Re: [Paddlewise] New Year's Paddle

It requires proper attire rather than nerve to take the plunge.  I admit that I
have never jumped in the water when it was 8 degrees above, but I have swam in
my drysuit for fun on several winter paddles when it was in the 20s and 30s.
Our club web page has a photo of me swimming with my paddle on last years New
Years day event with the caption "Where is my boat?".  To respond to this clear
attempt at slander - for the record I must state that it was not the result of a
capsize, but instead I was paddling about the Mississippi doing crawl and back
stroke with my paddle for fun.  The year before that we had the imfamous battle
of the berg.  When a small ice chunk drifted by one of club members swam out and
climbed on top, and soon it was king of the berg time - at least until they
discovered that the little chuck of ice had a safe capacity of less than three
kayakers, and it promptly flipped over!

A few suggestions on dressing for very cold water.  Protecting your head, your
hands, and your feet are the biggest challenges.  I have a Kokatat Gortex
drysuit with the built in latex booties.  For years I just used ankle gaskets
and dive boots, but once you try warm dry socks under drysuit booties with
neoprene dive boots over top you will never go back to ankel gaskets and wet
cold feet!  For my head I prefer a Gortex and fleece Elmer Fudd style hat that
wraps tight around my chin.  Even when I roll it stays surprisingly dry and I
find it warmer and much more comfortable than a neoprene dive hood.  Obviously
in rough water or during a prolonged swim it likely would get too wet to be warm
so I have a dive hood in my PFD pocket as a backup.  I have yet to find a pair
of gloves that keeps my hands warm while giving me acceptable paddle feel.  For
this reason I prefer to use Pogies and a wood paddle to keep my hands toasty
warm.  The Pogies ice on to the paddle but I have nothing between my fingers and
a nice warm paddle shaft (fiberglass or graphite shafts are colder, and plastic
covered aluminum shafts are really icy cold!).

When swimming I keep my hands in my pogies and swim with my paddle and try to
keep my head high and dry if possible.  I the event of a real capsize the
biggest problem would be quickly using my bare hands to do any operations that
required dexterity and then warming them again in the Pogies.  I always use a
paddle leash so I can keep in contact with my boat even if both hands are in my
Pogies and on my paddle.  The one big advantage to neoprene gloves is that you
may be able to keep your hands protected while fiddling with gear.
Unfortunately most gloves don't allow for much dexterity so your gear needs to
be set up so you can work it easily with hand while wearing these despicable
Monster Paws.  Finding and pulling the grab loop on your spray skirt can be hard
to do with gloves also (see previous paddlewise postings on putting a wiffle
golf ball on the loop etc.)  What ever system you use I recomend trying a
capsize under controlled conditions and doing a self rescue in winter conditions
(Make sure you have a warm car or better still a nice Sauna waiting in case your
clothes, and gear are not up to the task!)

Sisler, Clyde wrote:

> And a conclusion: Icing reduces one's safety margin
> considerably. Paddling in such cold weather is an interesting
> experiment, but I don't recommend it for extended trips.
>
> -----------------
>
> Interesting comments.  Have you (or anyone else) ever had the nerve to walk
> into the water and submerge yourself in your drysuit before or after a
> paddle in that kind of weather?
>
> I feel I have to do that before my first cold paddle because a) I want to
> know in general what it's really like in a controlled situation and b) to
> ensure I have enough insulation.
>
> I'm still trying to get my latex neck gasket to fit without passing out
> though.  I think it's stretched about as far as it's going to.  I've got it
> wrapped around a gallon paint can with 4 paperbacks around the can and an
> entire Sunday paper between the can and the paperbacks.  I suspect I might
> have to go find the scissors.  I've been going slow in the effort because
> once cut, duct tape probably won't work to put the gasket back together :-).
>
> Right now, I think I'm more concerned about my hands in a dump situation
> than the poor ol' bod.
>
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