BCD and Dry Suit

[seabat]

When using a dry suit, is the dry suit the primary bouyancy control underwater or is the BCD?

[ScubaK-Dawg]

I use my BC as the primary buoyancy control. I just add enough air to my dry suit to relieve the squeeze.

[Snowbear]

When using a dry suit, is the dry suit the primary bouyancy control underwater or is the BCD?

I've found what ScubaK-Dawg said to work better, though.

[salty]

i have come across several people that have been taught that the dry suit is used. I usaly find this out after hearing them complain about trouble maintaining bouancy and lack of comfert. After telling them to only put enough air in to maintain comfert and use there BCD's they always return to thank me and wonder why they were taught the wrong way.

Clif Notes: Use the BCD for bouancy control, only put in enough air in the suit to be comfertable.

[NEWreckDiver]

When using a dry suit, is the dry suit the primary bouyancy control underwater or is the BCD?

For me, if I am diving a single tank, I use my Dry suit as for primary buoyancy and only use my BC on the surface.

When I am diving doubles, I only put enough air in my dry suit to relief the squeeze and my wing for primary buoyancy control.

This has worked for me, but there is more than one way to skin a cat as they say. You need to do what you feel more comfortable with. It will take time.

[Scottri]

I think using a dry suit for primary bouyancy is dangerous. It's much easier to dump air quickly out of a BC than a dry suit. I alway teach that the BC is for bouyancy and only add enough air to the dry suit for thermal protection and squeeze relief. I know it's taught both ways but dry doing an ESA with your dry suit as your only bouyancy device and see how quickly it gets away from you.


Scott

[NEWreckDiver]

I think using a dry suit for primary bouyancy is dangerous. It's much easier to dump air quickly out of a BC than a dry suit. I alway teach that the BC is for bouyancy and only add enough air to the dry suit for thermal protection and squeeze relief. I know it's taught both ways but dry doing an ESA with your dry suit as your only bouyancy device and see how quickly it gets away from you.


Scott

If trained properly and you exaust valves are in good working order it is not a problem.

If you are using your dry suit instead of your BC, you are only adjusting one device instead of two. It might just become more a problem if you are adding air to two seperate devices. Which one do I dump first in an Emergency?

I know it all comes down to training, That is why each diver has to take all of these options and use the ones that work best for them.

[j-valve]

Around here if I added only enough air to relieve the squeeze I would freeze. I add enough air to loft my undergarment, then trim with BC when necessary.

J

[matt_unique]

Around here if I added only enough air to relieve the squeeze I would freeze. I add enough air to loft my undergarment, then trim with BC when necessary.

J

Do a search on this topic and you will find lot's of posts. I use my suit for buoyancy (to a point) and my BC on the surface. The more air in my suit the warmer I am. Now, if my depth or weight (i.e. tech dive configuration) is such that using only my suit for buoyancy results in an inefficient draft through the water I use my bc for partial buoyancy.

I can easily dive to 100 feet with a single tank using only my suit for buoyancy underwater. Deeper or heavier requires the use of my BC for partial buoyancy at depth.

--Matt

[MASS-Diver]

I use my BC mostly w/ double steel 100s, with a lighter rig I might be more likley to use the suit more.