[Paddlewise] Addition to Lessons learned: Lake Erie

Just some additional thoughts on the problem a flooded dry suit would
represent in addition to the hypothermic threat.

A suit full of water would greatly hinder re-entry if you are out of
your boat.  Your movements while in the water wouldn't be too hampered
since water in water (water in your suit and your suit in the water)
balances out.  But once you tried to raise up on your back deck or use a
paddle float, your legs and trunk would weigh what seems a ton; you
might have trouble raising your arms as well although the water might
rush down into the rest of the suit as you starting lifting an arm.

I haven't seen this with a dry suit but in other similar situations.  I
once had to rescue a guy who was wearing a pair of paddling pants.  The
neoprene ankle cuffs were tight enough to keep a mass amount of water in
his pants legs.  I hadn't noticed this and he was having an inordinate
amount of difficulty.  Later, when we got to shore, he released the
velcro on the pants cuffs and a surprising amount of water poured out.

In addition to the Stohlquist cheap zipper dry suit, the company also at
one point offered what was termed a semi-dry suit.  It looked like a
regular dry suit except all the gaskets were just neoprene (the neck may
not have had neoprene to allow use of a hood) and the zipper was one of
those cheaper non-waterproof zippers with a rollover closure.  A friend
practicing with it on one day found to her dismay that it flooded
unbearably and hindered her practice re-entries.  She opted to just cut
off the leg neoprene and treated the whole thing like a waterproof set
of coveralls after that.

I am not certain what one would do if confronted with a flooded dry suit
where latex gaskets can't be just opened as might velcroed neoprene
ones. Cutting the ankle latex gaskets would be difficult because of how
it clings to one's leg bottom.  Probably cluster some of the dry suit
material somewhere below the knee and make a cut, I suppose, for each
pant leg.  It would ruin an expensive suit but saving your life would be
worth it.

While this is strictly conjecture, it may be that Rhino Hancock had a
flooded suit and could not do a self-rescue because of the water weight
aside from whatever degree of hypothermia was setting in.

ralph diaz
-- 
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Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
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