Now, I do not expect you Northerners and Far Westerners to understand this but us Southerners have a problem with winter sailing. It is frigging cold. I had my full length winter warmers on, gloves and booties and still frooze my toes until they where blue with no sense or feeling. Has anyone got a reasonable idea on how to keep my little piggies from freezing

dry suit???

Oh yeha back to it....

if you keep the blood warm and the head warm then the extremities are no prob. Fair enough it is not like some places overseas, but I sailed south coast WA in 30kn southerly, 8deg ambient, hailing now and then, and was fine in a 3x2 steamer and Gath.

Therefore I think your toes will surely be fine if you are in a 3x2 with a helmet or neoprene beaniehat and even better wear a Roaster 1mm underneath it

I lived in Canberra for a long time, tried winter sailing down there but it was easier and warmer to go snowboarding.

Hey Old Salty,

am an Aussie ex-pat currently living on the Great Lakes, North America. Just as a clue, there are still snow mounds here from the very harsh and long winter we had, and we're mid-summer...

Anyways, here are a few tricks I personally use here, and was using for the Sydney winters. I almost never used a wet in Sydney, however the winter.

- most important: toughen yourself - 75% of it is 2/3 mental. If you need a suit mid-summer, then the season is gonna be short. That's what happens to guys here. Wet in the summer, dry in September, October-November is off for them. If you can stand no wet in summer, wet in October, dry in November, then you're OK. I sail with minimum covering gear, and am the very last one in the fall to start using a wetsuit, let alone a dry (which I don't have).

- freestyle, move about: I find freestyling and constant screwing around on a board keeps me warm. I am cold only the first 2 minutes or so, then the old heart starts pumping, and after 5 minutes, the water feels hot and you wanna fall in again!

- gloves: I have found nothing works great. They must be loose and water get in, else blood supply is cut. There are loose wetsuit gloves around that work OK. But important: gloves plams must be thin, else the boom appears too large. BTW, a thin boom is better in the winter, if you have one.

- booties: don't need dry boots, I find any old neoprense boots work well. Water gets in, then after 2-3 minutes everything gets warm.

- prep: I used to get cold in the car on the way to a cold outing. That was dumb. Get somewhat hot in the car, run around to rig up, don't waste time exchanging with guys around, then get on water. Your blood is already pumping then, and you'll feel warmer

- warm up, exercise and stretch before going out. Freestyle can be traumatic, so the gain is two-fold: warmer, and safer.

- shallow waters: if you can afford, freestyle, sail or gybe in shallow waters. Falling is more palatable then, water is more inviting.

- avoid: sailing for 2 miles on the harness before gybing. Firstly, that's boring, second, you get cold out of doing nothing.

- stay close to shore, if you can. I never go for 5-mile reaches in the deadest of winter.

I've been told I don't have enough neurons to feel the cold - could be true. And you probably knew all this, have fun!

Euphoria?? You must be joking, right?

Numbness lasts only 1-2 minutes, then it becomes painful, hypothermia sets in. At first, fingers and toes. Then goes up the limbs. To keep sailing may become dangerous.

You can't think anymore, can't move properly, you start falling more and more, the shore gets further and further.

I reckon my helmet keeps me warm, keeps the wind of my noggin....that and a 4/3 wetty, with a 2mm titanium rashie! Besides that, I forgot my harness yesterday, and to jog home would take the same amount of time as driving the ute around, I thought I'd go the fit option.....the only prob is the 100 steps up the hill.....nothing like an intense short run to get the blood temp up!

Nickuman said...

i find a big can of harden the f*# up works well!

that and having a lack of functioning braincells.

Love it....

Back to the topic, You do know they make 5/3 wetsuits, mines tops, in fact i haven't even worn it this winter it hasn't been cold enough. A good one to keep your feet from freezing is to have a bottle of hot water in your car, when ever you come in for a rest, pour some on your feet or what ever has frozen.

grease up with slightly rancid hog fat !!!

There's a really easy fix to this.

Drink about four litres of water half an hour before you go sailing.

And then don't hold back. If you tuck your booties over your wettie you'll get the right inflow happening.

But rinse your wettie really well after your sail

Old Salty said...

Now, I do not expect you Northerners and Far Westerners to understand this but us Southerners have a problem with winter sailing. It is frigging cold. I had my full length winter warmers on, gloves and booties and still frooze my toes until they where blue with no sense or feeling. Has anyone got a reasonable idea on how to keep my little piggies from freezing

The bay is still 12 degs whats the problem?? Wait till august now thats cold!!

buy an oversided neoprene jacket to wear over existing wetsuit, will warm up core temp. big time . Get some chemical heat packs Bushwalkers use, can be re used by boiling in hotwater.

My pair of 2mm Billabong booties finally died a week ago. They were pretty good- nice and toasty. O'Neil make a bootie called Superfreak that look even better. I'm still trying to find out where to get them.

Go for something with a split toe which avoids having the end of your toes scrunched into the end of the bootie when you're in the footstraps. Also look for ones with a strap over the top of the foot, and even better around the ankle as well. That will stop them from filling with cold water (or even warm "water", if you took my earlier advice) and turning you into a balloon-footed penguin. Doesn't do much for the tough image if you waddle up the beach with two litres of water on each foot.

MikeyS - SHQ stock them.