Is my undersuit the problem???

[PeeBee]

Originally Posted by Richard Mason

I'll second that. I started using tubigrip after seeing some pics of PV using it on one of those Chesil Bank trips they didn't invite me to. Works perfectly.

whinge, whine and moan, You've been out there too long Richard you are begining to sound like the Aussies when they lose at cricket, rugby etc. You know you are invited, you even invited yourself on one occasion but you're too bloody lazy to turn up!

[String]

Similar issue here. So far managed 7 dives with my new seaskin suit with shoulder dump and everyone to me feels like a lottery as to whether i stay down or whether i rocket (haven't rocketed YET but dont feel in control).
Should dump seems to dump far more slowly than my cuff dump and to do anything at all involves rolling feet down, left shoulder high and bending my elbow up to shoulder to squeeze. I dive with valve fully open

Im struggling to believe shoulder dumps are THAT slow and ineffective when compared to a cuff dump so it could be my undersuit (weezle extreme) or technique.
If i cant sort it soon a cuff dump is going to be fitted. I've tried the duct tape on shoulder trick and it did next to nothing.

(FWIW i had identical issue on my older ND drysuit which i fixed by fitting a cuff dump).

[wilbo]

Originally Posted by String

If i cant sort it soon a cuff dump is going to be fitted.

NOOOOOOO.. don't do it! You'll regret it if you do..

Originally Posted by String

Similar issue here. So far managed 7 dives with my new seaskin suit with shoulder dump and everyone to me feels like a lottery as to whether i stay down or whether i rocket (haven't rocketed YET but dont feel in control).
Should dump seems to dump far more slowly than my cuff dump and to do anything at all involves rolling feet down, left shoulder high and bending my elbow up to shoulder to squeeze. I dive with valve fully open

Im struggling to believe shoulder dumps are THAT slow and ineffective when compared to a cuff dump so it could be my undersuit (weezle extreme) or technique.
If i cant sort it soon a cuff dump is going to be fitted.

(FWIW i had identical issue on my older ND drysuit which i fixed by fitting a cuff dump).

find out *why* the dump is not dumping properly - rather than compound the problem by adding something else (on the cuff).

what undersuit are you using?

[Richard Mason]

Originally Posted by PeeBee

whinge, whine and moan, You've been out there too long Richard you are begining to sound like the Aussies when they lose at cricket, rugby etc. You know you are invited, you even invited yourself on one occasion but you're too bloody lazy to turn up!

cnut.

[alrhem]

To be honest one of my first thoughts was to change the stock ND dump valve to a newer apeks low profile autodump.

I have teh same issue String - not out of control not not totally in control.

One of my last dives was with an instructor from another club who i had never dived with before and i asked what i could have done better. He said my buoyancy "went a bit funny" on the way back up.

undersuit is weezle extreme plus.

[nigelH]

Originally Posted by alrhem

Since i first used the two together i have run into difficulty dumping air from my shoulder. I didnt have this problem with my old Roho suit... (tho it had a cuff dump too)

You might be expecting too much.
Cuff dumpers tend to run less air in the suit than autodumpers.
The auto will try to keep your nice fluffy undersuit nice and fluffy so another kilo on the belt might make all the difference.

Certainly I leave my autodump wide open and ignore it. It just works.

[wilbo]

Originally Posted by String

so it could be my undersuit (weezle extreme) or technique.

doh - didn't spot that first of of reading.

Originally Posted by alrhem

undersuit is weezle extreme plus.

it does sound like there is a bunching issue under the inlet for the valve.. check for restrictions to airflow.

I used to dive that exact undersuit and had the very same problem with an apex low profile auto dump and had the same "I'm not in total control of this ascent feeling"

Either binding the excess material out of the way or applying something like ladies stockings doubled over (if you can spare a pair) or some nice tight flexi bandage will work.

Also check that the value in itself is ok - no reason why it shouldn't be - and also check that your suit isn't too tight - i.e. there is enough space for the air to migrate to the valve.

[scuba g]

Originally Posted by wilbo

NOOOOOOO.. don't do it! You'll regret it if you do..




find out *why* the dump is not dumping properly - rather than compound the problem by adding something else (on the cuff).

what undersuit are you using?

As Wilbo said. The best place to test is a swimming pool, just wear togs or a base layer in the water, and play around with the dump, if you bend the arm up, valve open, and then purge the drysuit inflator valve, you should see a steady flow of air, that will show the valve is working fine, once thats sorted you are looking at the undersuit being the issue.

[String]

Forgot to add my valve is one of the new style apeks low profile and as far as i can tell it works. My old ND suit, another suit i've borrowed and this new seaskin and identical dumping issue leads me to think the valve isn't broken here.

Doing 2 dives tomorrow in capenwray to see if that fixes it. I do dive with very little air in the suit for comfort reasons and really would like to avoid piling on yet more lead to solve.

[wilbo]

Originally Posted by String

Forgot to add my valve is one of the new style apeks low profile and as far as i can tell it works. My old ND suit, another suit i've borrowed and this new seaskin and identical dumping issue leads me to think the valve isn't broken here.

so you answered your own question. its not your dump valve. get some form of wrap for your undersuits left arm.

Originally Posted by String

Doing 2 dives tomorrow in capenwray to see if that fixes it. I do dive with very little air in the suit for comfort reasons and really would like to avoid piling on yet more lead to solve.

As Nigel suggests - lots of people add a little weight at this time of year simply so they can run a suit that has just a little more gas in it. A kilo won't matter, yet the additional gas in the suit for insulation might give you an extra 5 minutes or so difference in dive time, as you're not so cold.

good luck