Drysuit Care Continued

Here is a little follow up to our entry back earlier in the winter on Drysuit Care and Maintenance.  I recently got back from trip to Chile and when I got home I discovered that my drytops had arrived back from getting new gaskets.  As I was unpacking from the trip I thought it prudent to pre-stretch the new gaskets before had to teach at Dickerson the next weekend also the Potomac was at 10 ft and it pays to not have a neck so tight it is hard to breathe or turn. Pre-stretching is essential in most cases to provide an optimum fit and to make your first outings bearable.  Your basically trying to speed up what your neck will do anyway.  Here are some steps to breaking in your drytop or suit.

• Find a couple of household object that are a little bigger than your wrists and neck
• Apply 303 to the gaskets
• Gently work the gaskets over the objects you found (sugar tub and water bottle for me)
• Let sit for 24 hrs or more
• Remove carefully by rolling down, mind your sharp fingernails

 

Try out your top for a couple of short paddles to see how things workout.  If things are still too tight, then you can consider trimming the troublesome gasket.  I recommend trimming a line or two, see how it goes.  Trimming is permanent and not always necessary, most gaskets stretch where they need to on their own.