if we have the most optimal position during the dive - horizontal while submerging I usually take the vertical position just let all air out of the suit to get to the valve and while having the valve at on the top of the whole system wait for the air to leave the suit or purge it depending on how much I have. Them lift the bcd valve and purge enough air to be able to submerge while exhaling, then gradually change my body position to horizontal with my knees bent. As I go down I add more air into dry suit to eliminate the squeeze and to BCD to be neutral.

When ascending horizontally as the air in the legs cannot escape and make the boots fattier I have to take more or less vertical position so the air can move to the valve -then purge it and take the horizontal position and repeat the same as soon as i feel the need to purge air.

Here is what I do while diving in dry suit. It works for me, but there are many ways to skin a cat. What ever method you end up doing will depend on what's comfortable and easy for you.

First I don't use the BCD while underwater, only at the surface. I set myself up in way that the dry suit can only get me to neutral. To be positive, that is were the BCD comes in. The only time I need to have positive buoyancy is at the surface.

Weighting makes a difference. I set the exhaust valve all the way to open and then turn it 1/2 turn to closed (takes 3 1/2 turns to get my suit to close all the way). I fill my suit full of air until it vents. I make sure my BCD is empty and then figure how much weight I need to be neutral. For me, I wear 36lbs (depends on your natural buoyancy, undergarments, etc). I don't add more weight to compensate for air in the tank, that's what the 1/2 turn is for. Over the course of the dive I just open the exhaust valve a single click when I just start to feel light.

What I like about this is if ascend a bit to go over something like a rock, a bus, plane, a pile of dead dive buddies , etc, the valve will automatically vent keeping me neutral. If I have to descend I have to add more air, but I don't have to worry about over filling my suit since it will start to vent once I have enough air to be neutral.

On the way up, I ascend up vertically with my left arm out bent and my dive computer in my hand so I can see the ascent and gauges. I keep my right hand down to my side so it doesn't collect air. As I go up, I just kick very slightly (probably could just tie my feet together and just breath my way up) and I just let the suit take care of the buoyancy automatically for me every inch of the way. Being vertical always keeps the valve at the highest point. Unless I have a need to be horizontal, I don't bother switching back and forth, just more things to think about.

 

[TSandM]

If you are in a roughly horizontal (sky-diver-type) position in the water column, with your arms out in front of you, as you ascend your drysuit will automatically vent gas out of the valve.

This only works if the valve is properly placed on the suit. Take a look at where your valve is -- that will tell you what you need to do to place it at the highest point during your ascent. Some drysuits are so constructed that the vent is on the FRONT of the suit, and you cannot vent such suits in a horizontal position. (I have owned one, so I know -- I did not own it long.)

My personal practice is to initiate descent vertically and flare out into a horizontal position by the time I'm about three feet underwater. I then descend horizontally, because it's a lot easier to see the bottom before you hit it that way. I also ascend horizontally, although in the last few feet, if we are live-boating or in an area with boat traffic, I will go vertical and extend an arm upward, on the reasonable assumption that I will survive better without an arm than without my head.

 

[elan]

Thanks a LOT to all of you guys, I have found some points helpful and worth adding to my technique. I appreciate your sharing...

Serge