Re: [Paddlewise] Protection for immersion...

In a message dated 4/4/2001 12:22:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com writes:


> That lets out a dry suit unless you want to paddle with the zipper open 
> which has its potential dangers and drawbacks and is not advisable.  That 
> also lets out a dry top I would think since it won't vent at the wrists.  I 
> have a dry top and never
> have understood their functionality unless it is one with a latex neck as 
> 

That reminds me of the reason I liked my Mountain Surf "Drydeck" --- bomber 
drytop, coated balistic nylon, latex neck and wrists, and a heavy duty 
neoprene skirt with a half-round rubber rand built by Mountain Surf 
especially for the small cockpit of my Pintail.  (These were mountain people, 
and they thought I was nuts.)

The good part about that deal was that I had the rest of the kayak as my 
"drysuit".  Always wore neoprene --- usually Patagucci's long four mil 
bottoms and a top or vest, later an early Henderson full jumpsuit dive suit 
from Malden Mills' Thermal Stretch Polartec --- under the drydeck.

The bad part --- sorta --- was the fact that when you rolled to rotocool, all 
the bilge water that collected in the hull was totally free to come up and 
fill your sleeves.  That is not a nice feeling.

It's a question of balance and logic.  Are we beating up a guy because he's 
dead?  No.  I guess I've done most of the research on the incident (and the 
DNR cop has owed me a phone call for two days) but nobody's picked up much on 
the fact that he (I was told) was not wearing head/neck protection.  When you 
miss a brace or are suprised by clapotis and go over, your face or the back 
of your head and neck are the first to hit that cold water.  We're still 
below 50 F on the Potomac today, and that's cold water when you're warm or 
hot.  Lots can happen --- and that's really what this discussion is all 
about.  Not what this guy who none of us in the area knew did or didn't do 
--- but what it reminds us, or should remind us.

Ralph mentions unzipped drysuits: I will never look at a drysuit zipper again 
in the same way.  It's not about the dead --- it's about the living.  As I 
sit here, close to midnight, listening to six different versions of Barber's 
Adagio.  Wow.

Jack Martin


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