pee valve during SI

[gbray]

This may be a silly question but... I am trying to prepare for my ANDP class and may have to take it in cold water which means I will need to wear my drysuit. At the current time it does not have a pee valve installed so I am considering getting one. My question is how does one urinate while wearing the suit on SI without making a mess on the outside of the suit?

[TSandM]

I generally, if shore diving, wade into the water to the depth of the valve and pee there. If boat diving, I hang my leg off the side of the boat. The Halcyon valve directs most of the urine away from the suit, and the little bit that does get on it is going to get washed off with the next dive.

[DivemasterDennis]

You can't. To pee, take off the suit. That is the hygeneic and historic way to go. I confess that I have never observed a diver in a dry suit with a "pee valve." They all remove the suit for peeing. The valve strikes me as something that may leak or malfunction and that is not good for a dry suit. If this is an important issue for you, know that I regularly dive in water in the 55 to 65 degree range in a 7/5 mil wet suit with hood, and stay warm, and can pee in it in an emergency or any other time (in the water) for that matter.
DivemasterDennis

[TSandM]

I confess that I have never observed a diver in a dry suit with a "pee valve."

Clearly.

P-valves work very well; they are no more prone to malfunction than inlet or exhaust valves, which we all have on our suits. If there is a popoff or disconnect within the suit, you turn the suit inside out and rinse it, and wash your undergarments. It has happened to everyone who uses a p-valve, I would be willing to bet, and it is of no more consequence than a small salt water leak. P-valves are a necessity for people doing extended range dives -- my cave dives in MX are now averaging 2 1/2 hours; I cannot stay warm in a wetsuit that long, nor can I hold my urine that long while diving, unless I'm severely volume depleted pre-dive.

[boulderjohn]

I have been in a number of situations where I and others are on shore in remote areas. Most people wander off to a discreet spot and just let it go. Others don't bother with discretion all that much. Yes, it gets on the outside of the suit, but that will go away when you do your next dive. If you are not planning another dive, then take your suit off first.

[g1138]

I don't know what's worse:
- Seeing a dry diver striking the Captain Morgan pose
Or
- Seeing a stream running out of a wet diver's booties.

[spectrum]

Where talking about a sport where it's common t pee in one's wetsuit. For heaven's sake what's the todo about a little urine running down the outside leg of a drysuit? Often the need peaks as one rises to exit and the suit is shedding water to begin with. Latter in the surface interval follow whatever seems modest enough for the situation from nothing to going somewhere discrete. A splash of rinse water afterwards is always in good taste.

A properly installed relief valve does the drysuit no harm and may save it from hasty doffing stresses. Anyone diving dry without one is uncomfortable, dehydrated, has a mega bladder, or makes short dives, or some combination of the above.

In any case blurting out "hey it works" while gesturing to the trickle from your thigh is probably not the thing to do.

Pete

[Jim Lapenta]

No it is not. Proper etiquette calls for informing those aound you that you need to pee. Then let it go and smile that big smile of relief while exclaiming loudly ----AHHHHH that feeeeels soooooo goood!

Or just calmly let it go and say nothing. Nobody cares as long as it's not in their house, trailer, or on their dog. Even though the dog may deserve it.

[boulderjohn]

. Even though the dog may deserve it.

...and like it.

[TSandM]

The best thing is to find some p-valveless diver who looks uncomfortable, and hang your leg over the boat right near them, exclaiming, "Oh, that feels SO much better." I almost killed Uncle Pug a few years back, for doing that