What to expect from drysuit class?

[BouzoukiJoe]

I'm going to be taking a dry suit class and I am wondering what to expect.


I've been told that "they" will want me to use the DS for buoyancy control except at the surface. Although I've been told by divers I respect that I should use the BC to control buyoancy and just add enough air to the DS to control squeeze.

[Specmac]

Yep, recreational dive instructors will tell you to use the DS for buoyancy. Tech instructors will cringe every time they hear that.

They class is fairly easy and straight forward. Getting use to the drysuit just takes a few dives. When your using the ds for buoyancy there will be an air bubble in there rolling around every time you move. Kind of like diving with some random trim changes every time you make any angle shifts.

For some the drysuit takes some getting used to. I had a real love hate relationship with mine for about 20 dives. Then I went back to using the BC for buoyancy and now the drysuit is a joy.

[Kingpatzer]

I ended my dry suit class hating the dry suit.

It took me about 10 more dives in one before I really felt comfortable in a dry suit.

My wife had the same experience.

It is just different, and one of the harder scuba skill to learn, IMHO, is that of getting the air in the dry suit to do what you want it to do. With a wet-suite and a BC, you never have to think about wear the air is, with a dry suit, it's, at first, the only thing I could think of.

One minute an arm would be floating above my head blown up like a balloon, while my legs were being squeezed, and a few minutes later my feet would be floating over my head . . .

It took a bit of time to get to the point where I felt I was in control of what the suit was doing. It took longer still till I felt I was comfortable in the suit and confident that I knew what to expect.

[bubbletrubble]

BouzoukiJoe,

As others have said, your instructor will probably teach you to use the DS alone to control buoyancy. This is easier to deal with initially since you are only working with one buoyancy control device.

You can find many long discussions on another scuba forum (ScubaBoard) regarding whether it is best to use DS alone or DS to keep squeeze off + BCD for buoyancy. I think you should try both ways to see which works best for you. In either case, it's important to be able to recover from a feet-first ascent.

During the class, you may also learn how to maintain your suit/seals/zipper (freshwater post-dive rinse, mild soap on latex seals, drysuit talc, zipper wax, ozone bad for latex), trim latex seals (carefully use sharp scissors, don't trim too much at first), how to deal with "floaty feet" (better leg positioning, ankle weights, gaiters) and the additional weight you'll need vs. diving wet (just do a solid weight check). Please, please, please ensure that you are properly weighted. It will make the learning process much easier.

It will take a few dives to get used to the "feel" of diving dry. Some get the hang of it in a couple dives. Others take 5-10 dives. It may take 40-50 dives for you to feel really comfortable. Hang in there.

My first DS dive I felt like the love child of the Michelin Man/Pillsbury Doughboy (if that's biologically possible). Now I reach for that dang DS inflator button even when I'm diving wet!

The best analogy comparing wetsuit diving to DS diving is driving an automatic vs. manual transmission car. OK, I'll admit that the comparison has it's limits. However, diving dry you'll pay more attention to where the air is distributed in your suit...because you have to. You'll likely stay more horizontal...because you'll be "rewarded" by not getting squeezed in any one body part. Upon ascent, you'll be very aware of where the air is in your suit...and how much your dumping. It takes a fair amount of practice. Once you learn how to dive with your DS, it'll become second nature.

Dive safe. Dive dry. And don't pee in your suit (unless you're setup for that sort of thing. :-)

[DivingCRNA]

I ROASTED during the pool session...

It is an easy cert, and I only got it so I could go to DUI events and try suits without getting crap.

Learn to add and dump air. Learn to no go inverted (feet up). Learn what to do if you go feet up. Learn tips and tricks. Learn to care for the suit.

It is not bad. My instructor said the party line was to use the suit for buoyancy, but he would not recommend it. I do not know a single dry suit diver that uses the suit for buoyancy.

[cummings66]

Drysuits tend to make you work for the same buoyancy control you "had" before those first few dives in the new drysuit. After a period of time it becomes second nature and you'll love it, assuming you didn't sell it during the period you hated it.

Feet up isn't a big deal, I do it for fun sometimes. Ever want to walk upside down under water, it's easy in a drysuit. Just get into an overhead such as ice and flip over, now you can walk. It's neat. Assuming you have the training to do that that is.

I think every drysuit diver needs to routinely practice the skills to stay in touch with them, go inverted and see how you handle it after the class, it may surprise you. Use the suit as a BC in case you lose the BCD you still know how to manage it without ending up inverted or worse.

I don't practice the pulling a seal and flooding however because I don't really want to get wet, besides about all you want to practice is the reaction to grabbing it.

For me in my Viking with drygloves my ONLY option is to reach inside my dryhood and then hook the neck seal with a finger and pull it, it's not very fast compared to pulling the seal directly. But I know it's the only way I have open to me and I have the motor skills down.

For the class you can expect to get warm, wear a light under garment like the under armour type to keep the hickies down.

[MSilvia]

Like others have said, expect to lose the feeling of having your buoyancy and trim under control. It took me about 12 dives to get that back so I felt really comfortable again. It was in many ways like learning to dive all over again.

Stick with it, and you'll figure it out pretty fast.

[BouzoukiJoe]

Sounds like great info, guys. Thanks a bunch. I'm looking forward to diving dry.

[ScubaJW]

I never took a drysuit class. I had a friend who can teach me and became comfortable with the drysuit in about 10 dives. It's really simple, that you only to relearn the buoyant. I believe they will teach you about the valves on the drysuit - how to control them, proper weights, control your buoyant, and a few others. Have fun with the drysuit! I loved it.

[mm_dm]

And now there will be no more "season" to your diving. Be sure to hook up with someone in class so you have a cold weather dive buddy.