After moving from a wetsuit to a drysuit, I can no longer reach my valves. At first, I thought this was just a part of getting used to a drysuit, and would go away, but after a couple dozen dives building comfort, I did not make any progress at all, and at this point, I do not think just mindless, repeated attempts at it are really going to cut the mustard, or get me to the level of fluency I am after. I would like to be able to reliably shutdown either post in under 10 seconds every time I try, and I need a strategy to get there.
When I did my deco procedures earlier this year in a wetsuit and double AL80s, the valve drill, surprisingly, was the easiest part of it. I did not have to think about it, I just reached back, and the post was right there, I did not have to loosen my crotch strap, twist my body, or struggle. This makes me think I do not have unusual mobility issues. I recently busted my right shoulder, but it is healing pretty well, and by now, it is just about as bad as the other one ever was. I am diving a Whites Fusion drysuit with a neck ring that is known to restrict movement, but it is my understanding that people somehow find a way to make it work. I suspect the suit is the issue, but it is not quite clear how exactly it restricts movement, or what to do about it. When I suit up, I try to pull more of it towards the chest to make sure it does not pull down, but it does not make a difference. I dive Faber HP100s with the Thermo manifold. My valve handles should be sticking out just as high behind my neck as they did on the AL80s, where I did not seem to have any difficulty doing the drill.
What is happening now is that, after loosening my crotch strap, positioning my shoulder lower to let the doubles slip a little forward and sideways, and pushing with one hand on the tank bottoms, with some effort I can brush against the manifold, eventually pull it, then brush against the valve, and work my way to the point where I can actually grab it enough to turn. It takes both of my hands to pull the tank to the right place, it takes a minute or what feels like a minute, during which time I am badly out of trim, with head down and tilted. This is a complete mess, and I do not really think I can ever make it work the way I want it.
I must not be the first person who struggled. Any of this sound familiar? Please share...
When I did my deco procedures earlier this year in a wetsuit and double AL80s, the valve drill, surprisingly, was the easiest part of it. I did not have to think about it, I just reached back, and the post was right there, I did not have to loosen my crotch strap, twist my body, or struggle. This makes me think I do not have unusual mobility issues. I recently busted my right shoulder, but it is healing pretty well, and by now, it is just about as bad as the other one ever was. I am diving a Whites Fusion drysuit with a neck ring that is known to restrict movement, but it is my understanding that people somehow find a way to make it work. I suspect the suit is the issue, but it is not quite clear how exactly it restricts movement, or what to do about it. When I suit up, I try to pull more of it towards the chest to make sure it does not pull down, but it does not make a difference. I dive Faber HP100s with the Thermo manifold. My valve handles should be sticking out just as high behind my neck as they did on the AL80s, where I did not seem to have any difficulty doing the drill.
What is happening now is that, after loosening my crotch strap, positioning my shoulder lower to let the doubles slip a little forward and sideways, and pushing with one hand on the tank bottoms, with some effort I can brush against the manifold, eventually pull it, then brush against the valve, and work my way to the point where I can actually grab it enough to turn. It takes both of my hands to pull the tank to the right place, it takes a minute or what feels like a minute, during which time I am badly out of trim, with head down and tilted. This is a complete mess, and I do not really think I can ever make it work the way I want it.
I must not be the first person who struggled. Any of this sound familiar? Please share...
