Drysuit skills

[Conor]

Hi all

Having bought my new drysuit at LIDs I amd now off to Guildenburgh tomorrow with some fellow YDers to get used to diving dry.

Previously people have said that a course wasn't required and that you should just get a buddy to run through a few skills with you.

My question is, what are those skills?

I have a rough idea but would be interested to hear what you guys think I should be learning.

Cheers

Conor

[Suzanne]

Hiya

on the padi drysuit orientation we get them to do the following:

fin pivot
hover
weightbelt/scuba unit removal
lpi hose removal/replacement
erm - can't think of the rest right now but its a good place to start, also if you have a cuff dump on the same arm as you keep your computer you  might want to move the puter to the other wrist.   Obviously you'll also want to get your weight right too.

I'm sure the YD gurus will add to this....

have fun !  

[Suzanne]

PS  waddya get?

[MATTBIN]

A vertical ascent feet first isnt the best idea so learn how to avoid that in the first place.
How to correct it, if/when it happens, except of course you should practice in the shallows and wont have enough time to correct it, probably. Your mates(?) will all laugh at your pathetic attempts.

Just get used to the different feel of it all and ENJOY.  

Matt

[Conor]

Thanks Suzanne

That should give the guys some entertainment .

I went for an Oceanic Flexia (aiming for lightweight, being a travelling and public transport diver).

Cheers

Conor

[Dominic]

How to get out of being inverted.

How to do all buoyancy control on the suit.

How to do all buoyancy control on the BCD.

[Suzanne]

shoulder dump then....v nice.

I use ankle weights too, but then i'm a girl and my centre of gravity is slightly different to yours ha ha!!

[Conor]

Thanks for the tips guys, it should be enough to keep the whole site laughing.

I'm going to try to survive without ankle weights, but guess I'll have to see how it goes.

I'll post next week and let you know how my experiment progresses.

Conor

[Skeletor]

Also, what to do if the unlikely event the inflator sticks open.
i.e. disconnecting and reconnecting the hose and dumping air from the cuff or neck seal to prevent a rapid ascent.  Although the neck seal is best not attempted in the open water 'cos your gonna get wet!

The PADI drysuit orientation has the instructor hold the inflator down whilst you correct by dumping air from your cuff seal.

[Dominic]

"How to get out of the damned thing" is a skill some people really, really need to learn: