Re: [Paddlewise] Immersion Gear Revisited

On Friday 09 November 2007 20:37, someone wrote:
> I think too much emphasis  is put on immersion gear at the expense of
> skills and judgment. Everytime a  kayaker dies of hypothermia, it seems
> the blame is put on not wearing any or  enough immersion gear. I
> disagree. I blame the hypothermia deaths on not  having the skills and
> judgment to stay out of the water. Sure, there is a time  and place for
> immersion gear, but I think a lot of people are using it to make  up for
> having less than enough skills and judgment. It's sort of like feeling
>  safe when driving recklessly because your car has an air bag and your
> seat  belt is on.

As Nick wrote, skills and safety gear, complement each other, and both
have a habit of failing when you most need them!

Judgment has a habit of being blunted by experience, as most of us know -
it is as likely a 'pro' will get into a fatal situation as a tyro, the 
latter because he/she doesn't know better, the former because he
knows too much, and thinks he's beyond mere mistakes!

A friend's father was head of the surgical department of a big hospital,
naturally he mis-diagnosed himself, and almost died of a burst appendix!

Another found to his horror that one of his legs was slightly shorter than 
the other, so he put a huge operation in motion - resulting in a lot
of bad side effects, pain, and eventually two years lost, recuperating!

I've been aboard ships catching fire at sea (just a few died, later the 
same Norwegian arsonist was the culprit of over 50 deaths), been sailing 
with friends offshore in 50 knot winds, and been aboard submersibles in 
over 40 knot winds (very scary, as the rig couldn't be trimmed level, due 
to mechanical/electrical faults). And then a few storms, boats ramming 
each other (happily, no-one fatally hurt) and a few other mishaps at sea -
none fatal!

I sincerely think that emergency gear as important as skills, While
either can fail, the former is easier to maintain in top trim! Naturally,
I hope both to be in top trim, for ever, but I am not that conceted!

Tord,
sorry about any spelling mistakes (English not being my mother's tongue!).
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