Wetsuit time conversion factor

My open water swims have been in 60 degree water, so I've worn a wetsuit. I'd say the assist from the wetsuit is pretty large, though I'm not sure how to quantify it for myself. If I had to guess, I'd say the advantage is at least 5 seconds per 100. Still, there are so many variables that the assist would likely differ significantly from one individual to another. As Chaos suggests, I think that the advantage is much greater for someone with poor balance/technique. The same swimmers who plow through the water with their feet a foot (or more) beneath the surface in the pool will find that their feet are much closer to the surface because of the flotation from the wetsuit. That decrease in drag should translate into a relatively greater increase in speed due to the wetsuit. I'd say the only way to know is to swim some distance (like a 100 or 200) without the wetsuit, then swim the same distance again with it on, trying to keep the same level of effort. Then extrapolate out to the larger open water distance. Not much help, I know...

Tree! After this, I might have a slot on my Trans Tahoe Relay team that I'd like you to fill, if you don't mind teaming up with some USNA 89+1 types. Like you said, many variables. Maybe 4 sec/100m as suggested just based on the difference in surface friction. In my last 3 mi OW race (60F ocean), I discovered that I had the cold tolerance to get me 2.8 miles, and started getting pretty vertical in those last couple hundreds of yards. Point being, the longer the swim, the more that a wetsuit will ward off fatigue and keep you propped up...saving you more time per 100.

much like every other aid: users like to claim minimal assist (5% or less) while non-users like to claim greater assist (10% or more). my belief is the advantage is probably greater for a slower swimmer with poor balance than for a faster swimmer with superb balance, but body type also certainly factors in the equation. Dave Holland once pointed me a number of studies showing that the wetsuit had a substantial effect even on elite swimmers in the pool, but I can't remember the exact magnitude. But Rob is an excellent (and svelte :)) OW swimmer and has done a number of races with and without the wetsuit, so I would assume that his numbers are pretty accurate for someone who averages close to 20-min miles in the water. That would put it in the lower part of the 5-10% range you mention. I have made a committment to go without a wetsuit this year. I can't turn back. My coach would give me too much crap. I've worn one for the last 3 years and I hate it. Too hot, too much chaffing. I swam the GCBS 3 other times in the late 80's without one and figure its worth seeing where I am. No other real reason or attempt to make a political statement. That being said, the technical suits should be banned though. Moot point; its like trying to put wooden rackets back on the tennis court or real wood clubs into Tiger's golf bag. I dislike the feel of wetsuits also and would have done the GCBS without one, if I had made it past the raffle stage (I didn't). But I think technical suits ("swimskins") are less of an aid then wetsuits, which are warmer and more buoyant. Why ban one and not the other?

I have found a wetsuit can/will take about 1 min off your mile, or about 4 seconds per 100 yards/meters in the open water. Of course, this is proportional to speed.

much like every other aid: users like to claim minimal assist (5% or less) while non-users like to claim greater assist (10% or more). my belief is the advantage is probably greater for a slower swimmer with poor balance than for a faster swimmer with superb balance, but body type also certainly factors in the equasion. i'm sure that clears things up....lol

Thanks. Hey Ruffwater-I'm putting 2+2 together and betting you are the same Rob Jones that nearly took it to the youngsters the last few years at GCBS. Way to go. I have made a committment to go without a wetsuit this year. I can't turn back. My coach would give me too much crap. I've worn one for the last 3 years and I hate it. Too hot, too much chaffing. I swam the GCBS 3 other times in the late 80's without one and figure its worth seeing where I am. No other real reason or attempt to make a political statement. That being said, the technical suits should be banned though. Moot point; its like trying to put wooden rackets back on the tennis court or real wood clubs into Tiger's golf bag. Water temp is approximately 61 right now depending on where you measure it. A group of us are swimming in the Severn River next week.(about 3 miles from the bridge). 6 weeks to go, keep training. Tree

But I think technical suits ("swimskins") are less of an aid then wetsuits, which are warmer and more buoyant. Why ban one and not the other? many of the ow swimmers i know won't participate in races that don't at least separate the wetsuited from the nekked. the bay swim is the perfect example; perhaps pool events should also have separate divisions.... it would make everyone happy except the event directors.

(a poorly fitting wetsuit can actually slow you down). Oh... and thanks for the kind words, Chris. Next year, I'm sure you'll make it through that crazy GCBS entry process. Missed you at Zones. Definitely true about the "poor fitting" part. I wore a wetsuit for an aquabike competition, tons of water sloshing around the legs during the transition after the 1.2 mile swim. Awful. Rob, I'd love to do it but I think I'll bag the Bay swim in the future in favor of Eagleman, which is a sure thing but has an earlier entry date and fills up. The whole raffle thing really turned me off.

Thanks. Hey Ruffwater-I'm putting 2+2 together and betting you are the same Rob Jones that nearly took it to the youngsters the last few years at GCBS. Way to go. Good math, Tree. I've been hammering that race for the last eight years. I wear the wetsuit to stay competitive with all the other guys who wear them - No way I'd place where I do without it. Here is a real life analysis of what a wetsuit can do in the Bay (4.4 miles): Bruce Brockschmidt and I have swum that race together since 2002. Every year we each wear a wetsuit, Bruce has beaten me by from a few seconds up to 3 minutes. Last year, Bruce did NOT wear his wetsuit. Instead he wore a Fastskin. I wore my wetsuit and beat him by 4 minutes. I'm guessing going sans wetsuit slowed Bruce down by at least 5 minutes (don't know how much the FS helped him versus briefs). Probably cost him a victory. So, again, I'd say a properly fitting wetsuit can save you approx 1 minute a mile. (a poorly fitting wetsuit can actually slow you down). Oh... and thanks for the kind words, Chris. Next year, I'm sure you'll make it through that crazy GCBS entry process. Missed you at Zones.

The conversion factor for the Blue 70 pool suit is 2% at the moment :bliss: