RE: [Paddlewise] Of Clothing and Equipment...

 -----Original Message-----
> From: Aaron Cunningham [mailto:acunning_at_seanet.com]

> So, if some among you could give me some advice on
> 
> a) Spray skirts...
> 	I know there are nylon and neoprene ones... What do 
> people recommend, and
> why... If I understand properly, the neoprene ones seem to shed water
> "better".  Is this an accurate statement, and does it make it 
> worth the
> money, etc...

  Both topics that you're asking about have a wide range of options...
  Sprayskirts _in general_ <grin>.  Spray skirts can be constructed in a
variety of ways: all neoprene, all nylon, nylon tube/neoprene skirt.  Nylon
skirts tend to be the coolest, but generally don't seal as tightly against
your body and possibly even the coaming.  Neoprene skirts tend to be warmer
and tend to seal more tightly.  The combo's attempt to provide a good
coaming fit with a less heat-entrapping tube.  Considering that you'll have
an insulating layer (your PFD) around your torso it really doesn't make that
big of a difference anyway.  The effectiveness of the seal probably isn't
worth quibbling about either.  Some neoprene skirts can provide a better
coaming seal on plastic coamings which generally have more rounded edges and
thus make it more difficult to get a good tight fit.  The most important
things regarding a skirt are that it fit your cockpit and that you can
_easily_ perform a wet exit.  Lots of generalization in that
paragraph<grin>.
  I personally prefer a full neoprene skirt - but too much heat is a rare
problem where I live.
> 
> b) Paddle-wear...
> 	I live in the Pacific Northwest 
> (Seattle/Kirkland/Bothell area) and am
> aware of the rather cool water temperature common to the 
> waters here.  given
> the water temperature what would you recommend for outer 
> wear?  Dry Suit,
> Wet Suit, Bib and Dry Top (as I saw discussed 
> yesterday/today)?  What about
> gloves, etc...

  A big part of paddling gear choices depends on what time of year you plan
to paddle.  For summer paddling in protected waters that aren't too cold a
good starting point is a Farmer John wetsuit - you'll probably continue to
use it even as your paddling wardrobe expands to accommodate a wider range
of conditions.  Combine it with a paddling jacket and some kind of synthetic
insulating top and you've expanded your range a bit.  IMO - for maximum
thermal protection and comfort it's hard to beat a Gore-Tex drysuit combined
with appropriate underlayers.  But Gore-Tex drysuits don't come cheap.
  Take note of what the more experienced paddlers that you paddle with wear.
Ask their opinions about their gear -  but don't take anything as the TRUTH
immutable.
  My personal test for the day's paddling garb is to take a swim in it -
you'll quickly discover whether or not your selection is appropriate for the
water temp.  I do this before almost every paddle - it's become routine,
rather like unconsciously putting on a seatbelt.  
  Some folks who have 110% bombproof rolls and never, ever, even dream about
wet exiting (I have yet to meet one of these mythical paddlers - I've never
met Derek Hutchinson either<big grin>) might advocate dressing for comfort
according to the air temperature.  I think it truly needs to be a balance -
you don't want to die from heatstroke, but you might also want to be able to
survive the unlikely and unplanned swim.  Read "Deep Trouble" by Matt Broze
and George Gronseth (ISBN: 0070084998) - it gives a rather sobering look at
what can happen if you're not dressed for immersion (along with a lot of
other good info).
  Lightweight neoprene gloves can be handy to have almost year round in the
Northwest US - although some folks prefer pogies.  I like neoprene gloves
with a synthetic leather palm for three-season paddling.  My winter paddling
choice combines both gloves and pogies.  Winter or cold water paddlers
should also either wear or have immediately at hand some type of thermal
protection for their head - there are neoprene and synthetic hoods
available.
  You can learn a lot from reading, looking at catalogues, listening to
advice, etc but it all really comes down to your personal preferences and
what types of water and weather you paddle in.  It would be a sad thing to
wet exit in the middle of Rosario Strait, lose your boat to the wind and
succumb to hypothermia all while thinking about how someone told you that
all you really needed was "X".  Take your experiences in small manageable
chunks - and if you're lucky like the rest of us you'll survive your
mistakes and misjudgments and be the wiser for them.  I don't think you'll
find anybody in this list who will purport to have all the answers - and
most folks would say that they learn something new almost every time they
paddle (I'm definitely in that group - some day I'll graduate with honors
from the school of Trial & Error).
  Here in Juneau I tend to paddle in a drysuit most of the year and reserve
the wetsuit for warm summer days.  (Actually, I dream longingly about hot
summer days and warm waters and wear the dry suit most of the time.)
  If you're looking for specifics on certain products ask away.....I'm sure
you'll find somebody on the list who can make direct comments on just about
any product.

Dave Seng
sitting at work babysitting a recalcitrant backup system....and hoping the
full backup actually completes so I can play for the rest of the holiday
weekend.
Juneau, Alaska

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