When I got my first drysuit I found the DUI manual to be very helpful.
http://pdf.divedui.com/DUI_Manuals-Current/DUI-Drysuit_Manual-English.pdf
http://pdf.divedui.com/DUI_Manuals-Current/DUI-Drysuit_Manual-English.pdf
Drysuit certification really needed?
- Thread starter fookisan
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
I just differ in that opinion about the class - it only takes one out of control ascent to ruin your life.
The enriched air - I just went back thru the SSI online class and didn't see it there. I have a DUI suit, I know it's in their owners manual - something about higher levels of O2 effecting seams long term - the online manual just says need "special training using anything but air". I remember it cause the first trip we did, we were diving 28% and I had just read that manual and questioned it - the instructor said it wasn't that big of a deal but, it wasn't his 2k either.......
I agree with you about the ascent but in my practical PADI dives there wasn’t anything that would make me safer than if it was explained by someone experienced.
Maybe I got robbed of proper training ? Let me explain why I said that and maybe you can correct me because maybe I wasn’t trained properly.
I only learned to roll with my feet above my head, learned to do an ascent from 10-12m, had a swim around in a drysuit. Did the pivot to find the neutral buoyancy point. Was told to keep my valve almost open, to vent my drysuit before to go in water and before to descend to do a proper buoyancy check.
All of this was done in two dives and can be shown by someone who has experience in a drysuit IMHO.
I liked the theory but I didn’t feel like the drysuit class really prepared me enough so I will have to acquire more experience by diving myself. I don’t feel like this is much better than if someone at my club showed me how to use a drysuit and then I would practice the skills in a pool or only at 10m ?
I have no regrets because it is fairly cheap, contained two dives, and I only did the class so I could try a drysuit to decide if I wanted one.
Thanks for answering the question about the mixes and the suit damage, ill ask my manufacturer just in case.
Diesel_Diver
Contributor
Are you buying a used drysuit? Gotta be careful doing that if your not sure what to look for. Many dry suits have been custom tailored to some extent. I suggest you buy one new that is properly fitted to you. Ask around at some of your LDS one of ours offers a free course with the purchase of any dry suit , and for an extra 75$ you can get the card if you so wish!
But be warned once you to the dry side, there is no going back!
AJ
Contributor
Certification, `meanin c-card is not important imo. Having experienced help the first dives, absolutely neccesary. You will have trouble with buoancy and trim the first few dives. Assistence to keep your feet where they ought to be is very helpfull.
Off the top of my head, you should also have practiced disconnecting and reconnecting the DS inflator hose, and removing/replacing your gear at the surface. I forget if it is standards or not, but I make sure my students do both with gloves on regardless of temps that day.)
First, with some exceptions as always, I think the consensus is that drysuits require some additional skills and procedures that need to be learned and practiced, rather than just jump in and figure it out as you go. Is a certification course a necessity? Depends on what that word necessity means to you. At the least, if lack of a card to demonstrate formal training on use of a drysuit prevents you from renting/buying a suit, or doing a specific dive, (Iceland anyone?) then that is certainly a necessity.
Personal value of a certification course? Well, that of course depends on the individual. Same as OW and other courses, there are many things covered in the academic portion that do not come directly into play during the in-water portion. Doesn't mean they have no value. Yes, perhaps just buying the book imparts all that same knowledge for some folks, but this is not the way everyone learns. If reading is all that is required for effective learning, there would be a lot more libraries and a lot fewer schools. And again for in-water, same as any other course some folks are rock stars and get it all right the first time after a simple briefing, and others struggle and require significant assistance and guidance with new skills and even old ones such as trim and buoyancy.
Would anyone also suggest that an experienced buddy is all that is needed to learn to dive scuba? (Yeah, I know some folks will say yes to that, and some others actually have done that. Take that into account when seeking advice here.)
Learning in all classes really comes back to the instructor - you'll get out of it what the instructor gives. Can a friend teach you? Sure.
Today, I can teach you a DSD class in the pool - I was taught to teach you that class. Could I have taught it before becoming a DM? Sure.
I think I follow the line of instructors are taught to teach - they are there to be your mentor. I've seen some great at some classes but really gloss over on others. When I pay for a class, I want to learn - I want to learn how that class will apply to me and the diving I do.
I don't know how to explain it - Diving dry in a 60 degree quarry is different than dry in 40 degree water with a current. There's advanced things that an instructor SHOULD know that aren't really a part of the class that he/she may touch on, stuff that's really a lot deeper but might need touched on. For instance, swimming into the current, 40 degree water - watch over breathing your reg (freezing, CO2 buildup), narcosis (CO2 buildup, depth, cold), poor off gassing (overheating at depth and cold at SS) etc....
On top of that, an instructor is supposed to help you with equipment selection - undergarments, BCD and suit - they're supposed to be versed in those things.
The friend that only dives at the place you're only gonna dive at, and he/she has been at it for awhile - yes, they can certainly give you direction - it's when or if you step out of that friends box......
Besides, since I'm going thru IDC here in a few months, I need to generate some income LOL
Today, I can teach you a DSD class in the pool - I was taught to teach you that class. Could I have taught it before becoming a DM? Sure.
I think I follow the line of instructors are taught to teach - they are there to be your mentor. I've seen some great at some classes but really gloss over on others. When I pay for a class, I want to learn - I want to learn how that class will apply to me and the diving I do.
I don't know how to explain it - Diving dry in a 60 degree quarry is different than dry in 40 degree water with a current. There's advanced things that an instructor SHOULD know that aren't really a part of the class that he/she may touch on, stuff that's really a lot deeper but might need touched on. For instance, swimming into the current, 40 degree water - watch over breathing your reg (freezing, CO2 buildup), narcosis (CO2 buildup, depth, cold), poor off gassing (overheating at depth and cold at SS) etc....
On top of that, an instructor is supposed to help you with equipment selection - undergarments, BCD and suit - they're supposed to be versed in those things.
The friend that only dives at the place you're only gonna dive at, and he/she has been at it for awhile - yes, they can certainly give you direction - it's when or if you step out of that friends box......
Besides, since I'm going thru IDC here in a few months, I need to generate some income LOL
CAPTAIN SINBAD
Contributor
When I took my drysuit class, I was a total freaking mess! Buoyancy was all over the place and it felt like learning to dive all over again. Even after my drysuit class, I needed like 10 dives to get my $h!* together. So normally I am opposed to nonsensical specialties, drysuit is one where formal training is needed IMO,
I’d definitely suggest not buying a second hand drysuit without learning something about them in the flesh first. The course ought to help,with selection.
So in fact my point is that the drysuit class is too short on the practical side IMHO. So I agree with you.
The one I had felt just like ‘here are the basics so you can learn by yourself’ which is maybe what’s it’s supposed to be ?
Also agree with JackD and ChuckP, the theory side was very interesting though.
Good luck to you ChuckP, I do not have much experience but every time I was taught by an instructor who was passionate, I learned a great deal as they wouldn’t just stop at ticking the boxes for the skill list.
You seem to be passionate so I am sure you will be fine with your IDC
Similar threads
