Dry suit training !

[DutchDown]

I'll chime in as a brand new drysuit diver. I bought my Otter Saturday (I happen to be a stabdard size), and went to my local lake yesterday morning with my buddy. He's Rescue certified and is much more experienced than I. We stayed in less than 10 meters of water. I'd heard many horror stories of being turned feet-up and the difficulties of recovering. First thing that happened when we descended was that I was whipped feet up. A very uncomfortable experience. I did twist around and managed to recover, but I did not like the feeling! I quit the dive after about 10 monutes because I found it exhausting. Not because of the physical effort, but because I found myself so nervous. I kept expecting things to go wrong. That said, I am anxious to have another go as soon as possible.
I don't think the course is a bad idea at all. But I am of the opinion that if you have an experienced buddy, you can learn the same skills IF you practice in a pool or shallow water under controlled conditions. 20 meters as a first dive, especially in the ocean, would be tempting fate I think.
Either way you go, take your time and make your mistakes where they won't kill you.

Phil

 

[GratefulDiver]

Take the class.

 

[SOUTH DEVON]

Well I have taken everybody's advice and I spoke to the training officer at the recently joined BSAC club, and they are giving me a swimming pool orientation on Wednesday evening, and they are going to teach me how to get out of floaty feet situation , she seems confident that I would be okay to do a boat dive after this!
I would rather do a shallow shore dive but as I don't have a buddy I really have to go along with what the club is doing or risk a solo dive in shallows!
Thanks for everyone's advice!

 

[Arnaud]

That's a good step. However, the pool session is usually followed by one or two open water dives. Can't the instructor join you on one of your dives?

 

[spurtill]

I hesitate to, but will anyway, go against the grain here. Find someone thats experienced with dry suits and just go diving with them.

Its not as hard as you image, ITIS NOT EASY! but its fairly intuitive with you can use a stab.

You will dive the dry suit MUCH harder to use on the pool because its so shallow and the slighest change in depth has a greater affect on your buoyancy than it will at depth.

Pick a nice shetlered site, with limited depth <20m and go for a dive. if you find you buoyancy gets away from you during the dive, raise you hand and you will dump all your air and drop back to the sea bed.

Keep you feet down to stop them getting full of air and away you go.

120 quid for a dry suit course is WAY dear. If it was cheaper i'd say maybe, but at that price you're not getting anything remotely resembling value.

Before i get flamed for these comments, I am in a club of over 100 divers, everyone of who use dry suits, and everyone of us did our dry suit dives this way, and we've an exemplary safety record.

A dry suit deserves an extra bit of care when using it first but its not some dark art to scare wet suit divers with. Air goes in, air goes out.

 

[SOUTH DEVON]

spurtill once bubbled...
I hesitate to, but will anyway, go against the grain here. Find someone thats experienced with dry suits and just go diving with them.

Its not as hard as you image, ITIS NOT EASY! but its fairly intuitive with you can use a stab.

You will dive the dry suit MUCH harder to use on the pool because its so shallow and the slighest change in depth has a greater affect on your buoyancy than it will at depth.

Pick a nice shetlered site, with limited depth <20m and go for a dive. if you find you buoyancy gets away from you during the dive, raise you hand and you will dump all your air and drop back to the sea bed.

Keep you feet down to stop them getting full of air and away you go.

120 quid for a dry suit course is WAY dear. If it was cheaper i'd say maybe, but at that price you're not getting anything remotely resembling value.

Before i get flamed for these comments, I am in a club of over 100 divers, everyone of who use dry suits, and everyone of us did our dry suit dives this way, and we've an exemplary safety record.

A dry suit deserves an extra bit of care when using it first but its not some dark art to scare wet suit divers with. Air goes in, air goes out.

Yes you said to me that it will be easier at depth rather than at the shore and I believe most club members that boat dive use dry suits !
I will let you know how I get on !
If I don't let you know then perhaps I didn't get on quite so well

 

[SOUTH DEVON]

Arnaud once bubbled...
That's a good step. However, the pool session is usually followed by one or two open water dives. Can't the instructor join you on one of your dives?

I will see if I can persuade her

 

[SOUTH DEVON]

SOUTH DEVON once bubbled...


Yes you said to me that it will be easier at depth rather than at the shore and I believe most club members that boat dive use dry suits !
I will let you know how I get on !
If I don't let you know then perhaps I didn't get on quite so well

that should read " yes she said (instructer)