Will drysuit diving suck less soon?

[WileEDiver]

Braunbehrens once bubbled...
Condensation, sweat, or leak?

To find out which it is, look at the undergarment. If you dive in salt water, and have a leak, there will be a white salt spot in the area of the leak.

Somtimes it's hard to tell what's going on. Usually if the suit is damp all around it's just condensed sweat and humidity from the air, although flushing with argon before the dive should help a little.

Braunbehrens,

Won't sweat leave the same "white salt" spots as salt water?

 

[Braunbehrens]

WileEDiver once bubbled...


Braunbehrens,

Won't sweat leave the same "white salt" spots as salt water?

For some reason it doesn't. At least in my experience.

 

[ERP]

I think the only reason sweat doesn't leave the white spots, is just the quantities involved. It doesn't take muck of a leak to get VERY wet.

When it's hot out and I'm shore diving I can make my undergarments very wet without any leaks being involved.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Good point on not using your BC for bouyancy when diving a dry suit. It's so obvious I did not consider mentioning it but apparently it needed to be addressed. Attempting to manage two separate air volumes is a sure way to get an out of control ascent started.

The BC is only for back up in case of a flooded suit, large tear, non-functional inflator etc.

The exhaust valve, if automatic and adjustable should be set close to it's lightest setting on ascent. I normally leave it there and if you are properly weighted and not carrying too much air in the suit this normallly works very well. If I am working under water in an more vertical position or with a lot more arm/shoulder movement that may dump air, I set it a little tighter but return it to the lightest setting before ascent.

Ankle weights allow you to spread the weight around a bit and provide some trim adjustment when it is needed but I agree they are overused and tend to contribute to overweighting by many dry suit divers.

I also think newer suits are cut a little tighter in the legs than they were 20 years ago and are less likely to balloon on you when you are head down and feet up. Tight fitting ankle weights can keep your feet in the boots if this happens on a larger fitting suit. Nothing like trying to swim when your feet are no longer connected to the fins.

 

[WileEDiver]

Braunbehrens once bubbled...


For some reason it doesn't. At least in my experience.

Well, you should see the sweat marks on my Trident "Sharkey" cap!

 

[ColdH2Odvr]

If for some reason you want/need to go head down and you’re using your BC, wings, etc for buoyancy control, you simply end up in a head down position. If you’re using your drysuit, you may end up heading feet first to the surface (possibly without fins).

If for some reason you want/need to go head up and you’re using your BC, wings, etc for buoyancy control, you simply end up in a head up position. If you’re using your drysuit, that latex seal around you neck may burp sending you feet first to the bottom (don’t laugh, this is what finally convinced me it might be worth the effort to learn to manage both).

Either way, you end up with a loss of buoyancy control that you were trying to avoid in the first place. If you end up at the surface from a loss of buoyancy using your BC, you can vent and descend again. If you end up at the surface with your legs acting as lift bags and your fins no where in site, that’s how your going to stay. Hopefully your buddy or someone comes along and helps get you back on your feet.

If your suit fails (rip, tare, blown seal etc.) and you’re using it for buoyancy control, you have two problems; suit flood and loss of buoyancy… task overload? Perhaps. If your suit fails and your using your BC, you’re cold, wet and bitter but at least your still in control.

In truth, it’s probably best to be well versed in both modes of buoyancy control.

 

[IceBergSlim]

While you’re learning your drysuit, ditch the ankle weights. I don’t know why there seems to be such a big push to put the damn things on everyone who buys a drysuit but if they’ve been put on you, I urge you to reconsider. The best time to learn to dive without them is when you first start.

Think about it, If you think you can’t dive without them then what are you going to do when one falls off? If one does fall off and you can’t dive without them, unless you’re at the surface, you’re kinda screwed. The best way to keep from loosing ankle weights is to leave them at home.

Thanks ColdH2O
Not Off topic at all. It was a subject I had thought about as well. My story is thus: I had real problems keeping my feet down in the pool. I figured that ankle weights were a good idea and used them on my OW dry dives. Yes, they helped a great deal for fin pivots. But, they made hovering almost impossible. On dive 2 I was at 60 plus feet and felt "kinda funky"...Turns out that I had lost one of my ankle weights. So I can say that what you describe is a real issue. Overall I did not have a major problem with or without the weights in general, but they really do make a difference. I figure that it is best that I dive with and without them to get the most varied experience. Thanks again, D

 

[IceBergSlim]

I messed up the "quote another post funtion" with that last one....Thanks to ColdH2O for his insight.

 

[double125's]

Is it possible to set the valve to lite and it doing the reverse: creating a suction and allowing water in.

 

[bwerb]

A set of rubber jet fins with spring straps weigh enough on their own to really help negate the need for ankle weights in comparison to lighter fins.