Drysuits and frustration!

[Andre]

Originally posted by Pitkis
the longest time I have spent in zero degree water wearing their Gore-TEX suit was 12 hours, but that's the whole another story...:-)

Why not share it with us? Could be interesting

Andre

[Rogue Wave]

Andre I did Change it , I am sure that JF realised that It was down to me it was just too good an opportunity to miss. I'll leave this thread alone and let you guys gey on with the serious stuff

Cheers

[matiboy]

Manos has the details , he will be getting back to me soon

[Rogue Wave]

Originally posted by Jono
Frustation first! My delivery slot has slipped from end January to "sometime in March"! Grrrr! something to do with Suzuki not having their "new" engines available till then! Oh well!Cheers, Jono

Do the right thing put a Happymax on the boat instead!

[Jono]

Believe me, it did cross my mind ( a short and lonely journey I'll warrant) to re-think the engine option but I'm gonna stick with the Suzi...
Oh, and the nice man from "Boat and Jet Ski World, Mr Osprey, sold me some very nice typhoon suits.. roll on my training course in January, Brrrr!

[Keith Hart]

Hello

My 2p worth on drysuits.

My personal drysuit is the 'Ravenspring Rapide Breathable'. This suit has been thoroughly tested with up to 14 hours daily use on a round britain rib trip, a crossing of The Pentland Firth' in a very wet SIB (see Nov/Dec Rib International Magazine)and sub zero sibbing off the coast of the Scottish Highlands.

It has the 'boots' fitted.

This suit does exactly what it says on the packaging. It keeps you dry, it breathes so YOU don't drown in sweat. Put something warm underneath and it also keeps you warm.

It ain't the cheapest. But it is the BEST.

See attached photo. Never trust a paramedic when HE tells you that the water is only 18 inches deep!!!

Keith (front zip so you can take it off yourself) Hart

[peteb]

I bought a new drysuit as a safety measure for my winter boating, I was trying it on early the other morning as I wanted to check the seals. I must say it was a bit tight around the neck and the wrists, and had the front zip. Anyway I got myself in a bit of a pickle, I managed to get it on OK, but found the neck seal choking me, I was getting pretty hot inside and decided to take it off, I had tried it on with a wooly bear over my work suit, shirt & tie, less jacket, and it was quite hot in there, I was sweating a bit and then got myself totally tangled trying to get the top part off. Just at that point the door bell went, I felt like hoodini and could see the mail van outside, I was waiting for a gadget and had no option but to go to the door and answer it as I didn't want SWMBO to see the parcel, I was dripping in sweat and pulled up the zipper, as I answered the door the postman/woman, I couldn't work out which gave a nice smile, I felt so embarrased. At that moment SWMBO shouted out "who is it, are you ready yet?" as I was meant to be moving a car to let her out. Anyway I tried to explain why I had this suit on at 8am, but all I got was the reply that it fitted me well and that he would not keep me any longer.

Anyway I put a large pan in the neck seal and wine bottles in the cuffs to loosen it, that has now worked, and I WONT be wearing it at home again

[Phill]

Originally posted by John Kennett
What do you mean by "don't survive"? They're not breathable under water (which is why diving suits aren't made from breathable fabric),

Why?, diving should have positive pressure in the suit. "Don't survive" means that they break up - probably because they're designed for totally different pressure differentials. Hey, horses for courses, I'm just trying to save someone buying a suit that they think is dual purpose, (and then becoming one of my customers !!).

It may be easier to get in and out of a drysuit with a front zip, but I can manage quite easily on my own with a back zip, so don't assume it's not possible!

I'm not - but the majority of people cannot - unless you've got something like the soft cover hooks on the side of a LandRover available.

John

[Phill]

Oops, commenting at relevant parts of a quote makes it appear you're shouting - not meaning to, sorry.

[RIVA]

have got 5 drysuits in garage some bought on price what a mistake ! would not have a typoon given me, last one lasted 8 weeks, the best dry suit on the market is the henry loyd but it is £450.00 but lasts for many seasons , best value for money suit crewsaver hyperdry now less than £200.00 @ andark diving mine gets used 2 times a week and is in the water twice a week not just getting splashed but fully submerged great suit for the money

[RIVA]

just search on the shop link for drysuits, then type in each manafacturer, ring the shop and ask for a deal ,they do sell more than anyone else , or go to there stand @ exel

[bogib]

I have had few drysuits in the past Typhoon which I like was my first since that I have tried several brands and now I mainly use the Musto HPX or the Crewsaver Hyperdry which I use in the winter.

[Richard B]

There's a thread about poor service from the marine industry running at the mo. but there's a drysuit manufacturing company whose attitude and achievement are an example to all:

Ravenspring.

The guys are perfectionists. Their product is excellent and they are super people to deal with. I had an alteration done to my drysuit last year - dropped it off on December 28th at their factory where they were working into the night preparing for LBS. They apologised in advance for a delay - Boat Show and all that. In two weeks I had the drysuit back, which I thought was perfectly reasonable.

[Pitkis]

Well, like Andre asked, I can tell you about my 12 hours in zero-temperature water. The case was actually started by a stupid article in magazine, in which some reader insisted that my earlier article about survival suits (Gore-Tex RIB models) was false. He said, that the suit can't keep a person alive more than 2-3 hours even if worn properly. So I made a test on April here in Finland, it was something like -2 C air and icy water. I spent 12 hours in water, it was so could that water froze over my Crewsaver lifejacket and the suit was also covered with ice. I survived the test easily, the most difficult thing was to keep fingers warm enough during the day. I had only ordinary neoprene gloves with me, no dry-gloves. It took me 3 weeks to get back "touch sense" to my fingers, but after all no permanent damages occured. I'd say that Gore-Tex suit keep you alive at sea 24 hours even in the coldest conditions you can find. My 12 hours was easy, but if your only target is to stay alive, you can easily take 20 or maybe 30 hours depending on personal cold resistance. The major problem is urination, because body developed some 800 ml of urine every day and you should get rid of that by some way. Otherwise the suit will get wet inside because you just can't keep all the urine in your bladder till someone finds you drifting at sea.

I can send couple images when I come back, but the test was pretty simple. The story was covered in Finnish boating magazine about two years ago with 5-6 pages.

[gaelforce]

obviously the suit designers -ravenspring, goretex etc. will have to get their heads together to formulate an industrywide solution to this one. I propose a suit with a flexible diameter member opening for the male version. This will get over the 800 ml a day wetting the inside of the suit problem. As an accessory, perhaps a modified goretex condom could be worn with a one-way valve fitted at the cap. Instead of lubricating jelly, perhaps a shark-repellent material could be woven into the membrane. Happy Christmas.

[Andre]

Thanks Pitkis that was some test

Andre

[Jono]

Gaelforce.. I think you'll find you can get an "option" like this on diving dry suits of the kind the techies wear on long deco dives... Nice!