Dry Suit advice needed

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AHoy2

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I need to obtain a dry suit that is suitable for RIB use (safety boat duty) and also for the occasional swim around/under the boat if required. Might even consider doing a bit of shallow diving later (with retraining!).

Not wishing to spend a fortune for this limited use but would like to get as comfortable, durable and presentable (?) as possible. Any recommendations on material, construction, manufacturers.

Recommended suppliers within the area Weymouth to Portsmouth would be good as it is needed in the next week or so. Thinking to try and buy as I am unlikely to get much choice second-hand as I fit into the "short-arse" size bracket.
 
AHoy2 said:
I need to obtain a dry suit that is suitable for RIB use (safety boat duty) and also for the occasional swim around/under the boat if required. Might even consider doing a bit of shallow diving later (with retraining!).

Not wishing to spend a fortune for this limited use but would like to get as comfortable, durable and presentable (?) as possible. Any recommendations on material, construction, manufacturers.

Recommended suppliers within the area Weymouth to Portsmouth would be good as it is needed in the next week or so. Thinking to try and buy as I am unlikely to get much choice second-hand as I fit into the "short-arse" size bracket.
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Not sure of sizing issues, but I got a dry suit off ebay, brand new, from a shop that was based near Lee on Solent I believe, it was a Typhoon Drysuit and set me back just £150 2 years ago and is excellent quality, just had a quick look I suppose a couple of years later perhaps prices have risen... but is this any good?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TYPHOON-RACER-SURFACE-DRY-SUIT-SIZE-EXTRA-SMALL-SEALS-/250755505368?pt=UK_SportingGoods_Wetsuits_WatersportsClothing_CA&hash=item3a62315cd8#ht_500wt_922,
 
Siochair said:
Have a look at these guys http://www.ravenspring.co.uk/system/index.html They offer "made-to-measure" which is grand for us of a more challenging physique rather than boring old "off-the-peg" types.
;)
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They are fantastic suits, I have one! (with the optional fly zip, which is the best 'option' I've ever bought on anything), but probably pushing it a bit for the required one week delivery unless they happen to have that size in stock. Also not the cheapest, and not spending a fortune for occasional use was also a requirement
 
Thanks for the suggestions so far, will follow them up. I have got the impression that surface use drysuits (as used for the rare dunk into the water) and suits suitable for some diving have different design and construction so maybe I won't find a multi-purpose version. Will get in contact with some suppliers this weekend.

Csail: re. training, point taken. I did a dive course years ago when on an extended work trip to Malta but not done any since (UK water too bl--dy cold). Would definitely take an up to date course before any diving.

Re-checked the dates and I have two weeks not one to obtain suit, so more supplier options.
 
No experience of dry suits, but these guys http://www.andark.co.uk are based just up the road from Swanwick marina, I've bought a fair bit of stuff from them in the past, including recently at LIBS and they are great to deal with plus normally happy to do a bit of a deal if your spending a bit :)

They have a dive training pool attached to them so probably know a thing or two about diving and dry suits, a phone call should establish what stock they have in your size if you have to travel.
 
AHoy2 said:
I need to obtain a dry suit that is suitable for RIB use (safety boat duty) and also for the occasional swim around/under the boat if required. Might even consider doing a bit of shallow diving later (with retraining!).

Not wishing to spend a fortune for this limited use but would like to get as comfortable, durable and presentable (?) as possible. Any recommendations on material, construction, manufacturers.

Recommended suppliers within the area Weymouth to Portsmouth would be good as it is needed in the next week or so. Thinking to try and buy as I am unlikely to get much choice second-hand as I fit into the "short-arse" size bracket.
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In Weymouth you'll find one of the best dreysuit manufacturers, O3. Give them a try. I've been diving for 30 years and haven't found a better or more helpful manufacturer.
 
Well I now know a lot more about dry/wet suits than I did a couple of days ago. As a consequence I have a better understanding of the uses one suit can have, which means forget the diving aspect (wasn't much of a requirement anyway) and maximise the other uses.

Following a fair amount of phoning around and web searches it became obvious that a ready made suit would not be an option if I wanted to appear in public. No suitable used "tailored" suits on the market either so new made to measure it has to be, which means stretching the budget (no surprise) and getting a quick order turnaround.

After speaking to a selection of suppliers I have placed an order with Ravenspring, who have provided excellent advice and ordering assistance as well as a suitably quick delivery time. The price (including options) is fairly competitive with the better off-the-shelf suits.

Thanks for the recommendation Siochair and BrendanS.

BTW, a good drysuit seems to be much better value as a serious foul weather suit than some of the mega expensive brand name sailing suits.
 
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I used to do alot of safety boat work with childrens/teenager dinghy sailing which i took extremely seriously either in a small bomardinflatable witha 15hp or on my rib.

Theory being if you are in a safety boat be prepared to go in the water to rescue a dinghy sailor who is trapped.

I bought a drysuit for my son and one for myself he was in a sailing dinghy, in the sailing dinghy he was working hard he was fine but prefered a wetsuit.

I was either too hot in the dry suit and sweated into the wooly bear and then I got too cold, if it was raining I got too cold with the evaporation. In the end I used to wear decent sailing gear , leather boots, slaopettes and a decent coat worked fine. If i had to go in the water i would have done so fully clothed.

In reality in ten years of this I never went into the water to rescue anyone and nor did anyone else it was all bone from a bombard or a rib.

If this is the sort of use you would put it to my advice is think again and use normal sailing foul weather gear, Why dont yotties who helm in foul weather and crashing spray all wear drysuits?
 
Bandit said:
......
I was either too hot in the dry suit and sweated into the wooly bear and then I got too cold, if it was raining I got too cold with the evaporation. In the end I used to wear decent sailing gear , leather boots, slaopettes and a decent coat worked fine. If i had to go in the water i would have done so fully clothed....
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The too hot/cold aspect was one of my concerns, however, I am told the latest breathable material used in the suits is reasonably effective and I don't normally have an issue with getting too hot. I have plenty of thermal clothing for the cold sessions as I am an all-year-round motorcyclist and have a selection of thermal undies and middle layers to dress up in.

Bandit said:
......In reality in ten years of this I never went into the water to rescue anyone and nor did anyone else it was all bone from a bombard or a rib.
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Other long term safety boat guys also say that the chance of having to go into the water to render assistance is remote, but be prepared. Also the club in question has to trailer launch/recover the RIBS and one of the crew invariably has to be in the water at some stage of these operations.

Bandit said:
........ Why dont yotties who helm in foul weather and crashing spray all wear drysuits?
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From older threads I found on the forum it seems a good few do. That is one of the additional uses I have in mind for the suit I am getting.

I was already looking out for a dry suit anyway for tending the boat's underwater parts, so the combination of (potential) uses helps with justifying the purchase. Seems there will always be a market for it if I do sell it on later when no longer required.
 
AHoy2 said:
Thanks for the recommendation Siochair and BrendanS.

BTW, a good drysuit seems to be much better value as a serious foul weather suit than some of the mega expensive brand name sailing suits.
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If you are anything like me, you'll be amazed how often you wear it in preference to normal wet weather gear (if you've ordered the fly zip option!). They are far more comfortable and dry than any normal suits, and if you have the boots as an option, you can wander on and off the boat in harbour as well with no transitional phase, and if very cold, you simply add wicking underlayers and even woolly bear fleece salopette and top, all of which stay dry in any conditions (the dry suit is breathable)
 
mateyboy said:
It needs to be when you fart like I do......
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Edited out need for feedback on follow-through as other data to fall back on :>)

Have image of mateyboy venting suit by recommended method of squatting and opening neck seal ..... thought this was just on initial donning, now know different.
 
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Slight thread drift but my problem with dry-suits has always been the constricting feeling of the seals around the neck and wrists. Some people don't even seem to notice it but others, like me, do find it very uncomfortable. Is this a fact of life with dry suits or are is there a significant difference between suit makes?
 
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