Comments on: 10 Jan Dive: Crescent Island

By: neil

neil — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 05:27:37 +0000

Thanks a lot for that. Although

… but which eventually condense, cool and solidify when in contact with the cooler, inside surface of the suit …

I suspect that should be “liquefy” instead of “solidify”, unless the surface of the suit is VERY cold!

By: Taucher

Taucher — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 05:10:35 +0000

Hi all,
For anyone using a drysuit – particularly in (warmer?), Hong Kong waters, one of the phenomena you’ll have to contend with is perspiration. Now we all know that horses sweat, men perspire and ladies merely glow – unfortunately this is not perzactly true in diving contexts. The fact is that all drysuit divers sweat – a lot – when zipped into the confines of their suit. This sweat has a high proportion of dissolved salts in it, which are carried around inside the suit when in gaseous form, but which eventually condense, cool and solidify when in contact with the cooler, inside surface of the suit – which is in turn being cooled by water contact with the outer surface. Some of the condensate stays on the inside surfaces of your suit, making you think that you have a leak – particularly if you’ve been physically active during the dive. The remainder is soaked up by your undersuit, though more modern materials “Wick” moisture through their micropores onto their outer surface. The main thing to remember is that all these exudations are corrosive – possibly moreso than actual seawater – so external and internal rinsing of the drysuit at the end of a weekend is essential, if you want your suit to last. Simply plonk it in the bath with a dash of “Milton” or other mild disenfectant, make sure all the inside surfaces are thoroughly rinsed, drain the water out and hang the suit up by its boots to dry. You can buy a drysuit hangar, with large “U”-shaped forks on it which support the boots, or make one from two loops of old car tyre inner tube (available free from any tyre fitters), and a flat pice of wood with a central hook to hang it up. The loops are passed over one end of the stick, around the boot and back over the stick and repeated on the other end. Leave the suit hanging in a well-ventilated area – NOT a car garage, as petrol and other solvent-based fumes can attack adhesives used in suit manufacture. Remember also to close the main zip before rolling it up (in the same direction as the “Curve” of the dry zipper), to pack in your dive bag the night before a trip.
For further advice, talk to me or any of the other instructors at ABC on a Thursday evening, or enrol in the Drysuit Training course later this year.
Dive dry,
Nick.

By: neil

neil — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 04:24:20 +0000

She ended up with some weights in her pockets, which she’ll transfer to her belt next time. And we’ll try it again and see what happens regarding the water inside. It wasn’t localised, so I’m inclined to hope that it’s not a leak.

Thanks a lot, and best wishes to you for 2010. Safe diving.

By: Caron

Caron — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:12:10 +0000

Thanks for your nice interesting article. I also dove my first drysuit on Jan 10. But I didn’t get a formal undrergarment, I just used some polyesther material to keep myself warm.

I visited Basalt Island, it’s with some current and vis was around 3M. Water temp was 15-16 at depth 16 Meters.

I think I experienced mostly the same like Rita as I puzzled if my drysuit leaked or that’s respiration and condensation of my sweat. My another issue was the position of the weight as I am using backplate & wing with one weight bag on my right.

Thanks for all the articles, they are very informative and useful!

Hope this is not too late, I wish you and your family and friends have a wonderful, happy year 2010 and safe diving !

Cheers.