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Drysuits #87630
11/01/06 02:13 PM
11/01/06 02:13 PM
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Posts: 121
Hollister CA, Plano TX
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avalondarlyn Offline OP
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avalondarlyn  Offline OP
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Looking for a suggestions and opinions of the different brands of drysuits.

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Re: Drysuits [Re: avalondarlyn] #87631
11/01/06 02:19 PM
11/01/06 02:19 PM
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Crofton, MD
Chris9 Offline
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Kokatat! Get the relief zipper.:)


Chris Allen
Nacra 20 Gertie
www.wrcra.org
Re: Drysuits [Re: Chris9] #87632
11/01/06 03:07 PM
11/01/06 03:07 PM
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MauganN20 Offline
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Get the relief zipper.:)


Regardless of what brand you get, take it from someone who could directly blame a visit to the emergency room on the lack of a relief zipper....

...get one installed pronto.

Re: Drysuits [Re: MauganN20] #87633
11/01/06 03:25 PM
11/01/06 03:25 PM
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Albuquerque NM
Banzilla Offline
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Quote
Quote
Get the relief zipper.:)


Regardless of what brand you get, take it from someone who could directly blame a visit to the emergency room on the lack of a relief zipper....

...get one installed pronto.


This seems like a car wreck, you don't really want look but can't help yourself.

So, I'll bite.
What happened?


[b] Sail Like you have a Pair
Re: Drysuits [Re: MauganN20] #87634
11/01/06 04:08 PM
11/01/06 04:08 PM

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Quote
Regardless of what brand you get, take it from someone who could directly blame a visit to the emergency room on the lack of a relief zipper....

...get one installed pronto.


I knew you were the stunt double for Alien, but acid piss too, damn.

Last edited by JHC; 11/01/06 05:34 PM.
Re: Drysuits [Re: MauganN20] #87635
11/01/06 05:31 PM
11/01/06 05:31 PM
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Key Largo, FL & Put-in-Bay, OH...
Mary Offline
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So, do they have a relief zipper for women, too?

Re: Drysuits [Re: Mary] #87636
11/01/06 05:54 PM
11/01/06 05:54 PM
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Posts: 829
Charleston, SC
NCSUtrey Offline
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Yes, they do. There is a local girl here that has a "rear" relief zipper. It kind of looks like old school pajama rear.


Trey
Re: Drysuits [Re: NCSUtrey] #87637
11/01/06 07:12 PM
11/01/06 07:12 PM
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,246
Orlando, FL
tback Offline
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Orlando, FL
zippers on these suits are ... well ... very robust. Any issues with them in light air when you want to be far forward laying on the hulls?


USA 777
Re: Drysuits [Re: avalondarlyn] #87638
11/01/06 08:11 PM
11/01/06 08:11 PM
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Michigan
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I know the difference in design (if you end up in the water, needd drysuit, not spray suit) , but during something like the tybee, does it make a huge difference using the full drysuit vs a spray suit?

Re: Drysuits [Re: PTP] #87639
11/01/06 09:33 PM
11/01/06 09:33 PM
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During the Tybee, on the leg around the cape, I had to piss incredibly bad. I had to piss so bad that I couldn't hold it anymore. It was a pretty demanding day, and I was chugging down powerade/water like it was going out of style.

So I had to piss. I had to take off everything to get to the zipper. Life jacket, harnesss, drysuit, then my stuff under the drysuit. 3 miles out in the ocean hanging onto the back of the boom to support myself so I don't fall off with my piss going all over the boat was not fun.

Not only was it not fun, it took 10 minutes or so of Trey laying the boat down flat so I wouldn't fall off doing this maneuver.

Fast forward to the next day. Gonzo blasts coming between condos and I'm in and out on the trap back and forth all morning. Yesterday's ordeal getting in and out of the drysuit, and how many minutes it cost us, was fresh in my mind.

So I didn't drink enough out of my camel pack. I didn't want to get full again and have to piss and lose us more time.

4 hours or so of coming in and out on the trap and after the second pitchpole (first was a capsize) I was toast.

Also, the only reason I'm not afraid of looking like an idiot is so other people are aware of what can happen when you don't drink enough water when you're on the boat for a long time. Urinating is part of the process.

In retrospect, yeah, I'm a dumbass. I cost myself the pride of doing the whole race, and set back our time an hour at the least. I'm just glad that I'll never be that stupid again, and hope others aren't either.

Re: Drysuits [Re: MauganN20] #87640
11/01/06 09:37 PM
11/01/06 09:37 PM
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but during something like the tybee, does it make a huge difference using the full drysuit vs a spray suit?



Its all about personal preference. Some people like keeping the salt and spray off all the time. Some get colder before others. During the southern legs, most people wear wetsuits/spray tops/rashguards. As you get more north, the drysuits start coming out on the balconies to air out <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Re: Drysuits [Re: Mary] #87641
11/01/06 11:13 PM
11/01/06 11:13 PM
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Posts: 851
US Western Continental Shelf
hobiegary Offline
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Mary (and the other ladies),

There is drop-seat zipper available on the ladies' Kokotat front entry suit. It is a horseshoe shaped flap with a zip that starts at the back of the thigh, goes up to the waist area, across, then back down to the back of the other thigh. If you look closely at this picture, you will see the end portion of the zipper.
[Linked Image]

The drop seat zipper feature, available only on women's suits, cost about $160. One or two uses and you're happy to have paid it.
Here is the link to the womens suit:
Link

There is another, more challenging option that requires a front relief zipper and the use of a special urinating funnel tool that is ergonomically shaped for the women's anatomy.

Re: Drysuits [Re: hobiegary] #87642
11/02/06 10:28 AM
11/02/06 10:28 AM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 121
Hollister CA, Plano TX
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avalondarlyn Offline OP
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Kotata. seems to be the ticket. does anybody know if they will make a custom suit? accorging to their sizing chart on the web site. I'm not 6'2"..do they make a compact ballast size. Thanks for the suggestions on the relief zippers. probally should get both front and rear just to sure.

Re: Drysuits [Re: avalondarlyn] #87643
11/02/06 10:49 AM
11/02/06 10:49 AM
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Posts: 12,310
South Carolina
Jake Offline
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Yes, they will tailor a suit to your dimensions...I have no idea what it costs though.


Jake Kohl
Re: Drysuits [Re: MauganN20] #87644
11/02/06 11:03 AM
11/02/06 11:03 AM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 12,310
South Carolina
Jake Offline
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Quote
but during something like the tybee, does it make a huge difference using the full drysuit vs a spray suit?


The first year I did the Tybee, I wore the drysuit from Islamorada to Tybee and was very comfortable. The 'taking a potty break' thing, even with a relief zipper, is still a bit of a time consuming, and uncomfortable thing...although you tend to not worry so much about 'missing' with so much water flying around anyway. I would often find myself holding out and arriving on the beach having to make a mad dash to a restroom.

Last year I wore the drysuit only for two days and have decided that I will wear the drysuit A) when I expect it to be quite cold or B) will be sailing in a pretty desolate area (like between Fernandina and Tybee). The drysuit is simply safer since it will extend your survivability and if a problem arises in a desolate area, I would expect one might come to appreciate that benefit.

During the other legs, I'm wearing one or two layers of fleece under a pair of bibs and breathable spray top. It's really comfortable and offers a particular benefit for relief without much fuss.


Jake Kohl
Re: Drysuits [Re: Jake] #87645
11/02/06 06:35 PM
11/02/06 06:35 PM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 733
Home is where the harness is.....
Will_R Offline
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Home is where the harness is.....
I'll mention the 800lb gorilla in the room.

I have not used them, but know others that have when they didn't have a zipper.

one word

Depends

Re: Drysuits [Re: Will_R] #87646
11/02/06 07:04 PM
11/02/06 07:04 PM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 12,310
South Carolina
Jake Offline
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I'll mention the 800lb gorilla in the room.

I have not used them, but know others that have when they didn't have a zipper.

one word

Depends


Let's just hope that they didn't have drysuits with booties but had an ankle seal (that you could open)


Jake Kohl
Re: Drysuits [Re: Jake] #87647
11/03/06 10:33 AM
11/03/06 10:33 AM

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Re: Drysuits [Re: avalondarlyn] #87648
11/03/06 10:49 AM
11/03/06 10:49 AM
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Posts: 39
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iMax Offline
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hi daryl, i used to buy the cheaper drysuits and found out that they wear and tear very quickly and that they are not very comfortable. since years now i wear the Musto drysuits. The first was a HPX model which i replaced after 8 years of heavy duty by the MPX model. i still use the HPX for guest crew. I realy love the "breathing" characteristics of the goretex fabric. i can advise you to go for the rubber feet since you can wear warm socks in them. do not let the cost put you off. in the long run they are cheeper and much more comfortable.

Re: Drysuits [Re: iMax] #87649
11/03/06 11:20 AM
11/03/06 11:20 AM
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I'll mention the 800lb gorilla in the room.

I have not used them, but know others that have when they didn't have a zipper.

one word

Depends


Kirk!

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