Drysuit skills?

[TNRonin]

Thanks for that advice. I like the idea of moving the weight to the harness, BUT I also like the concept of mounting some weight to the tank straps for trimming. I've got an idea for a track to be mounted on the plate that allows placement of weights at the desired location by sliding them up or down.

TNRonin:

Take a look at the DUI Classic Weight Harness. It runs about $120, but you can get the weight off your BC. This is the second season w/ my Fusion, but just moved to the harness and I am really happy I did.

[TNRonin]

Oh ya I'll stay with the evo 3, compared to my buddy's DUI TLS350 I'm quite happy. Especially for the price I paid. The fit is awesome, mobility is great, the suit appears well made. The legs aren't floaty, my calves keep the air out of the feet (I'll see what it is like with thinner garments). I got very lucky with this purchase. I thought long and hard about the fusion, but I just don't have the funding. For a touch over $1k I got a COMPLETE system, I couldn't even come close to touching a fusion alone for that (new). I just need some thinner garments for both the winter and the summer. The Lavacore looks good for the summer, and 4E looks good for the winter.

I'm ready to go to the Philly quarry! Anybody near want to go? Hint hint.

Are you going to stay with the Evo3?


That is very much why my DS dives are only in the extreme of winter. I damn near have heat stroke before I get in the water. I set up all my gear 1st, I only have the MK2 under-garment and have to immediately get in the water after I get the suit on just to cool off before I put my gear on. I have the Fusion Bullet and still have not been able to get my feet floaty enough to simulate a runaway position/condition. I have to way over-inflate my suit while inverted which gets my legs lofty enough. 12 ft. is a great depth to practice buoyancy control as there is a big swing in buoyancy around that depth. Mike at DRIS got me setup in my DS. Fits great! The things I practice on are tuck/rolling to get my feet back under me, diconnecting my inflator hose, and dumping from the neck seal with gloves on. The biggest risk with a DS IMO is uncontrolled ascent, so that is what I practice the most. Aside from the previous statement and my limited experience to date; DS diving in my Fusion is not much different than diving my 5mm, just dry and warmer. Enjoy it, have fun, and good luck!

[irishsquid]

...I'm ready to go to the Philly quarry! Anybody near want to go? Hint hint.

When are you thinking about? Some time in Feb. will be good for me. I have to get my tanks hydro'd soon. Have you dived LLM, just a few more miles down the road?

[TNRonin]

I need to get a couple more pouches before I can do it. I'll order them today. Most any w/e unless the boss has something for me. She is pretty good about letting me loose. LLM, ya I've been there. I'm going to work part time there this summer. I'm a teacher so I'm off.

I was thinking philly because we don't need to have anyone there to open it.

[irishsquid]

I need to get a couple more pouches before I can do it. I'll order them today. Most any w/e unless the boss has something for me. She is pretty good about letting me loose. LLM, ya I've been there. I'm going to work part time there this summer. I'm a teacher so I'm off.

I was thinking philly because we don't need to have anyone there to open it.

I'm good with that. PM me when you have a chance to go. Hopefully our schedules will mesh.

[TNRonin]

Irishsquid and I met up for some diving yesterday. First it was a pleasure to meet him and we had a blast! I kept saying we didn't bring enough tanks. LOL

I've got a dive report in the hometown Deep Dixie forum.

My non-custom cut dry suit performed flawlessly, but I did have the garment custom cut (legs shortened) for the lawyers here. There were no issues whatsoever with gas movement within the suit, floaty feet, uncontrolled run-a-ways. I did have a start of a run-a-way but got it under control quickly with an arm lift and wing dump. Suit squeeze was never painful, and I stayed nice and warm in the Pinnacle evolution and it wasn't until 70' that I would really add more air (more playing than anything else). Surprisingly maintaining relatively level trim was not difficult. Up until 70' I'd just bump it a touch to add air.
On thing that I am trying to figure is that I'm always moving forward, I could not just stop moving forward. Which is why I qualified the "relatively" on the trim statement. I think I'm just a touch head down, at least that is the way it feels. Jimi said I was good to go. Maybe I'm moving my fins a touch and can't feel it. I can say w/o a doubt yesterday's dives were the funnest I've had in a quite a while. Great viz, warm conditions (48F water), and a great dive buddy. Oh, and I dove that steel 72 I've been trying to get squared away. Dove my HOG D1 second, man that is a nice second stage.

What do I need to work on?

• My trim can be better, I need to figure out how to mount a couple of my pouches further down on the plate to level myself out, right now I don't have the lead pouches to really change my numbers around on the various mounting points.
• exhaust valve management I would add some air to take off some squeeze and it would vent out, I didn't think about the issue until after the dive when I realized that I used more gas than I normally use.
• my sock/lavacore combo was a little snug, I need to try either a thinner sock/no sock combo, or maybe not even use the lavacore with a thicker sock alltogether. Either way, I was warm in the feet.
• I need another pair of semi-dry gloves, mine are getting worn out. Looks like Tommy-D's sports gets another order shortly.

All in all it was a great day.

[irishsquid]

... One thing that I am trying to figure is that I'm always moving forward, I could not just stop moving forward. Which is why I qualified the "relatively" on the trim statement. I think I'm just a touch head down, at least that is the way it feels. Jimi said I was good to go. Maybe I'm moving my fins a touch and can't feel it. I can say w/o a doubt yesterday's dives were the funnest I've had in a quite a while. Great viz, warm conditions (48F water), and a great dive buddy. Oh, and I dove that steel 72 I've been trying to get squared away. Dove my HOG D1 second, man that is a nice second stage.

What do I need to work on?

• My trim can be better, I need to figure out how to mount a couple of my pouches further down on the plate to level myself out, right now I don't have the lead pouches to really change my numbers around on the various mounting points...

All in all it was a great day.

I didn't notice you moving forward much that it stood out to me. Maybe it was it that hellacious wind working it's way down through the water?
Trim looked OK to me; pretty level! You sure didn't look like you were on a maiden voyage in that suit.

[TNRonin]

I didn't notice you moving forward much that it stood out to me. Maybe it was it that hellacious wind working it's way down through the water?
Trim looked OK to me; pretty level! You sure didn't look like you were on a maiden voyage in that suit.

Seriously, thanks for the kind words. It was my first OW time, had that one pool session that lasted 20 mins. LOL

Ya is was pretty windy in that hole.

[TNRonin]

Ya is was pretty windy in that hole.

yikes that didn't sound right.

[TNRonin]

Here is that review that I promised. Pinnacle Evolution 3 Drysuit review.....