Resources on how to use a drysuit
- Thread starter Sbiriguda
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In my group most people including my instructor do not like to dive in the lakes (there is not much to see compared to the sea). Some of them are very skilled but mostly they do technical diving in the sea (I am not certified for that) or they dive in the sea in winter. I would like to dive in the lakes so I will have to find another group to do that anyway (without leaving mine). I am already in contact with people who are very experienced in this, I am confident I can arrange to meet them and ask some help. I could take the course too
I already found the drysuit manual of an Italian agency the "ESA" (which is legitimate, no copyright infringement they share it for free)
http://www.esaweb.net/e-learning/drydiver_it.pdf
If there are any other resources that might help, I am interested
I already found the drysuit manual of an Italian agency the "ESA" (which is legitimate, no copyright infringement they share it for free)
http://www.esaweb.net/e-learning/drydiver_it.pdf
If there are any other resources that might help, I am interested
Cdncoldwater
Contributor
I took the course, all of my buddies dive dry suit as well. When my son wanted to dive dry but couldn't justify paying for a card, I let him review my manual and went through the drills with him over a few dives. I can say that of the courses I took, drysuit was the most overrated. You need to get used to the suit, each one is potentially different and it takes close to 20 dives to understand how your suit "acts". Things like material, rock or built in boots etc all play a factor.
What agencies are available to you for drysuit classes? PADi, SDI, SSI? I would try to get the manual for whatever class you would take.
ontdiver
Contributor
@Angelo Farina may be able to provide some local advice for you.
It always blows me away when the consensus on SB is to go take a specialty class, especially when there is often such criticism of the “put another dollar in” program. Drysuit diving is not hard and does not require a class. Between YouTube, reading and practice I was able to learn without a class. Just make sure you research 1 proper inspection and donning, 2. Weighting and buoyancy, 3 descent and ascent techniques, 4 learn the tuck and roll for gas trapped in feet, and 5 drills for stuck inflators and exhausts.
Between YouTube and google there are enough resources to learn on your own if you want. Be sure to practice as it will take several dives to start to master the skills without thinking about it.
Different dry suits react differently as well. Diving a fitted neoprene drysuit is much easier than a trilam as managing the gas bubble is just slightly easier.
Is it probably more efficient to take a class or find a buddy who can mentor you, yes, but it is not required.
Between YouTube and google there are enough resources to learn on your own if you want. Be sure to practice as it will take several dives to start to master the skills without thinking about it.
Different dry suits react differently as well. Diving a fitted neoprene drysuit is much easier than a trilam as managing the gas bubble is just slightly easier.
Is it probably more efficient to take a class or find a buddy who can mentor you, yes, but it is not required.
What worked for you may not work for everyone. OP asks a lot of questions. If the class would be helpful for him, that’s his decision. Not yours.
That is not the way the thread developed at all. Op asked for resources for study and learning and it took exactly 1 post for someone to suggest they should take a class and then for others In the thread to echo the sentiment. If he wants to take a class, he should, it is his decision. What I was commenting on was that there are resources to self educate. Pushing him to take a class rather than offering another perspective is not arming him and giving him a choice.
ginti
Contributor
Which lakes are you interested in? I assume Garda, Como or Maggiore, right?
Angelo is from Parma, a bit far from the big italian lakes... but maybe he can
@Sbiriguda while you wait for the course and/or for other information, pay attention to the zip of your drysuit: lubricate it, otherwise you risk to tamage it - and its replacement is gonna e very painful for your pocket
(I am assuming you have a trilaminate suit...)
Parma is just one hour from the Garda lake, but I do not like it. Much better places are roughly at the same distance in Liguria, in the sea, such as Monterosso, Levanto, or the small islands in front of La Spezia.
Sorry, I have no advice to give about dry suit courses.
First I am not a lover of drysuits. I only used neoprene ones for civil protection work (searching for dead bodies in the Po river, or similar).
The rule for using them properly was simple. Do not inject much air in it, just enough for being able to breath comfortably.
At that point the dry neoprene suit behaves exactly as a normal wet suit.
Hence you do not need any special class or training...
I never used those bulky trilaminate suits, but I have seen some divers having severe problems with them.
But the basic question is: do you really need a dry suit?
I did dive under 1 meter of ice in mountain lakes, when young. With a wet suit...
Just pissing inside it, it was warm enough...
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