Re: [Paddlewise] Dry Suit Field Test

Bob Volin wrote:

> We've also found that the gaskets go on our wrists and heads (two and one
> each, respectively) much easier after frequent use of 303.  Just a very
> little bit on the gaskets as I get ready to stretch the necks does the
> trick.

I seem to recall that 303 was only supposed to be used infrequently (a
couple of times a season) and not each time you use the suit.  Or was
that with straight silicon sprays that we all used earlier?  I hope
someone can comment more intelligently on this than my feeble
input/inquiry here.  :-)

Regarding the neck gasket I think people tend to leave them too tight
unnecessarily, especially paddlers who are not inclined to play at
rolling. Other than at the time of immersion, your head and neck would
be largely above water.  I don't mean to suggest to leave a gap but as
long as the neck gasket is stretching on your neck some rather than
choking, it should work just fine. Also the less overly stretched it is,
the more likely it is to last.

> On a different, but related subject:  We were out for a morning paddle on
> the Hudson, out of Yonkers, two or three weekends ago.  We were four
> paddlers, all mildly north of the average age of the "Who we are"
> respondents, all in dry suits.  As we reached a small beach on the Palisades
> side of the Hudson, we saw a lone paddler in a small single kayak reach the
> beach just before us.  He turned out to be a very nice young fellow (early
> to mid 20s, I'd guess), who had been paddling for just one month.  Cotton
> t-shirt, denim shorts, sneakers, no PFD, no spray skirt, water about 50
> degrees F., and -- of course -- paddling solo.  If you knew me, it'd come as
> no surprise that I found an opportunity to approach him in a modestly
> avuncular way, to tell him how dangerously he was living.  We talked for
> awhile about the things he would need and about his need to connect with
> people who could teach him safety and skills, people he would enjoy.  He
> seemed very receptive, even grateful.  Probably humoring me.  I found out
> later that at least two of my three companions had done something of the
> same.  He'd been looking for some peace and quiet on the other side of the
> river, poor guy.  Hope he listened.  Guess he made it back that day (we
> haven't read about him).

I admire Bob's patient approach.  But people seem to hear such advice or
read it and somehow don't connect it with them.  It doesn't apply to
them.  I have seen this with safety advice I give in my newsletter and
book about extra flotation including a foto of a double Klepper that is
half submerged because of lack of airbags.  People read the text, see
the foto and just look past both and don't use the extra flotation until
they are unpleasantly surprised.

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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