Question on drysuit and buoyancy

[PfcAJ]

I've just started diving dry as well. I try to use my BC for buoyancy as much as possible as I hate the shifting air feeling of the suit, but when it gets really cold I let air out of my BC and put air in my suit. Instant warmth. However, prior to an ascent I like to let air out of the suit and put air in my BC. Probably not the best policy when it comes to maximizing air use.

In time, you'll learn to run enough gas in the drysuit to fully loft the undergarments you're wearing. That 'instant warmth' you're feeling is the undergarment being fully lofted. A lot of people dive with a constant squeeze on their suit, only to reduce the insulative value of said suit. You'll find the sweet spot where the UG is lofted, but there isn't excess gas in the suit. Try it out, see how it works for you.

 

[Bopper]

In time, you'll learn to run enough gas in the drysuit to fully loft the undergarments you're wearing. That 'instant warmth' you're feeling is the undergarment being fully lofted. A lot of people dive with a constant squeeze on their suit, only to reduce the insulative value of said suit. You'll find the sweet spot where the UG is lofted, but there isn't excess gas in the suit. Try it out, see how it works for you.

Yeah I think part of my process is going to be some kind of solution that inhibits air getting into my legs such as gaiters. Then the "shifting air" will become more manageable and I'll be more inclined to put more air in.

I've always wondered if when drysuit divers say "removing the squeeze", are they talking about putting just enough air in to not feel vacuum-packed or putting even more air in to maximize the loft in their undergarments. Personally I can tolerate quite a bit of squeeze but it seems others are more bothered by it. I'm sure I look like a piece of vacuum-packed beef jerky when I'm at depth.

 

[Gombessa]

I've come to realize that I don't really have a set "system." If I'm cold, I add gas to suit. If I need buoyancy and the suit's already comfortable, I add it to the wing. When I need to vent, I vent suit first, then go to the wing if I need to vent more.

I've tried both "suit-only" and "wing-only" and I find that no matter which I use I just end up breaking that rule whenever warmth, comfort, or buoyancy dictates...

 

[Mitchell Teeters]

I'm by no means any sort of expert. I have on occasion, while descending, put air in the DS to compensate for squeeze, knowing full well that it will act as a BCD. I try to minimize doing this, but I do it nonetheless. Like, TSandM, said, it is a matter of "managing' the bubble.

Mitch

 

[Blackwood]

I'm by no means any sort of expert. I have on occasion, while descending, put air in the DS...

Only on occasion?

 

[Mitchell Teeters]

LOL, yep.

I'm not jesting and don't call me Shirley.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[bosshog]

which keeps me plenty warm in water down to about 55F. I have made a life choice to not dive in water colder than that.
DivemasterDennis

55F? Thats like diving in soup. I would just wear a pair of gitch for a warm water dive like that.

 

[TSandM]

One does eventually learn to manage the bubble in the suit, and absent a really ill-fitting suit, things like gaiter aren't usually necessary. I actually PARK gas in my legs and feet sometimes (for example, while scootering), or in my shoulders and arms if I'm a bit head-heavy in whatever gear setup I'm using.

People told me all kinds of things about "You won't need that", or "You'll learn how to manage this" when I was learning to dive dry. It annoyed me, because nobody could tell me HOW, just that I would eventually figure it out. As it turned out, they were right. I think I was analytical enough during the process to have some ideas of what I learned to do, in terms of feeling how the suit should be, and adjusting as necessary, but some of it just has to be learned by doing.

 

[fernando80]

I had the 4th dry suit dive this afternoon and experimented using the wings to control buoyancy, differently than I learned on the training.

Initially, I felt bad by doing the opposite I learned, but I felt good because it works better for me. Same feeling when I did speeding for the first time after learning to drive

I was about to ask you guys and found this nice thread confirming that's actually fine to use the wings for buoyancy with DS.

The only thing I'm trying to put together is how to handle uncontrolled accents, as for example, being pulled up by a strong current and as the air inside both wing and DS expands and the accent gets faster/strong.
For that, I thought about leaving the dump valve as open as possible and in an event of uncontrolled accent, I'd put my left shoulder up (where the dump valve is) and raise the bcd hose and press the dump button. this way, the air from the DS will be dumped automatically and I use my hands to dump the air from the BCD. Let me know your comments, ideas, or any other circumstances I need to be aware of.

I've been practicing DS diving in Shaw's cove, which I'm pretty comfortable at, until I'm confident to go to a new place or get a boat...

 

[Bopper]

The only thing I'm trying to put together is how to handle uncontrolled accents...

...Let me know your comments, ideas, or any other circumstances I need to be aware of.

...I'm pretty comfortable at, until I'm confident to go to a new place or get a boat...

Its funny you bumped this thread as its about a year old and just after I had started drysuit diving. Since then I've become very comfortable in a drysuit and, in fact, now own about 7 drysuits.

Anyway, some people don't like the idea of this but it worked for me: If you're really concerned about runaway ascents, you might consider always being ready to yank your neck seal to let lots of air out. This really entails two things: 1) Make sure you have nimble gloves on. I never wear anything thicker than 3mm and 2) Make sure your hood doesn't have a skirt.

Now, I actually don't believe you'll ever need to do this. I never have. However, you nailed it on the head when you mentioned "confidence". At this point you're not a confident drysuit diver, and that is absolutely fine. You just need enough experience to know how drysuits really perform under different circumstances. Over time, I think you'll come to find that a runaway ascent is highly unlikely. But until that day arrives, you want to be comfortable w. a "bail out" plan and you'll want to operate under the assumption that a runaway ascent is possible. The "emergency neck seal purge" is what I would advise. It will be like training wheels on a bike until you're comfortable enough to don gloves and hood that you really prefer.