DRY SUIT DIVING
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DRY SUIT DIVER COURSE- Your certification card will allow you to purchase or rent a dry suit without having to complete proof of experience! CALL US. WE JUST NEED TO SCHEDULE THE 2-HOUR CLASS AND POOL TIME! CALL 845-255-7446.
DRY SUIT DIVER INFORMATION
A diver wishing to do the Advanced Dry Suit Dive, or the Dry Suit Diver Specialty
Course must bring the following items to Deep-Six on the day of the dive:
1. Garments for the upper body: The more air the better. You will need at least
3 long-sleeved sweatshirts, or 1 long-sleeved sweatshirt and a thick wool sweater.
A cotton tee shirt would be good to wear under the others to absorb sweat.
2. Garments for the lower body: Sweatpants and long pants. If you have long
underwear that is a thermal-type that would help. Cotton socks and wool socks.
3. If you own your own: A wet suit hood, wet suit gloves, mask, ankle weights,
and a large pair of fins.
4. Food for between dives including a hot drink. A PBJ sandwich is ideal
5. A Thermos filled with hot water for pouring in your gloves to warm the hands.
6. Warm clothes for post dive in case the diving clothes get wet.
7. Your up-to-date LOG BOOK!
The Dry Suit vs. The Wet Suit
Historic suits
Superior thermal protection – Argon – See Calhoun’s article
(below).
Weather is less of a factor with dry suits
Standing up in shallow water – dry vs. wet suits
Fit is not as important
Compression with depth – thermal loss vs. squeeze and blowing up
Cost
Maintenance
Bulk and moving through the water
Water getting inside
Finding and repairing leaks
Weights needed - distribution
Zippers – types and lubrication (no silicone spray)
Hoods – attached and unattached, Carotid Sinus Reflex
Wet suit hoods
Care of boots
Wet suit boots over latex boots with fins.
Care of rubber cuffs and neck seal, repair and fit
Undergarments
Storage
Types of Dry Suits
Neoprene
Coated fabric (polyurethane)
Crushed neoprene
Trilaminate
Controlling Buoyancy
Valves and their operation (Manual vs. automatic)
Excess air or dropped weight belt - emergency dump - flare
Leg air
Fins blowing off
Ankle weights
Flooding - chilling and loss of buoyancy
BCD is still essential. Dry suit air for comfort and warmth, BC air for buoyancy.
Making sure the buddy is familiar with the suit
The Confined Dive:
Make up the weight system
Donn underwear and dry suit
Buoyancy check
Fin pivot
Disconnect and reconnect the dry suit hose
Hovering for 1 minute
Neutrally buoyant 1’/second ascent
Inflator and deflator both open while maintaining neutral buoyancy
Leg air turn over
Remove and replace the weight belt on the surface
Remove and replace the scuba on the surface
Open Water – Dive one (1)
A. PADI recommends that the first dive be no deeper than six (6) msw / twenty
(20) fsw.
B. Plan Dive.
C. Proper donning of Dry suit.
D. Review functions and features of Dry suit.
E. Enter water from back of boat or shore entry.
F. Buoyancy Check.
G. Get comfortable.
H. Descend.
I. Practice Dry suit skills
Inflating and Deflating
suit.
Roll from Inverted
position.
J. Ascent with Safety Stop.
K. Ascend and exit.
L. Log Dive.
Open Water – Dive two (2)
A. Plan Dive.
B. Enter and descend.
C. Practice Dry suit skills.
D. Inflating and Deflating suit.
E. Roll from Inverted position.
F. Emergency procedures for Dry suit malfunctions.
G. Enjoy the sites.
H. Ascend w/ safety stop.
I. Exit Log Dive.
LOG THE DIVE (Maximum depth is 60’) > 33’ – 15’/3
minutes
PADI Dry Suit Diver Specialty Course Requirements:
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