Dry suit or not?

[gooner-paul]

Well this may sound like a daft question but do all of you wear /use dry suits when launching and recovering? Especially in winter?

Or do you use something else?

[jambo]

Your gonna regret that question as all the usual comedians will pounce on it
But to answer your question it depends on the weather and sea conditions it can range from shorts and t-shirt to the full suit.
Hope that helps

[gooner-paul]

Originally Posted by jambo

Your gonna regret that question as all the usual comedians will pounce on it
But to answer your question it depends on the weather and sea conditions it can range from shorts and t-shirt to the full suit.
Hope that helps

Let them jump on it .. point is for someone new to this it's a big investment alongside the cost of rib/fuel/storage/safety gear if they don't get used then it's an unjustified expense all in one hit!

Anyone use waders be a viable option? As a cheaper alternative.. Obviously if you fall over in waders you've had it or if the water is too deep you've had it

Not everyone has masses of experience in this area hence the question

[NSS]

I use waders for launch/recovery, at least when the water is colder. Shorts and flip-flops in high summer (if we ever get such a thing again!).

I'd consider a dry-suit to be more of a safety consideration, particularly if you're going to be taking the boat out when water temperatures are low, as it would increase survival chances should the worst happen.

[mick]

Originally Posted by gooner-paul

Well this may sound like a daft question but do all of you wear /use dry suits when launching and recovering? Especially in winter?

Or do you use something else?

Depends if you want to get your feet wet or not most of the people I know have some sort of drysuit

[GJ0KYZ]

Dry suits are ok but I doubt they're as good as most people think. All designs will suffer from 'flush' at the collar and hands (and feet if they don't have integral socks). Once water gets in the suit it will be absorbed by your clothes and make you cold. I'm sure dry suits are great if you're only in the water for a relatively short period but for long immersions you're far better off with a wet suit. As far as launching and retrieving is concerned, I'd just use waders or take a towel with you and do it in your knickers.

[treerat]

Originally Posted by GJ0KYZ

All designs will suffer from 'flush' at the collar and hands (and feet if they don't have integral socks). Once water gets in the suit it will be absorbed by your clothes and make you cold.

I'm sure dry suits are great if you're only in the water for a relatively short period but for long immersions you're far better off with a wet suit. .

Me thinks this is the wrong way around. Dry suits are just that - dry! Wet suits work by letting in water for the body to heat and use as an insulator.

In the winter it's dry for me, either full suit or dry trousers and top

[wavelength]

never had a problem with seals flushing...only leaky seams etc. Except when diving I can dump the air via the neck seal on ascent by putting m'head back a bit but the air is positive pressure then. Get neoprene seals if ya get a drysuit ...latex ones perish quickly or tear and are uncomfortable. Neoprene ones are comfy and warm and tougher.

[GJ0KYZ]

Originally Posted by treerat

Me thinks this is the wrong way around. Dry suits are just that - dry! Wet suits work by letting in water for the body to heat and use as an insulator.

In the winter it's dry for me, either full suit or dry trousers and top

You're right about water ingress not being too much of an issue with wet suits and the best of them let very little water in at all. Drysuits are ok but are not intended for long-term immersion; they will allow water in and when that happens you will get cold because of the volume of the suit and the fact that it offers no insulation. I have both a dry and (several) wetsuits for my jet ski and I prefer a wetsuit, especially in the winter.

[AJ.]

Originally Posted by GJ0KYZ

You're right about water ingress not being too much of an issue with wet suits and the best of them let very little water in at all. Drysuits are ok but are not intended for long-term immersion; they will allow water in and when that happens you will get cold because of the volume of the suit and the fact that it offers no insulation. I have both a dry and (several) wetsuits for my jet ski and I prefer a wetsuit, especially in the winter.

Have to disagree on that one there are good and bad dry suits some leak some don't. If you look at technical diving or just general diving in the UK you will be warmer and dryer in a dry suit you wear undergarments that breath and take the sweat/moisture away from the skin and trap in the outer layers.
I also use a Othree semi dry (wetsuit) which has tight wrist and ankle seals and a seal around the neck, that allows a tiny bit of water in as wetsuits are designed to allow water in as your body heats this water trapped between your skin and wetsuit to insulate you.

Drysuit everytime, the insulation comes from the undergarments not the suit

[Ribochet]

Originally Posted by AJ.

Drysuit everytime, the insulation comes from the undergarments not the suit

+ 1 - however make sure every layer plus the drysuit are breathable

[wavelength]

I wouldnt want to be sat in a boat again in a wetsuit in winter. Been there done that ...fishing, kayaking, diving, water ski-ing..........b***** freezing. But we are using boats thru the depths of winter. Minus temps mean calm days and used to mean good cod fishing. So cold once I poured my coffee in m'wet suit boots to try and warm m'feet up, and the windchill over the suit-'orrible. Nope drysuit and woolly bear plus a set of thermals underneath and a wooly hat wi earflaps..it ain't pretty but its soooo warm
Alternatively as today- 15m boat, heater, oven, tv and most importantly a kettle and teapot! force 7 NE & blissfully warm and dry! Felt a bit guilty sending crew on deck but someone has to stay at the wheel

[AJ.]

There was a chap who came diving up at a popular dive site called capernwray. He said it was a hardened northerner and drysuits are for southern softies. He jumped in with his 5mm after the first dive he asked if he could borrow a 5mm shortie to put on over the top of his other wetsuit. Came out shivering after 20 mins. I was lovely and toastie after a 50 min dive. Next time he came with a brand new neoprene drysuit! Still can remember his blue face cracks me up

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by GJ0KYZ

Drysuits ... will allow water in

Mine must be faulty then Either that, or I've misinterpreted the word "dry"

[captnjack]

Originally Posted by GJ0KYZ

You're right about water ingress not being too much of an issue with wet suits and the best of them let very little water in at all. Drysuits are ok but are not intended for long-term immersion; they will allow water in and when that happens you will get cold because of the volume of the suit and the fact that it offers no insulation. I have both a dry and (several) wetsuits for my jet ski and I prefer a wetsuit, especially in the winter.

You haven't had a well fitting drysuit or the seals are too loose. I have spent up to 4 hours in a drysuit, 3 of those hours entirely immersed diving and I've come out dry apart from sweat.

[Lee argyle]

Originally Posted by Leapy

Mine must be faulty then Either that, or I've misinterpreted the word "dry"

Mines nice and dry

[wavelength]

I did all my early diving in a 6mm wet suit. My very first dives were all in January and February one year in the Lake District with ice at the edge of the water. The first three dives then under BSAC diving had to be snorkel dives only...now that was cold with the icy wind blowing across my back whilst doing safety cover for divers below. Silly thing is I thought I was enjoying m'self. I now realise I wasn't

[ian parkes]

he only wants to launch not go diving , wellies should be enough on a good slip surely , thats all i ever need . And if you have a mate to drive the car and trailer there is no need to get wet at all .

I always wonder why some folk completely submerge the trailer then lead the boat around up to thier chest in the water trying to find the trailer below it .

[GJ0KYZ]

I have a Gill 4802 drysuit; it's probably what you'd call a mid-range (£375) leasure suit. It fits like a glove as it happens and I've never got wet in it. But having said that, I haven't worn it and then jumped off my ski head first at 20kts like I have when wearing my wetsuit (I practice MOB all the time; you'd be surprised how few jet skiers do). Yes, the wetsuit (O'Neill Psycho II 3/2) will flush under those conditions as will the drysuit. The point is, flushed water is not too much of a problem since (as someone pointed out above) there is very little space between the neoprene and your skin so the water will warm up and provide insulation. However, any flush with a dry suit will result in wet clothing and your becoming cold, eventually. For 99% of rib usage a dry suit is probably the garment of choice since you're unlikely ever to get that wet and unlikely to spend hours in the sea. They're easier to get on and off and far less claustrophobic. However, If I had endure a survival situation I'd (personally) prefer to be in a wetsuit (albeit one that's a bit thicker than the Psycho II- something like the Billabong 765 for example). And as an afterthought, try swimming 50m in a rough sea in a dry suit; I've heard it's very tiring due to the drag. It's hard enough swimming that distance in a wetsuit; again, I've tried.

[mick]

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