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Dry suit repair


martinarcher

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Well when I bought my first boat it came with an OS Systems dry suit. It was given to me in a garbage bag. Since I didn't buy the boat in the cold season I put the bag in the basement after reading UV was bad news for dry suits.

Fast forward to the fall. I pull the dry suit out after the water hits 50 degrees in the first fall. Turns out a mouse crawled into my bag and chewed a bunch of holes in my suit. Ranting.gif

I tossed it back in the bag and forgot about it for years. This fall I pulled it back out and have been debating on replacing it all together with a new suit or trying to repair it. I tried NDawg's VLP along with some tire patches as a makeshift dry suit patch kit. No dice. That turned out bad. :Doh:

I got online and started reading about the chemical patches. Seems Aquaseal is the preferred weapon of choice by most. After trying the VLP I was about sick of trying to get a sticky mess onto the inside of the drysuit while keeping it nice and flat as it dried.

That's when I came across White's Dry Suit Patch Kit. It's heat activated and as seen in

is very easy to use.

The kit showed up Friday (plastic bag with a bunch of patches). Tonight I broke out the heat gun and had the suit totally patched up (about a dozen patches) in about 30 minutes. I was a wondering if I got all my holes so I turned the suit inside out and plugged the arm/leg/neck holes with cans. Turns out tomato paste is perfect for arm holes, Cambell's soup cans for the legs, and a pickle jar is good for the neck. I pumped it up with air and tested for leaks with soapy water. No bubbles! Clap.gif

Looks like tomorrow I get to test it out in the lake. Rockon.gif

Here's pics of "chubby buddy" during the leak test on the deck tonight. LOL.gif

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Looks like a crime scene with a body on your porch! hehe.

Nice work on the patch job, MA.

LOL.gif It's amazing the neighbors didn't stop over to see why I was painting a dead dude on the porch.

I tried it out yesterday and it works like a champ. I did learn no matter how well you patch your suit, a faceplant = water in the next seal. Whistling.gif

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Anything you cant do Matt? I have a dry suit that I bought in a M/L so my big friends could fit in it. Seems the big bastards have stretched out the neck seal..if that is possible? She never use to let water in through the neck and now it does. Do you think it is possible that the rubber seal could actually stretch? I would say not too much I can do about it now?

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Anything you cant do Matt? I have a dry suit that I bought in a M/L so my big friends could fit in it. Seems the big bastards have stretched out the neck seal..if that is possible? She never use to let water in through the neck and now it does. Do you think it is possible that the rubber seal could actually stretch? I would say not too much I can do about it now?

You can get a new neck seal and replace it. Arm and leg seals look easy to replace but the neck seal can be tough. I remember seeing latex neck seals for about $40. I have an OS System diving drysuit with all seals shot and need replacing. I'm debating whether I should do the replacement myself or just send it to our resident expert drysuit repairman, MA, and have him do it. :lol:

The last time I went diving I thought I could get one more dive out of suit. I had to abort 3 minutes into dive. Crawled up on beach looking like "chubby buddy" on MA's porch...suit completely filled with water! :Frustrated::cry:

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Anything you cant do Matt? I have a dry suit that I bought in a M/L so my big friends could fit in it. Seems the big bastards have stretched out the neck seal..if that is possible? She never use to let water in through the neck and now it does. Do you think it is possible that the rubber seal could actually stretch? I would say not too much I can do about it now?

Totally possible. I've read several articles about getting a neck seal that is too tight stretched a little by putting a slightly oversized ball or jar in the neck and leaving it in there for a bit. Also, when latex begins to come to it's end of life, it looses a lot of it's elasticity and I'm sure won't seal near as well.

Nonsense, I'm calling operator error, that stuff can cure cancer!!! :biggrin: Looks good MA :thumbup:

lol I got some on my fingers, but so far I'm still an insulin infusing diabetic. LOL.gif

You can get a new neck seal and replace it. Arm and leg seals look easy to replace but the neck seal can be tough. I remember seeing latex neck seals for about $40. I have an OS System diving drysuit with all seals shot and need replacing. I'm debating whether I should do the replacement myself or just send it to our resident expert drysuit repairman, MA, and have him do it. :lol:

The last time I went diving I thought I could get one more dive out of suit. I had to abort 3 minutes into dive. Crawled up on beach looking like "chubby buddy" on MA's porch...suit completely filled with water! :Frustrated::cry:

I'm sure I'll get my shot at latex seal replacement someday, but somehow I don't think it will be near as easy as these White's patches. They are great! The OS Systems suit seam to be pretty nice as well. I'm pretty impressed with the quality of the suit.

Oh man.....I can't imagine....a dry suit totally filled with water is the opposite of cool. :Doh:

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If you need seals! here's an option........ [email protected] Gasket XL 0051, 10.5" diameter..............$25.00Wrist Gasket , pair Large 1004, 5.5" flat width at cuff.....$20.00Shipping........ $4.65 Then I went to the scuba shop and a tube of Aqua seal approx $10.

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If you need seals! here's an option........ [email protected] Gasket XL 0051, 10.5" diameter..............$25.00Wrist Gasket , pair Large 1004, 5.5" flat width at cuff.....$20.00Shipping........ $4.65 Then I went to the scuba shop and a tube of Aqua seal approx $10.

That sounds like a pretty good deal on seals. Thumbup.gif

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I have used a milk jug to stretch a neck seal. I usually trim new seals down a bit so they aren't so tight. I like my neck seal a little loose--it's much more comfortable and I'd rather get a little wet down the front of my shirt than feel strangled. I know, extreme, but I can't even stand turtlenecks. I've been sending my suits to a company in Fl except this last year they replaced all the seals instead of just the neck seal, which I had asked for, and a total cost of $169.00. The second time out with it The zipper got a loose tooth.

Anyone want a large Seipel suit for $100.00? It has brand new seals! I'm not gonna replace the zipper--I have a medium that fits me better anyway.

I'm wondering how you got back to the boat with a suit full of water--I saw a girl nearly drown in one--I've always thought you could go down really fast in one that leaks enough to fill with water.

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I have used a milk jug to stretch a neck seal. I usually trim new seals down a bit so they aren't so tight. I like my neck seal a little loose--it's much more comfortable and I'd rather get a little wet down the front of my shirt than feel strangled. I know, extreme, but I can't even stand turtlenecks. I've been sending my suits to a company in Fl except this last year they replaced all the seals instead of just the neck seal, which I had asked for, and a total cost of $169.00. The second time out with it The zipper got a loose tooth.

Anyone want a large Seipel suit for $100.00? It has brand new seals! I'm not gonna replace the zipper--I have a medium that fits me better anyway.

I'm wondering how you got back to the boat with a suit full of water--I saw a girl nearly drown in one--I've always thought you could go down really fast in one that leaks enough to fill with water.

Lifejacket?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ok, ok, I'll say it.

Water is neutrally buoyant.

yep, suit can fill with water and as long as you have a life jacket on it won't hurt you. If that doesn't make sense to you fill up a 700 lb fat sac but put just a bit of air in it. Roll it into the water. Notice it floats.

Smaller scale test can be done in your sink with a ziplock bag of water.

700 lbs of water = 0 effective lbs when surrounded by other water.

Now hypothermia on the other hand.. if you don't have a heater on your boat and you got soaked in sub 30 degree water with about the same air temps.. you could be in trouble. Get ready to strip down and get freaky deek with your third for body heat :)

Edited by wakeboarder3780
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yep, suit can fill with water and as long as you have a life jacket on it won't hurt you. If that doesn't make sense to you fill up a 700 lb fat sac but put just a bit of air in it. Roll it into the water. Notice it floats.

Smaller scale test can be done in your sink with a ziplock bag of water.

700 lbs of water = 0 effective lbs when surrounded by other water.

Now hypothermia on the other hand.. if you don't have a heater on your boat and you got soaked in sub 30 degree water with about the same air temps.. you could be in trouble. Get ready to strip down and get freaky deek with your third for body heat :)

ROFL.gif Glad I have a heater on the boat!

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