Wes wrote: >>>>>>But I can't conceive of wearing a wet suit in conditions that are, say, 60 water temp and 80 air temp. I'd cook; I couldn't paddle a mile. No doubt the hypothermia nazis are going to jump all over me for this, but, as I said, it's my decision; I have to be the one that has to balance the risks. I've had cold water hypothermia -- from a nonboating related activity, by the way -- and have a pretty good idea of the risks I'm taking. But I'm the one that has to balance things out. Your mileage may vary. If so, good. You have assessed your needs and responded to them in the way you feel best. <<<<<<<<< Those with a relatively high volume to surface area ratio (big folks) are more likely to suffer hyperthermia than hypothermia and need to dress accordingly. Not only do they have more mass to cool but because volume increases by the cube and the (cooling) area in contact with the outside temperature only increases by the square they can't dump heat as fast. Also fat is a better insulator than skin and bone. One chubby guy taking part in a hypothermia test stayed in cold (50 degrees F. I believe) water for six or eight hours. Early on he cooled down a few degrees and then stabilized at the slightly lower temperature so that the test was ended after the six or eight hours not because he cooled to the 95 degrees where testers always stopped the test at but for some other reasons not related to the test. I tend to overheat due to a high metabolism but this also puts me at a greater risk of hypothermia than the average person (and the second time I was ever in a kayak I managed to quickly cool down to 94.5 degrees). I still won't dress for the low 50's water temperature around here in the summer because I can get so overheated and don't relish being strangled by my dry suit or becoming salt encrusted from rotary cooling. As Wes says, "it's my decision". I realize someday I may pay for that decision with my life and I'll accept that as the risk I'm willing to take to be comfortable until then. Until I had learned to roll reliably and developed self rescue skills I was not a paddler that was comfortable too far from shore. I'm not suggesting anybody else base there own decision on anything I say or do. Think it out for yourself. Matt Broze http://www.marinerkayaks.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Dec 28 2000 - 01:28:52 PST
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