On Wed, 9 Oct 2002 07:11:54 -0700, David Hale <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I read the procedure. Early in the outline is the
>statement:
>
>Use of buoyancy compensator with drysuit for:
> - Emergency buoyancy
> - Escape from depth
> - ...

I've refrained from entering this sub-thread mostly because of my
own VERY limited experience diving with drysuits, though I possess
a PADI Specialty cert in it though.  :-)

Heck, but given the apparent interest and CONTROVERSY (<G>) in the
subject, we may as well have a pow-wow on it.  :-))

First of all, for MYSELF, a drysuit course was a VERY desirable and
valuable one, in "continuing education",  as a WWW who visited the
frozen North in 1990, and had little time to learn it the trial-by-
error way, not to mention the EXPENSE of having to rent such a sucker
every time I dive there (which was TWICE in the Drysuit course <BG>
I did the Ice Diver cert in a 1/4" wetsuit!  :-)))

That also answered Mika'a question of why not BUY a drysuit.  At about
$1,400 (in 1990 :-)) for the Viking suit I used, it would have been
$700 per dive!  Okay, I take it back.  It would have been $233 per dive
since I would have been able to cut the neck and wrist seals to fit
and would been able to do the Ice Dives in the Drysuit.


>All of the text that follows does seem to state that
>the drysuit is used exclusively for buoyancy control
>in a normal dive, and the b.c. is only for
>emergencies.

>Most of the tech divers in the US use the b.c. for
>buoyancy control, and only add air to the drysuit as
>needed for comfort. I agree with that procedure, and
>find it improves my trim control and the overall
>comfort level of the dive.
>
>David H.

I don't recall WHICH was taught as the primary and which the secondary
for buoyancy control.  It matters not -- I can THINK for myself!  :-)))
I DO recall doing what David discribed in his last paragraph.

I recall vividly because as a WWW, I was very picky about TRIM and
minimal-weighting.  As such, the FIRST thing I did was to exhaust
ALL the air out of a drysuit (as I would for my BCD if that's the
only buoyancy device I have), and then adjust the buoyancy with the
BCD, not only because THAT part of buoyancy control is COMMON to
both warm and cold water diving, and independent of whether a drysuit
or ANY suit is worn.

By having virtually no air in the drysuit, it also eliminated all
the potential (or actual) problem of being an inverted humpty-dumpty
as drysuit newbies are known to fall prey to.  :-))

I remember this aspect vividly in what I did in my very first pool
session in drysuit diving.  The instructor took at my Viking God
physique (I was wearing a Viking Drysuit!! <G>) and handed me 30 lbs
of lead.  :-)))  I mildly protested but decided to give it a try.

In less than 5 minutes, I had enough of a feel to take off 15 lbs
IMMEDIATELY and was STILL too heavily weighted.  That pretty much
implied that I had little or no air in the drysuit.

We went through the various manoeuvers of buoyancy control with the
drysuit valve and vents, and of course doing the old familiar stuff
with the BCD.

If I ever have the opportunity to dive the Antartica (that would be
about the ONLY diving opportunity I WOULD ever dive with a Drysuit <G>)
I would prefer the Viking-type suit (no compression in the thin rubber
material), and I would do ALL (whatever little) buoyancy control
required during the dive with only the BCD, and I don't care WHAT
is officially sanctioned/taught by WHICH diving agency.  <BG>

-- Bob. PADI Drysuit Diver #8912237953. Lifetime experience: 2 dives. :-)