Posted by Steve on July 24, 2001 at 19:41:37:
In Reply to: Drysuits and BC's posted by Wood on July 23, 2001 at 23:08:28:
You raise an interesting issue because I'm still experimenting with the bouyancy of my DUI trilam which doesn't compress like a wet suit or neoprene dry suit as you descend. I finished my thirty first dive with it today at Catalina so I'm open minded to try different methods. I have made almost all dives with just using the suit of bouyancy as the DUI manual teaches. BTW, a diver isn't required to have a C-card to dive dry anymore but I hired someone to teach me and would highly recommend that others do the same. An out of control ascent is hazardous to your health. That being said I found that dropping rapidly like in a wet suit is impossible because of the lack of compression. I almost have to swim down. If I'm overweighted the bubble in the suit is unmanagable, but if I'm weighted correctly using just the suit works out. I'm trying to figure out a proper bouyancy test, like no air in BC or suit at 15' at the end of the dive with 300-500 psi. Today I was swapping out different tanks and on one dive at 50' no air in BC or suit I needed to add rocks into my pockets to stay down. On another dive I was overweighed and used the BC and suit. Those that say the BC vents quicker are definitely on the money. I'm trying to do it by the book and I think with the proper weight, DUI might be correct, with a trilam suit and single tank. Those of you in trilams that are adding air here and more there try removing some lead and reduce the air bubble as an experiment and see if you can't use just the suit or not.
Steve