16
WARNING
Do not use any gas other than air to inflate your dry
suit. Using Nitrox (hyper-oxygenate mixtures) might
cause fires or explosions. Using Argon you run the
risk it penetrates into your mask and breathing
device through the hood. Breathing Argon implies a
very higher danger of narcotic risk than nitrogen,
since its molecular weight is greater.
WARNING
Getting into water with an open zip fastener might
cause damages or even drowning, since the dry
suit will be flooded at once.
Make sure it is perfectly closed, especially when
you are in open sea or on board.
DURING A DIVE
As the pressure increases along with the depth, the dry suit and
the inside air undergo a pressure that affects remarkably their
floating capacity.
Therefore,
you must always be aware that at certain
depths a diver’s balance tends to become negative:
the safest way to compensate is wearing a jacket and, when
necessary, introducing a small quantity of air into the dry suit, in
order to avoid the uncomfortable squeeze effect. We therefore
recommend to attend a training course at a licensed underwa-
ter diving centre. You should also to remember that the quantity
of ballast to be used is important as well: generally, it must allow
the diver to keep a neutral balance with the reserve tank at the
depth of –3 m.
Another remarkable aspect bound to the increasing
depth and pressure on the dry suit and inside air is the
loss of insulating capacity, causing the human body to
get colder.
The protecting layer gets thinner because of the
pressure, and loses part of its peculiarities, allowing a greater ther-
mic interchange between the body and the environment.
Divers who are going to stay long in deep water must pay atten-
tion to their becoming colder and protect themselves by means
of under-suits or thicker dry suits, in order to avoid dangerous
hypothermic conditions.
During a dive
1.
Make sure you are wearing the whole equipment properly.
2. Close the outlet valve turning it clockwise, and introduce
some air before getting into the water.
3. Inflate the jacket.
4. Get into the water with your feet first.
5. Open the valve fully turning it anticlockwise and raise the
upper part of your arm, so that it is in the highest possible
position. The air starts flowing out and you may start going
down with your feet first.
6. After descending for about a couple of meters, close the
valve turning it clockwise for a quarter of a turn and introdu-
ce air, in order to reduce the pressure of the dry suit on your
body.
7. During the descent, remember to introduce air from time to
time, in order to reduce the pressure of the dry suit.
8. After reaching the desired depth, introduce air into the jacket
until the balance is neutral.
9. When you decide to surface, discharge the jacket, and do
not forget to do the same with the dry suit.
10. While surfacing, the outlet valve discharges the air in excess
automatically, as you raise the upper part of your left arm.
From time to time and when necessary, you may discharge
more air, by fully opening the valve anticlockwise or pressing
it on the cap. Surface slowly at the rate of 10 mtrs per minute.
11. After reaching the surface, close the valve fully turning it
clockwise and introduce a small quantity of air. Inflate your
jacket to float more easily.