Staying Warm in Chilly Water

[RonDawg]

I'm one of those people who actually dared to dive the Pacific Northwest in a wetsuit :11:

When I was diving off Victoria BC, the boat captain brought aboard some hot water to pour down my suit during the surface interval. That helped considerably. And yes staying out of the wind helps, though in my case I was on a very small boat that had almost no protection whatsoever.

Because of your location I would also recommend the drysuit. Yes it's a lot of money, but if it prevents you from dropping out of the sport for comfort reasons then it's worth it.

 

[To_Narced]

Well obviouslyy if your budget works you should be in a dry suit. I Live and Dive and Victoria British Columbia and know exactly how you feel. Hoever if a dry suit isnt possible, try these tricks. Duct tape a gasoline can so that it is insolated and fill it with hot water for the dive site. On your SI you should get out of your suit which is the best as water is a excellent convector and will continue to cool you even in warm weather. If you SI in short or you dont want to get out of your suit, pour the warm water from the gas can down your suit for warmth. You'll find the duct tape insolates the water extermely well. As for warm drinks on your surface interval, dont listen to anyone who tells you to drink coffee. Coffee dehydrates your body and dehydration is one of the factors predisposing you to DCS. Instead, drink warm non-caffenitaed fluids like tees. As well, dont forget to insulate your head out of the water as your body can losy 75% of its heat through your head. Where a tuke.

Safe Diving.





QUOTE=EricSJCA]Living in Nothern California, my most accessible place for diving is Monterey. As most know, the water usually runs around 55 degrees (F). I have been diving in a rental 7-6-5 wetsuit with a seperate hooded vest and have found myself feeling a little on the chilly side more often than I'd like.

My instructor informed me that I should be concerned with my heat loss between dives (as I mentioned my second dive always feels colder). So, he advised I put on a windbreaker or something similar to help keep my heat.

Anyways, I was wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks to keeping warm when diving in a wetsuit. I'm considering buying a 9-7-6 wetsuit with attached hood, but am waiting for my finances to allow it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!


-Eric[/QUOTE]

 

[mbeerski]

I agree as well. Don't buy another wetsuit. A dry suit is money well spent in california.

 

[Dive-aholic]

As for warm drinks on your surface interval, dont listen to anyone who tells you to drink coffee. Coffee dehydrates your body and dehydration is one of the factors predisposing you to DCS. Instead, drink warm non-caffenitaed fluids like tees.

One cup of coffee isn't likely to cause DCS. And coffee does come in decaf as well as tea. Also, caffeinated tea has a higher caffeine content than coffee.

 

[padiscubapro]

Living in Nothern California, my most accessible place for diving is Monterey. As most know, the water usually runs around 55 degrees (F). I have been diving in a rental 7-6-5 wetsuit with a seperate hooded vest and have found myself feeling a little on the chilly side more often than I'd like.

My instructor informed me that I should be concerned with my heat loss between dives (as I mentioned my second dive always feels colder). So, he advised I put on a windbreaker or something similar to help keep my heat.

Anyways, I was wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks to keeping warm when diving in a wetsuit. I'm considering buying a 9-7-6 wetsuit with attached hood, but am waiting for my finances to allow it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!


-Eric

As long as you aren;t doing very long dives a proper fitting 7mm suit should be fine with water in the mid 50s... If water is moving in and out of the suit you will get cold..
A good hood is a must, a bibbed hood is the best choice for someone in a wet suit.. Choose a suit that has a spine pad to reduce water movement..

Semi-dry suits are basically a wet suit with drysuit like seals (but not absolutely gas/water tight), the dive like wet suits because you aren't adding any gas, but your insulation will decrease at depth...

You didn't mention how deep you are when you are gettin cold.. just think of it this way.. if you have a 8mm thickness of neophrene at the surface it could be compressed cose to 4mm by 33fsw and only 2mm by 100 fsw.. compression isn't usually that bad but a reasonable approximation, the softer the wet suit material is (more confortable on the surface) in generall the easier it compresses..

I usually dive Dry, so in cold water it isn't a problem, but I also dive in warm water with wetsuits, a typical 3mm suit is like a diveskin at depths not much deeper than 100fsw...

I actaully had a custom 3mm wetsuit made out of nitrogen injected (very little compression)rubitex (REAL neoprene not the crappy blends that are in use today)... I do alot of deep dives in tropical locations where the surface temp (and to reasonable depths) is around 80ish, but I have made excursions in water as below 40f and still was ok for the durations I had at depth). Since the suit fits me perfectly and has inner seals (not really the same as those that claim semi-dry), I get very little water exchange and stay nice and toasty..

 

[ScubaFreak]

One cup of coffee isn't likely to cause DCS. And coffee does come in decaf as well as tea. Also, caffeinated tea has a higher caffeine content than coffee.

Your right, on its own it won't, but it will if there are other underlying factors it could contribute. DCS/DCI can often be thanks to a few different things...
Plus there's no nourishment in tea or coffee, soup's great like that! it'll warm ye up, wont make ye want pee like a mad thing either

 

[Diver0001]

Living in Nothern California, my most accessible place for diving is Monterey. As most know, the water usually runs around 55 degrees (F). I have been diving in a rental 7-6-5 wetsuit with a seperate hooded vest and have found myself feeling a little on the chilly side more often than I'd like.

My instructor informed me that I should be concerned with my heat loss between dives (as I mentioned my second dive always feels colder). So, he advised I put on a windbreaker or something similar to help keep my heat.

Anyways, I was wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks to keeping warm when diving in a wetsuit. I'm considering buying a 9-7-6 wetsuit with attached hood, but am waiting for my finances to allow it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!


-Eric

You should take it off between dives and dress warmly to make sure you don't continue to lose heat. Wearing a toque is essential. Layer your clothing and put on a windbreaker.

Secondly, take a hotwater bottle (thermos) with you so you can pour hot water over your suit before you put it back on for the second dive. It's not necessary for the heat, per se, but it's less of a shock

Personally I find 12C / 55F pertty much the lower limit of what's comfortable with a wetsuit. Maybe investing a *good* semidry is an option but I would be more inclinded to put my money towards a drysuit for those temperatures.

R..

 

[tedwhiteva]

Save up your money and dive dry - you'll never regret it.

 

[rhadamanthus]

LOL, he is saving up for a 976. Only slightly more than drysuit UNDIES and he is just getting a “little cold”. The guy is looking at a $450.00 solution with some advice on how to make it work, and a bunch of you are like, “spend $1,500.00”.

I don't have any problem keeping warm in colder water (49 - 56 F) in a wetsuit. I had a buddy that used your combo and kept warm (in the summer). I do have the XCel 9/7/6 which has kept me warm even to deeper depths. Let me find those dives. Dontcha all get your panties in a wad about the reverse profile.
Dive 1, 30 minutes, max depth 89’. Minimum temp 49F
SI 1:34, temp around 65F
Dive 2, 27 minutes, max depth 128’. Minimum temp 49F

I would keep away from the Henderson. It is a great warm water suit. I have a buddy with a 7MM and he gets cold way before I do. I think due to their stretchiness / softness they compress too much for cold water diving.

During the summer, I just leave the top on during my SI. In the winter, I pull the top down and put a t-shirt and sweatshirt on during the SI. I then put a big jacket I got at Costco for 40.00 on over it. I just got an XXL. Next I have some piping hot chicken soup. 2 or 3 cups during the SI. I notice on my second dive that I get cold for the first couple of minutes, but warm up fairly quickly. I also have a camp shower that I put hot water in before I leave the house. I can then put some warm water down my suit on the SI if I feel like it.

Try to keep your body well fueled; eat a good breakfast and stuff like bananas during the dive day. Keep hydrated, as you know cold water diving in a wetsuit can dehydrate you.

Rhad

 

[ScubaScott]

ooops