New wet suit and used wet suit purchased and 5 lb dive weight - 2016

June 2016 - Tied up in Marina Mazatlán, Mexico

House sitting in L.A. area.

While we were in the US we went to "Play it Again Sports" in Ventura calf and purchased two wet suits.

We had two suits to trade in. Debbie had bought a spring suit with a hood from a cruiser that she did not care for and on a trip to the US to see our doughtier Debbie purchased a full suit for me. That suit was a size or two too small for me. It is really hard to buy a wet suit for some one I think. 

The long suit I plan on wearing in the Sea of Cortés (Gulf of California) as the water there can get cold. It is a new 3.2 and an O'Neil suit XXXL. It fits fine and a decent price. I also wear the long suit if there are jelly fish.

It costs about $1.00 a ft USD to have the bottom cleaned here plus say $7.00 USD to have new zinks put on. These suits will pay for them selves. The spring will get paid the first time I dive and clean the bottom. The full suit we take three bottom cleanings.

Showing off.

O'Neil used spring suit. This now will be my bottom cleaning outfit 😎 I was wearing a long sleeve light rash guard and board shorts. Problem with the non rubber rash guard is the weight belt. It would swing around on my waist and get uncomfortable no matter how much I tightened it. The wetsuit should stop that. I could wear the rash guard under it. This also offers more barnaclel protection.

The dive weight was marked as 5 lb by the price tage but is stamped 4.5 lb. Not a big deal 1\2 lb. This should help with the added buoyancy of the full suit. With out a dive tank to weigh down my body the full suit will make me more buoyant. I think you are supposed to me neutral weight. SO if you are laying in the water at 6 ft down you should not rise or sink. It makes it more work to fight floating while cleaning the bottom not to mention bouncing off the barnacles etc.

 Cleaning the bottom is good exercise and can be fun. When the water is clean and clear and worm like it is in many anchorages along the Mexican Riviera then seeing whats going on under the boat is fun. Some times I need to swipe fish out of the way as you would move a cat from your chair. Keeping the bottom clean adds some good speed to the boat for passages and makes it easier on the gear. In the warmer water we usually clean it about every three weeks while cruising. In the marina about every 4-6 weeks.