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Home | About Us | Courses | Trips | Equipment | Getting Involved | Contact Us | Links | Sitemap |
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Dry Suit Diver Course...Course Description...Do you like Pennsylvania diving but don't like getting cold? You should try dry suit diving! Dry suit diving is a specialty course designed to familiarize you with the knowledge and skills needed to dive while wearing a dry suit. Dry suits come in several types but essentially all of them allow you to stay dry while in the water thus allowing you to better insulate yourself from the cold water and remain warmer longer. Dry suits are an excellent way to extend your diving season in the northern parts of the country like central Pennsylvania. Who Can Take the Course...This course is open to anyone age 18 and older. (NOT JUST Penn State students and faculty!) You must be a certified scuba diver with a certification card from a recognized scuba certifying agency. The class size is limited to a maximum of four people because the club only owns four suits. The club owns a small, medium, large, and extra large suit. Suits are filled on a first pay, first fit basis. The nature of scuba diving requires those who participate to be good swimmers. A general ability to swim and good health are required. How Much Does the Course Cost...The cost of the course is $100.00 (Course costs are subject to change without notice.) The cost of the course includes your gear rental, all instructor, and certification fees. Students will be required to provide their own clothing to be worn under the dry suit. Layers of clothing made primarily from wool, fleece, and thinsulate are strongly suggested. Cotton provides NO warmth in a dry suit! For those that have them, thinsulate hunting suits or snow suits seem to work pretty well.
Participation and payment for this course Refunds:There is a $20 NON-REFUNDABLE deposit required to sign up for the course. The remaining cost of the course can be refunded if you do not attend. Once you start the course, no refund will be issued. Where, When, and How Long is the Course...The course is offered twice a year. Once in the early spring and again in the late fall, interest and weather permitting. The course consists of a two hour lecture on one weeknight, a two hour pool session on another weeknight, and a two-day weekend of open water dives. There will be one open water dive on Saturday at Stone Valley to practice bouyancy control and insure that you are wearing enough clothing under the dry suit to keep you warm. Two dives will be conducted at Bainbridge Scuba Center on Sunday to varying depths so that you can gain experience diving in cold water in a dry suit. When is the next course being offered:
What Will I Be Learning...You will learn about the different types of dry suits and which ones work best in what situations. Care and maintenance of the dry suit will be covered, practiced, and emphisized during the course. You will also be taught several dry suit specific diving skills and be given an opportunity to practice and demonstrate proficiency of these skills. How Do I Register...To Register for the Course:Consult our list of upcoming courses. When you see this course listed, there will be an "enroll" link so you can sign up online. Payment instructions will be included with your online enrollment. You CANNOT schedule our courses through eLion. Confirmations:Once we receive your check, someone will send you an e-mail confirmation to let you know we received the check and give you any additional information you may need about the course. You are not officially enrolled in the course until you receive this confirmation! Refunds:There is a $20 NON-REFUNDABLE deposit required to sign up for the course. The remaining cost of the course can be refunded if you do not attend. Once you start the course, no refund will be issued. For other situations and conditions see the section above on "How Much Does the Course Cost..." Frequently Asked Questions...
Q: What do I wear under the dry suit?
A: You want to layer your clothing under the suit. Starting
with a good pair of long underwear that insulates and wicks
your sweat away from your skin. Then you want to add layers
of wool, fleece, and/or thinsulate over the top till you have
enough layers to keep you warm. Remember cotton sweatshirts
and sweatpants provide NO warmth in a dry suit. Thinsulate
hunting and skiing clothes seem to work well for people.
Ultimately you are looking for the thinnest material that
traps the most air.
Q: Where do I find this type of clothing?
A: Specially designed dry suit jumpsuits can be ordered through
a dive shop. Other suitable clothing can be found at places like
Wal-Mart, Jim's Army / Navy, and outdoor stores like
Appalachian Ski & Outdoors.
NOTE: The mention of the stores above does not constitute
an endorcement of those stores for any reason. They are listed
merely to give the reader and idea of the type of stores this
type of clothing can be found in. It is also by no means
an exhaustive list of possible stores.
Q: What size suit will I need?
A: Each dry suit manufacturer has their own sizing chart.
For the club suits, the following sizing chart applies:
Additional Questions, Comments, or Suggestions...Do you have a comment, suggestion, or question not covered by this page? If so, please e-mail the webmaster for an answer and so it can be added to this page.
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