Any tips for January Drysuit Course?

[Divemonster2006]

Make sure you have a good buddy check... I almost hopped into 5C/41F water with my zipper open!!

Most importantly pay attention and have fun!!! Getting turned upside down is a blast! Best part of the course I think!

Once you get this certification and get comfortable using a dry suit you'll never want to dive cold water wet again. Start saving up for a good dry suit of your own as the rentals may not always fit well.

Chris

 

[David P]

you'll probably think that you wasted your money for a "class" when its done

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

Make sure you have a good buddy check... I almost hopped into 5C/41F water with my zipper open!!

ALMOST just isn't good enough Chris! You've flunked the test for membership in the club!

 

[Divemonster2006]

Maybe next time....

 

[Decompressionable]

Where are you planning on taking the course? How many dives do you have without the drysuit? What type of dry suit are you leaning towards to use?

Will the OW dives be in what temp?

Penn. quarry. 7. Rental. Dunno.

 

[RJP]

anything you veterans think I should be prepared for or know?

Before your first dry suit dives be sure to take few pictures of your wetsuit, you'll need them for the e-bay listing.

:14:

 

[Lauri]

The drysuit course is a waste of money (IMO).

 

[ToddK]

When I took the PADI course, the book advocated using the drysuit as the sole source of buoyancy control (ie, keeping the BC fully deflated for the dive). After a few dives I switched to keeping just enough air in the drysuit to keep the insulation lofted, and using the BC for buoyancy control. It isn't that much harder, and it limits the amount of air sloshing around.

Pay attention to how the suit fits you. If it is overly big, you can get a couple of problems, including the fins wanting to pop off when too much air gets in your legs, air moving around, and the dump valve not dumping enough.

Oh yeah, and remember to smile when you get drysuit cert'ed. The only dives that I've done wet after getting drysuit certified were in Truk.

 

[RJP]

The drysuit course is a waste of money (IMO).

As always, that's a function of the instructor (and the student.)

It might be particularly problematic to not take the class if you would be looking to rent a dry suit.

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

As always, that's a function of the instructor (and the student.)

It might be particularly problematic to not take the class if you would be looking to rent a dry suit.

To rent drysuits on a regular basis is not a good idea in general. Fit is too important for your safety and comfort, and you'd bee soo lucky if you find a drysuit that fits you every time. Up here we advocate that a good fit drysuit is the first item of gear a new diver should invest in. Valves and bcd's are readily available at any dive centre. Besides, when I offer rental gear to customers, the rent for the drysuit is half of the total cost. -As with most centres. (Some places offer rental semidry's as well, but these are not really of much use here.)