How Cold is Cold?

I asked this as part of a response in another thread, but no replies, so I figured I'd start a new thread.

When RDP tells you to calculate 10' deeper for cold water, is this a real number?

If so what temp would be considered cold water?

Or is it more of a comfort level thing? So my buddy, who's like a little girl when it coms to the cold, he's been known to put the heat on full blast, driving home froh LBI, NJ in the middle of August, could technically be 1 pressure group higher than me after doing the same dive, since the cold doesn’t really bother me that much?

It's 4 metres actually (about 13 feet), it's the real number to add to the RDP depth scale, yes, and cold water is usually counted as anything below 10 degrees C (50 degrees Fahrenheit).

If I were you I'd repost this to the superb Dr Deco on his own list at this board as he actually performed the experiments leading up to the RDP together with Dr Rogers. He might have some very useful comments to add as to which choices were made and why.

This subject is in the women only thread.
i started it a few months ago.


Becky.

Grunzsters question isn't covered in the thread you refer to, Becky. The RDP isn't mentioned once there, and there isn't really much discussion on the physiological effects of cold-water diving either.

I still suggest that if grunzster wants to get the story behind the recommendations, he post on the Dr Deco subsection of this forum. Alternatively, he can take a peek at e.g. the PADI Divemaster manual, where at least the basic will be covered in some detail. (Although with one of the scientists behind the table on this forum, why not use the opportunity to ask more elaborate questions? )

For the physiological aspects of cold-water diving, the standard textbooks (e.g. Edmonds et al, Bennett & Elliott) are recommended.

As for the general thrust of the thread in 'Women Only', and regularly diving in water up to 0,3 degrees C (32,5 degrees F) cold in winter, I concur with SubMariner that a drysuit is by far the best option. There are people diving in 7mm Farmer Johns in the subarctic regions, but generally very short dives and any 2nd dives of the day usually invite a very real risk of hypothermia. :cold:

PS! The title 'Women Only' seems to be a bit of a ... uh, misnomer ... looking at the gender of many of the writers there ... Still, it's up to you gals to set the rules ... :gorgeous: DS.

When you go IN the water a ROOSTER and come OUT of the water a HEN, it's COLD!

Any questions?

GQMedic once bubbled...
When you go IN the water a ROOSTER and come OUT of the water a HEN, it's COLD!

Click to expand...

I'll agree with that one...No numbers necessary. :goofy:

The one we did in Connecticut in February where the water was 31 degrees was cold! By the time we made it to the trucks, our drysuits were frozen stiff....

If you have to saw through it, its cold!

Some more opinions:

http://www.scubaboard.com/t31206/s.html

It depends on your wetsuit, in a 3mil 68 is COLD, not so w/ a 7mil.