doug m wrote:

I own both and have used both for a number of years. My question is:
"Was the drysuit necessary, or did I fall for the 'sports marketing' hype?"

You fell for sports marketing hype. Note how the drysuit costs more,
is less durable, and more prone to catastrophic failure.

The only problem with a wetsuit is that, in heavy cold rain, the layer
of warm water next to your skin gets replaced too quickly to rewarm.
However this problem can be mitigated by wearing drypants, at much
lower cost than a drysuit.

What baffles me is the number of drysuits that come with ankle gaskets
instead of integral booties. Unless it keeps your feet dry and warm,
the drysuit's only advantage is that, after boating, you can drive away
without changing clothes.