6-16
U.S. Navy Diving Manual—Volume 2
Figure 6-11. Water Temperature Protection Chart.
Water Temp
Unprotected
Diver
Resting diver
will overheat
Thermal protection
usually not the limiting
factor in a wet suit
Thermal protection
usually not the limiting
factor in a dry suit
5 hours
3 hours
5 hours
3 hours
1 hour
* Below 40 F,
hot water suit or
dry suit is reccommended
for surface-supplied
diving
Thermal protection usually needed
below 80 F water
Working diver may
overheat depending
on workload
Wet Suit
Diver
(At shallow
(<20fsw) depths)
Dry Suit
Diver
WATER TEMPERATURE PROTECTION CHART
C
F
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
Freezing point
Fresh water
Freezing point
Salt water
-04.0
-01.0
01.5
04.5
07.0
10.0
13.0
15.5
18.5
21.0
24.0
26.5
29.5
32.0
35.0
Resting diver
chills in 1-2
hours
This chart can be used as a guide for planning dives in cold water. The dive durations listed for
each suit
. Instead they represent dive times that will challenge the average
diver wearing the thermal protection listed, but will have a minimal chance of producing
significant hypothermia. Acutal dive durations may be longer or shorter than those listed, due to
operational considerations and/or individual tolerance.
are not rules or limits
