Wetsuit, How Cold?

[divetahoe]

What is the coldest water you have dived in a wetsuit? It would be interesting to know the air temperture, as well.
Jeff

Back a while I did 48F in a 7mm Farmer John. No more. I'm older, wiser and carry less personal insulation! I'll don the dry for anything under 60 now.

I'm a wimp. There, Beat you to it!

 

[speedhound]

I've Gilboa Quarry, OH, in a 3mm Farmer John, with hood and gloves. Water temp was 52°F at 66 feet, in the 60's at the surface. Stayed down about an hour.
Got some warm water in my wetsuit for the SI, and next dive.

45 minutes into the second dive I thought I'd better leave before I got too cold and/or I put a leak into my grinning buddy's dry suit.

 

[rubicon]

What is the coldest water you have dived in a wetsuit? It would be interesting to know the air temperture, as well.

Just curious about this. Of course the total thickness of the wetsuit would also come into play.

Jeff

i dived the san juan island nov 3 years ago. water was 41 degrees. i thought i might be in trouble when i was the only one on the boat with a "wet suit"---wore a 6.5 mm 2 peice with cold water 4mm vest and hood. i survived well.

 

[Santa]

7 degrees celsius in a two-piece 7 mm wetsuit for three 30 minute dives in a row.

I was fine on the first dive, but the instructor had me stay in no lunch because someone had to do navigation between dives so I couldn't feel my legs when I got out.

Maybe my fury at his lousy planning kept me warm.

 

[Barracuda2]

Late 70's or early 80's had to do an ice dive to help recover 3 snowmobilers who crashed through the ice in a gravel pit. 2:30 in the morning, 17 degree air temp. Our line handlers had to keep skimming the hole to keep it cleared because the water was freezing that fast. Don't know what the water temp was because we were not carrying thermometers at that time; computers were not even on the drawing board yet. We all wore 5 mm farmer john's with hood, boots, gloves. Fortunately, it didn't take long to complete the recovery. It took two teams about 20 min. each to recover the bodies. Also fortunately, we had a large warm van to change into and out of our gear.

 

[AevnsGrandpa]

May of last year. Haigh Quarry in Illinois. Water temp was 42 degrees at 35 feet. Air temp was high 60's to low 70's. Was wearing a full 5-4-3 wet suit with gloves and 3mm hood and boots.

Stayed down around 25 minutes before I could not move fingers and toes.

Since then moved to a 7mm farmer john and 5mm hood and gloves. much better. Had some low 50's this year early on and was not bad.

Jeff

 

[ajames54]

Can you count when I used to service swimming pools and had to break through ice to patch pools in winter? (vinyl obviously) 10 to 20 air temp 34-38 water temp.. 5 -15 minute "bottom" time.

if yes then see above

if no then mid 40s..

 

[razor218]

the coldest i have dived in is 10c and it was in a one piece 7/5mm with 3mm hood/vest on as well.felt the cold about 20mins into dive.all dives i have done have not been over 19degC

 

[brokenbubbles]

I will heartily admit to being a pansy Floridian. I hate the cold. I get chilled in 80+ degree water. Usually a 5/3 with hood is necessary for the 68F cooler springs.
However, when assisting as the "victim" during a rescue class, even the 72 degree springs are preferable to being hauled out into the 33F air, with a nice breeze... brrrrrr.... it's hard to play unconcious when your whole body is shivering.

 

[jeckyll]

OW cert dive 3: 48F, 1 hour 30 minutes in the water (30 min of that actually diving, wayyyyy to long doing surface skills).

Bought a drysuit after my first non-cert dive.