Drysuit techniques, practice drills, tips etc

[melanie.]

So I am extremely excited to admit that I have joined the ranks diving dry!! Ok well mostly dry, not bad for first attempt!

Tried for the first time on Sunday, and it went really well during the dive. Big problem I had though was getting the air to dump on ascending - the valve is placed on the inner wrist. But my instructor was with me and he got it to work by twisting my arm so I just need some practice to get it under control. Any tips from people with wrist dumps? Oh and had another diver literally sit on my back, me face first in the mud so we could get the damn air out. Did I mention I need to work on my weights as well all over again?

So what I am looking for is any special techniques, training drills, practice scenarios etc that maybe I could work on for my next few dives? My instructor showed me the basic how to get my feet back under me, but we couldn't do it all the way or else my fins would have come off (soft boots didn't fit right). The people I dive with are all in drysuits, so I am sure I will learn by watching, but what should/could I practice to make this go easier?

Also, this suit has been sitting for quite a while (used). Has a slightly musty smell to it. It is just a shell with neoprene soft boots and neoprene seals. What can I do to wash the inside? I don't want to completely submerge it because I love being ready to go diving on a moments notice. I tried just cloth and dishoap - it helped a bit but still there. Does anybody put anything in the booties to prevent odour?

And lastly to the ladies out there... what do you wear as a bra underneath? I used a sports bra, but I don't like wearing them all day. Is underwire a bad idea? All I can envision is squeeze and wire getting pushed in not so great places.

Thanks for any and all advice! ps: I love that I could do a 96 minute dive !!!!!! No more calling dives after 45 minutes because I'm cold, or turning down the second dive because I can't stand to get into the cold wet suit in the wind!

 

[300bar]

Get a shoulder dump installed

Had a wrist dump years ago, what a pain in the b*tt

 

[melanie.]

Get a shoulder dump installed

Had a wrist dump years ago, what a pain in the b*tt

Is it possible to move it? As in patch the old hole and make a new one? I originally knew I wanted a shoulder dump, but this suit was extremely cheap so I just couldn't pass it up. And considering it actually decently fits me, over the custom I would have to get is a major plus

 

[300bar]

I wouldn't try to move the wrist dump, they (imo) are very prone to leaking in the 1st place..
Just remove and patch, and fit a (low profile) shoulder dump.
Even an older (well cared for) drysuit is worth it.

 

[ScubaSam]

Congrats on your first drysuit and your first dive in a drysuit.

I'm not familiar with the wrist dumps but one of the best advise I got during my floaty shoot to the surface new drysuit dives was "stay ahead of the bubble, dump early, only put in enough air to take the squeeze out."

At our local quarry, there is a student platform at about 28ft of water. I use to practiced timed descents and ascents in my new drysuit at the platform. I'd go from surface to 10 ft, try to hover/hold a stop there for 30 seconds, then descend to 20 ft to hover/hold a stop, then down to 25 ft. I'd do the same on ascents, 25 ft, 20 ft, 15 ft, 10 ft. By doing this, I was able to feel/move the air bubble in my suit. Go nice and slow on the descents and ascents.

Buddies of mine wipe down the inside of their drysuit with a mixture of water and Listerine. I did that for the first time two weeks ago and my suit smells fresh. Is your neoprene soft boot attached to your drysuit? If it is and it gets wet, I find that stuffing it filled with dry crumpled newspaper, leave it there for a few hours and it removes the moisture inside the boot. The newspaper will be soggy when you remove it but the boot will be dry.

I wear a sports bra under my wicking layer. I don't own any sports bra with an under-wire so have no experience with pressure at depth from the under-wire.

So excited you're diving dry! It is great not to call a dive cause you're cold.

 

[melanie.]

Thanks for the advice Sam! I will definately work on holding different stops to get a feel for the bubble, when I figure out how to reliably dump air that is

I love not being cold!!!! The only downside to this suit... it has PINK!!! and PURPLE!! :yuck: But I can just convince myself I am hallucinating and it is in fact an orange drysuit

 

[ScubaSam]

Thanks for the advice Sam! I will definately work on holding different stops to get a feel for the bubble, when I figure out how to reliably dump air that is

I love not being cold!!!! The only downside to this suit... it has PINK!!! and PURPLE!! :yuck: But I can just convince myself I am hallucinating and it is in fact an orange drysuit

My instructor was not comfortable with my shooting to the surface with my floaty feet and too much air in my suit so he made me promise not to go deep with my drysuit until I could properly vent at shallower depths first.

Wow, pink and purple...no worries, at depth it all gets muted any way but on the surface I'm sure I could spot you from NY.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[melanie.]

My instructor was not comfortable with my shooting to the surface with my floaty feet and too much air in my suit so he made me promise not to go deep with my drysuit until I could properly vent at shallower depths first.

Wow, pink and purple...no worries, at depth it all gets muted any way but on the surface I'm sure I could spot you from NY.

Good luck and keep us posted.

I never did get excessive air in the feet, always felt it starting and corrected before it got out of control. So far anyways. But that is part of what I am worried about, Thursdays is usually the deep dives but I just don't think I will be prepared enough to safely do it. But I will be going twice more before then so we will see how it goes.

As far as the pink... I guess I have to go deeper on every dive then. Because even at 90ft I still stuck out like a sore thumb! But on the plus side I got some great comments on how well I dive for a dry newbie

 

[TSandM]

Be very careful with boots that come off easily -- kicking out of your boots is a good way to lose control of yourself altogether in the water column. I use finkeepers on my TurboSoles for this reason. They might help you, too.

I'm with everybody else . . . remove the wrist dump and have the hole patched, and install a shoulder dump. You shouldn't need to contort yourself to vent your drysuit. Ideally, if you position your body correctly in the water, the suit will vent itself as you ascend -- a well-placed shoulder dump will do that.

 

[melanie.]

So am I understanding that a wrist and shoulder dump are not the same kind of valve? I couldn't just move it?

Thanks TSandM about the finkeepers suggestion. Another diver mentioned those as well. The attached booties are soft, but have a glued on plastic sole and little top - almost like a pair of flats. The problem is that my toes just don't fit all the way front, even though the booties are pretty close to the right size. So I am in the process of removing the glued on top part to see how that helps.