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Who sails in the cold?
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manuel



Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Posts: 1158

PostPosted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 9:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Personally, I preferred a good close to the house dry and warm dirt windsurfing session!
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dcharlton



Joined: 24 Apr 2002
Posts: 414

PostPosted: Sun Dec 30, 2018 6:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dakine Mits, 7MM booties, I can go 38 degree air and 40 degree water. Cold water sailing is a blast once you get acclimated and over the initial fear. Also, put on your wetsuit or drysuit in the comfort of your garage before heading out. It makes a big difference in the likelihood of you actually getting out.

NEVER SAIL ALONE! NO WHALE WATCHING!!! a breakdown 1/2 mile out will be fatal if you're alone, do NOT mess around!!!

DC
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GURGLETROUSERS



Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 2643

PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 4:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry Mr Charlton but I disagree with your insistence that you should NEVER SAIL ALONE, and that an enforced swim in from half a mile out will be FATAL! That simply means that you are inadequately protected for the conditions.

Some winter windsurfers dress on the assumption that they will not be swimming, and all they need is to be protected from the wind (air temps). That is where I see the danger.

As an ex winter board surfer, where during a two hour session you were mostly in, or submerged (the rinse cycle), beneath it, (and the force in the rinse cycle in cold water will soon expose any lack of protection in your wetsuit), we found the answers. (No need to repeat it all - been said previously.)

The point is, if your gear is unable to keep you adequately warm and comfortable on an enforced half mile swim in (your statement) in cold surfy waters, it is NOT ADEQUATE, and that person is windsurfing in the cold on a dangerous assumption!
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joethewindsufa



Joined: 10 Oct 2010
Posts: 1190
Location: Montréal

PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 8:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

i swam once for 2 hours after a breakdown
in cold May waters with slightly not adequate coverage
mild hypothermia and lesson learned
wear adequate coverage and if alone bring a phone (or better)
used to scoff at dry suits as too warm - no more ...
autumn is better than spring - water is cooling down, not warming up
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dcharlton



Joined: 24 Apr 2002
Posts: 414

PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 9:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

GURGLETROUSERS wrote:
Sorry Mr Charlton but I disagree with your insistence that you should NEVER SAIL ALONE, and that an enforced swim in from half a mile out will be FATAL! That simply means that you are inadequately protected for the conditions.

Some winter windsurfers dress on the assumption that they will not be swimming, and all they need is to be protected from the wind (air temps). That is where I see the danger.

As an ex winter board surfer, where during a two hour session you were mostly in, or submerged (the rinse cycle), beneath it, (and the force in the rinse cycle in cold water will soon expose any lack of protection in your wetsuit), we found the answers. (No need to repeat it all - been said previously.)

The point is, if your gear is unable to keep you adequately warm and comfortable on an enforced half mile swim in (your statement) in cold surfy waters, it is NOT ADEQUATE, and that person is windsurfing in the cold on a dangerous assumption!
I see your point and it does make sense, you should have the type of suit that handle the cold and a long swim in just in case, however, I've seen good sailors in good gear/suits find themselves in trouble. If they didn't have a group of sailors around to rescue him and get him into a warmed up car, I'd really hate to think what would have happened to him.
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techno900



Joined: 28 Mar 2001
Posts: 4161

PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 9:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My rule before going out is - If all goes bad and I have to spend an hour in the water, will I be warm enough? Also, where will I end up if blown down wind? The answer to the last question may mean life or death, or maybe just a long day and a good story.

I don't sail alone when it's cold (essentially, no way to seek help). But I will when it's warm since other water craft are usually around.

Last spring, a friend had a sail separation and his board blew away. It wasn't cold but it was wet suit weather and there were lots of other sailors around. When we noticed he was missing, a 20 minute search with binoculars found him on the opposite side of the lake about a mile away, not too far from a boat ramp, but he didn't know that. One of the guys drove around to the ramp and walked a 1/4 mile along the wooded shoreline and they met up. The next day, the sailor found his board and sail washed up on the same shoreline.

Let's keep an eye on one another.
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techno900



Joined: 28 Mar 2001
Posts: 4161

PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 10:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My rule before going out is - If all goes bad and I have to spend an hour in the water, will I be warm enough? Also, where will I end up if blown down wind? The answer to the last question may mean life or death, or maybe just a long day and a good story.

I don't sail alone when it's cold (essentially, no way to seek help). But I will when it's warm since other water craft are usually around.

Last spring, a friend had a sail separation and his board blew away. It wasn't cold but it was wet suit weather and there were lots of other sailors around. When we noticed he was missing, a 20 minute search with binoculars found him on the opposite side of the lake about a mile away, not too far from a boat ramp, but he didn't know that. One of the guys drove around to the ramp and walked a 1/4 mile along the wooded shoreline and they met up. The next day, the sailor found his board and sail washed up on the same shoreline.

Let's keep an eye on one another.
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rigitrite



Joined: 19 Sep 2007
Posts: 520
Location: Kansas City

PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 10:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Man....when it's cold, I only sail alone! In fact, the lake is so abandoned, there's no boats, no cars, no hikers, animals, no passers-by, no NOTHIN'! You might as well be on the surface of the moon, cause that's how much "rescue" will be comin' your way. Dress for the conditions and don't do anything stupid.
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joethewindsufa



Joined: 10 Oct 2010
Posts: 1190
Location: Montréal

PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 2:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

as a weekend warrior, i hafta go when i can ...
that means in the cold and light winds too
this was one of my worst years on water since many
here no-one was there and no real action until 18 minutes in
but when you gotta go, you gotta go
just BE SAFE !!

https://youtu.be/iA1OdVZTI1U
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PeconicPuffin



Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 1830

PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2019 11:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I windsurf year round on Long Island with friends. Drysuit (some guys wear 6/5/4 wetsuiits) hoods gloves heavy booties. For myself the air temp limits are
36 degrees in full sun, 40 if overcast (I'll occasionally sail in colder) The water just needs to be wet.

If you're familiar with the old "rule of 100" that states the water and air temps combined should equal 100 (what nonsense!) the Long Island version goes like this:

Air temperature + Water temperature + Wind Speed + Weeks since last session + 5 (if it's sunny) = 100 or higher.

https://www.peconicpuffin.com/the_peconic_puffin/2012/01/100-degree-rule-long-island-style.html

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http://www.peconicpuffin.com
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