OneBrightGator:
If they were unfamiliar with the drysuit, then possibly a shallower dive would have been more appropriate. If the issue was weight-related then a proper weight check and erring on the side of heavy would have been in order (possibly even for you). Also, a very conservative dive would be in order, given the possibilities involved with a new drysuit.
With the danger associated with an uncontrolled ascent I don't understand how you'd plan a safe dive expecting that.
As you seem so fascinated by a small example I provided of making a slow ascent (an aside really, if you view the original post) I will answer these in order.
1) I said new. New (to me) = having taken the AOW in a drysuit, having borrowed a drysuit on a previous dive (same make and model though slightly larger), having bought a drysuit and making the first dive with it at a familiar site. Which is something like 7 previous drives in a drysuit (perhaps some would classify this as unfamiliar, I would not and don't think I ever said 'unfamiliar'). The discussion pre-dive was a precaution. A low percentage chance. However, I do have a tendency to discuss more contingencies than many (perhaps most) divers I dive with, hence I brought it up and discussed it. It just so happened that this particular problem occurred (didn't the previous dive with the borrowed suit). Good thing we had talked about it upfront.
2) Depth of dive. A shallower dive is always safer. The diver in question had previous dives at this site, in a drysuit, in similar conditions (viz etc), but not this particular drysuit though.
3) This wasn't really an issue of weight (see above on previous dives in same make & model at this site). Weight is rather irrelevant to this circumstance, given that it's the air expanding in the suit and the speed at which it can be dumped from a drysuit that's the issue (I'm surprised I need to point this out). I really don't see when _my_ weight was ever the issue, nor was it referred to. Nor did I believe that I have issue with weight. I can hold at 5 fsw, which we regularly do at this site, with 500 psi with the weight I was diving.
4) Planning of the dive: Dive was planned to max of 60 fsw (short time there, i.e. < 10 min ) ascending slowly to 30 fsw (octo den at 30 fsw, spend a couple of minutes there) then returning to the starting point at 30, ascend to 20 for minimum 3 minutes, from there (an Islet) back to shore surfacing after spending time between 20 -> about 5 feet where we normally surface. Time spent post safety stop dependent on gas consumption. I won't go into other details of our planning which included contingencies for making safety stops on the wall of the Islet, discussion of rock bottom times etc. (i.e. other eventualities).
My final point: You seem to have latched on to one, small, detail in a post that I feel was reasonably well thought out (I'm rather biased on this of course), made a judgement on pretty much no information and then tried to ask questions to confirm your judgement.
Could we have stayed shallower? Yes.
Could you always? Yes.
Would you be safer if you never dove? Yes.
Do I feel that we made significant mistakes in this dives planning? No, I don't.
If I'd _know_ up front some small problem would occur, would I plan it shallower? Sure. Wouldn't everyone?
I'm rather unwilling continue to provide additional data or answer additional questions. If you feel that I'm unsafe (or was so in these circumstances) that's fine, as I highly doubt we'll get the opportunity of diving together. Neither did I propose that others dive as we did for this dive. I did re-read the post of mine that started this discussion and I stand by what I wrote there. I don't think it will lead anyone down a dangerous path. It was after all must my $0.02, not a recommendation of how to dive.
To those reading this thread on the basis of safety stops and their usefulness, I appologize for getting this far off the topic.
Bjorn