soggy bottom

I am fortunate to live in an area where the sailing season never really ends.  Our rule-of-thumb for our larger (dryer) boat has been that if it is above freezing during the actual time on the water, we are good.  If it is below freezing during that time, we might be safer on another day. 

This year, that boat will be on the hard for a few months and we are left with the Skerry.  I think the same rule can apply, except for the fact that we are often sitting in water in the Skerry, sometimes a few inches until we get a chance to bail. 

My warm weather solution has been simply to wear quick dry pants.  By the time the boat is de-rigged and loaded, I've always been dry.  I don't want to do that in cold weather.  What do other people do?  A "foulie" bib?  Fishing waders?  Wet suit?  Dry Suit? Stay home?

Hooper 


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RE: soggy bottom

Foulie bibs over calf-high, waterproof boots, big enough to allow for thick wool socks, would be my choice.  Foulie top, too, if it's splashy.  If you're going to be kneeling in water more'n a couple of inches deep, water will run "up" your pant legs, though.

.....Michael

RE: soggy bottom

  Dry suit. Mythic Gear sells good ones at bargan prices. 

RE: soggy bottom

 

   Hooper,

You never stated where you live or equally important what the water tempatures are at these times when the air tempatures are approaching freezing.

I coach a high school sailing team in New Haven CT. We use the 100 degree rule. If the water + air tempature is above 100 degrees, we sail. The kids wear wet suits (which will save your life in the water, but do not keep you very warm in the air) or dty suits. If the combined tempature is below 100 degrees we have a discussion as to if it safe on the water. The wind speed plays a big role in that answer. We always have two safety motorboats on the water (incase something happens to one).

Personally, I frostbite sail Lasers in the Fall (October - 1st weekend in December) and Spring (mid March- May). Given that is a boat where swimming in a regular accurence, but wetsuits or drysuits are manitory. Again, we always have two or three safety boats on the water. We did send a friend to the hosiptal with a decent case of hypothermia (his core tmpature was 95) he was only in the water (42 degrees) with  a drysuit for <10 minutes. Several small mistakes where made, but the boat was left upside down and he was raced ashore with a radio call for EMS. Cold water will suck the heat out of you faster than you can even imagine, even in the proper gear. He was ok, but no longer sails in the spring!

So, staying warm is crucial, but how are you going to get rescued when things really go wrong is equally important.

Have fun and be safe, Joel

RE: soggy bottom

 

   Hooper,

You never stated where you live or equally important what the water tempatures are at these times when the air tempatures are approaching freezing.

I coach a high school sailing team in New Haven CT. We use the 100 degree rule. If the water + air tempature is above 100 degrees, we sail. The kids wear wet suits (which will save your life in the water, but do not keep you very warm in the air) or dty suits. If the combined tempature is below 100 degrees we have a discussion as to if it safe on the water. The wind speed plays a big role in that answer. We always have two safety motorboats on the water (incase something happens to one).

Personally, I frostbite sail Lasers in the Fall (October - 1st weekend in December) and Spring (mid March- May). Given that is a boat where swimming in a regular accurence, but wetsuits or drysuits are manitory. Again, we always have two or three safety boats on the water. We did send a friend to the hosiptal with a decent case of hypothermia (his core tmpature was 95) he was only in the water (42 degrees) with  a drysuit for <10 minutes. Several small mistakes where made, but the boat was left upside down and he was raced ashore with a radio call for EMS. Cold water will suck the heat out of you faster than you can even imagine, even in the proper gear. He was ok, but no longer sails in the spring!

So, staying warm is crucial, but how are you going to get rescued when things really go wrong is equally important.

Have fun and be safe, Joel

RE: soggy bottom

Nothern California.  If near the Golden Gate, tend to wear a 5mm freedive wetsuit long john bottoms and 4mm Argos Stealth booties for 48F water temps.  Warmer areas of Sacramento Delta, Napa River, etc. 2mm wetsuit, but usually just long swim shorts.

I also carry a spong, those microfleece car wash rags and a plastic water blaster.

 

RE: soggy bottom

Good information everyone - Thanks.  Joel, I had never heard the 100 degree rule before.  Where does that come from?

We generally sail in upstate South Carolina which, on any given day, is about 10 degrees warmer than where we live in Western North Carolina. It rarely freezes there for more than a few hours at a time and the lake water is unusually warm.  Even so, I'm sure there are days that would not pass that 100 degree rule.

It's hard to capsize a Skerry, but I'm living proof that it can be done.  I need to figure out a way to be comfortable in the boat and safe in the water in the event of a capsize.

Hooper      

RE: soggy bottom

   Here in Florida the local knowledge is 120 degree rule.  Not written down all verbal and free, which is what its worth. Your body size and body mass index has a lot to do with  survival time.  It takes a little longer for fat people to cool down.  but more effort to get out of the water and back in the boat. Trade offs.

.

Any drysuit or pant needs underlayers. The actual dry suit doesn't warm you much but it does keep the wind from evaporating the sweat and cooling you down. In many temps the dry suit or paddling jacket makes you sweat when dry and chill when wet without the intermediate layer. You still sweat but its a good thing.  Here in Florida with our winter water temp around 55 degrees I usually wear a hydroskin short,  knee to waist, with a quick dry short over .   On cold days then a hydroskin zip jacket with technical shirt underneath and paddle jacket when windy or rainy.  On feet I use neoprene soocks in water shoes with hard soles.  

 

Sit on top kayak fishermen often wear waterproof pants to prevent the wet bottom and cold wet legs.

RE: soggy bottom

   I was up on the Alabama/Georgia border a week or two ago. There was a farm called "Soggy Bottom". There is also a Watertribe member called Soggy Bottom.  Its not necessarily a bad thing.

RE: soggy bottom

   I just moved to CT so will have to recalibrate some, but in VA/MD, the fall water temps often stay fairly warm for a while, whereas the spring water, particularly when canoeing the rivers is COLD...snow melt.  I used to paddle a fair bit in the Blue Ridge where many of the streams are only navigable in spring runoff.  A heavy full wetsuit was standard.  One benny of a thick wet suit is the cushioning from bumps and bruises.  Still, that first dose of water down the neck is ... refreshing.

In SC, I'd think of a full wetsuit and have a windproof top for nearly any of the winter there.  If you aren't likely to be swimming, dinghy boots might be better than neoprene booties.  And wear a foam PFD, not an inflatable.  And have plenty of towels and some fleece back at the car or in a dry bag in the boat to get out of the wetsuit.  

On the big boat on the Chesapeake, I've sailed on warm days throughout the winter.  We had a tradition of sailing New Years Day whenever feasible.  We dressed in fleece, polypro, wool, and windstoppers/foulies...no jeans. And I made a point of having the throw bag and horseshoe on deck and ready and PFDs on.  You don't have much time if you go in the drink at those water temps and you'll need friends ready to help.

RE: soggy bottom

   I found this very informative sheet written for high school sailors at my latitude:

https://www.gobair.org/Resources/Documents/Cold_Water.pdf

Hooper

RE: soggy bottom

Interesting read on the cold water.  Our Northern California coastal water temps are pretty constant 48-52F.  44F at depth.  Warmer in winter. Colder in summer.  Sierra lakes/rivers with snowmelt runoff low 40's and colder.

One thing to note - even with a proper wetsuit or drysuit.  Say the anchor line needs to be released, untied, cut.  At 48F your hands become pretty useless very quickly if need to work below the waterline.  I do not wear my gloves when boating only when freediving off the coast.  For me to remember to get my gloves out of my mesh bag if dumped into the water when worrying about people or pets is not happening.  I do not normally have my top/hood on when boating because I overheat in the bright California sunshine.  I put it on when I intend to spearfish or work out off our coast.  Also we depend on self rescue.  Others may require our help also or may never make it to us in time anyway.

 

RE: soggy bottom

I sit on my Type IV throwable "boat cushion", which is 2" thick.  I never have that much water in the boat or I'd be bailing.

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