I think I forgot a factor at the end of that last safety post. There is an unknown here that is quite important in reaching a conclusion regarding relative safety on cold water. I think most trained paddlers do in fact wear pfds and wet/drysuits when out on cold water. No doubt we have fewer "accidents" (training opportunities) than novices do. However, when such accidents happen, being dressed for immersion, it must be a really remarkable event for such accidents to result in a death. We can not know, from available information, how many deaths would result to trained paddlers if none of them wore PFDs and wet/drysuits. I can say that, many years ago, a highly skilled paddler went out alone for a little cruise on a fine winter day on the great lakes. He was using a new unfeathered paddle for the first time. He capsized and was found dead later that day. He was not wearing a wetsuit. I don't remember if he wore a pfd. Another solo paddler capsized with his drysuit open at the neck because the November day was warm. He also died. The marathon racer that capsized when a wind front arrived on the Potomac River a couple years back was wearing a pfd but no wet/dry suit. It was cold water paddling. He was found dead on the shore the next morning. He was out alone and there were no witnesses. He left two young daughters and his wife. I could continue for many pages-but I bet you get the message here. Chuck Sutherland *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Over the years I often had a lot of free time in October, so I woud go out paddling and fooling around, poling my canoe, etc. Unless I was just doing straight and level on the flat (almost never!) I always wore my wetsuit, even on days when I was sizzling inside it. Some days I wondered why, and I *know* that others wondered why. But I guess these examples below are why. GaryJ skimmer wrote: >We can not know, from available information, how many deaths >would result to trained paddlers if none of them wore PFDs and >wet/drysuits. > >I can say that, many years ago, a highly skilled paddler went out >alone for a little cruise . . . > >Another solo paddler capsized with his drysuit open at the neck >because the November day was warm. . . > >The marathon racer that capsized when a wind front arrived on the >Potomac River a couple years back was wearing a pfd but no >wet/dry suit. It was cold water paddling. He was found dead on the >shore the next morning. He was out alone and there were no >witnesses. He left two young daughters and his wife. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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