OT Winter Kayaking

[mike p]

I bought a 17' sea kayak this past summer and really enjoy it! A good change of pace and lots of fun. We live next to a 50 mi long lake and I will be out on the lake all winter long. Question for winter kayakers.....what to wear? Reading online seems like kayakers either wear wet or drysuites. Any thoughts on which is better? Any other alternatives? I live in upstate NY (Fingerlakes). I don't think our temps ever got above 25 this past week and many times the end of the lake will freeze over. Also heavy snow and winds. Thanks for any help.

Mike

[fourflys]

I plan to get a sea kayak this spring for up here in Kodiak... I had smaller rec kayak for many years (WS Pungo), but sold it before I moved here this summer as I knew it wasn't the right boat for here... I'm really looking forward to exploring around here!

just curious, what did you buy?

[mike p]

I bought a prijon kodiak. 17'. Good for camping out of and navagating large bodies of water. Will also take trips to the Adirondacks. Its rotomolded? A plastic that is very heavy duty. Good for beginners like me. If it works out and I get into it more I'll end up with a nicer glass, or carbon model. You really need a kayak in Alaska!

Mike

[fourflys]

nice!

[djg21]

I bought a 17' sea kayak this past summer and really enjoy it! A good change of pace and lots of fun. We live next to a 50 mi long lake and I will be out on the lake all winter long. Question for winter kayakers.....what to wear? Reading online seems like kayakers either wear wet or drysuites. Any thoughts on which is better? Any other alternatives? I live in upstate NY (Fingerlakes). I don't think our temps ever got above 25 this past week and many times the end of the lake will freeze over. Also heavy snow and winds. Thanks for any help.

Mike

It depends on whether you will ever have to swim. In a whitewater boat, a drytop over fleece, cold water bottoms, poggies or gloves, paddling cap and helmet, and booties were the bare minimum in the cold. If paddling where I could get stuck taking a prolonged swim, I would be in a drysuit. I used to paddle and playboat through the winter so long as there was no major ice.

[mike p]

Swimming is a possibility. First order is to learn how to roll! I have an old pair of farmer John's, thinking of adding a thinner 3mm jacket, hood, gloves, booties, and of course neoprene skirt? Shouldn't have any extended stays in the water.

Mike

[mike p]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ubt8AWa7SU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGvoLrADm_s&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Some cool vids!

Mike

[Black Dog]

Having paddled for the last 20 years in the Arctic and having lived there for more than a few I would suggest that you get a good dry suit. Water temps in the winter will be near freezing and the kind of wet suit that you need to survive those temps will be too bulky to paddle in. It is very easy to get away from shore in a sea kayak and you survival time will be limited in a thin wet suit. I have been through the ice and into the water and I can tell you that you become unable to function very very quickly, even in a thin wet suit. (3-5mm)

They are not cheap but I am sure that your life is worth it. Besides they are way more comfortable than a tight and clammy wet suit. Since most are made of gore-tex they actually breath reasonably well.

http://images.mec.ca/fluid/customers/c822/5018-234/generated/5018-234_RDH02_view1_720x720.jpg

[Black Dog]

Swimming is a possibility. First order is to learn how to roll! I have an old pair of farmer John's, thinking of adding a thinner 3mm jacket, hood, gloves, booties, and of course neoprene skirt? Shouldn't have any extended stays in the water.

Mike

No one ever plans an extended stay in the water but everyone who paddles in open cold water should be prepared for one. Always respect the water and double so for cold water. Rolling a sea kayak is not easy and exponentially more difficult when you hit ice cold water unexpectedly.

[mike p]

Good advice dog. Was just a little put back by the price! 800.-1200. I'm sure what your saying is 100% correct. I guess I'm trying to get out on the cheap till I see how much I'm going to like it.

Mike

[cetuximab]

I am a whitewater not sea/touring boater. But with temps like that, I would be in a drysuit. A drysuit is so much more comfortable than a farmer john under a dry top. And as previously described, your swim would be too prolonged in an a sea kayak.

In a small river and warmer temps, a poor paddler could do the farmer john and dry top. But a 30 foot swim to shore is survivable.

Your life is worth more than the cost of the drysuit.

Having access to a lake like that is a huge blessing.

There are a lot of similarities between being in a zone paddling: the rhythm of your stokes. And a long bike ride. It is an amazing state of mind.

[djg21]

Swimming is a possibility. First order is to learn how to roll! I have an old pair of farmer John's, thinking of adding a thinner 3mm jacket, hood, gloves, booties, and of course neoprene skirt? Shouldn't have any extended stays in the water.

Mike
Kotatat makes a bib dry bottom that you can pair with a dry top, and the combination is a little more versatile and less expensive than a dry suit. You can use the bottoms in the winter, and when it gets warmer, just the dry top with a farmer John.

Drop me a PM. Depending on your size, I my have some gear for you. I can no longer boat after being hit by a car on my bike and destroying my shoulder. I'm near you too if I recall correctly.

As far as learning to roll, do that in pool, in a Whitewater boat initially. Once you have it down yin a smaller boat, you'll nail it pretty quickly in a 17 foot boat.

A bit OT, but if any of you Paceline denizens who are whitewater boaters are interested, I have what amounts to a brand new Waterstick paddle I purchased just before I got clobbered and ended my paddling career. It is a bent shaft, with smooth blades, 197cm, with adjustable feather currently set at 15 degrees. Very nice paddle that deserves to see use.

[OtayBW]

Yes - to paddle all winter, a dry-suit is mandatory - IMO - period. So, the list:


Dry suit, preferrably with booties sewn in (a giant adult onesie!)
Heavyweight wicking AND thermal undergarments
Neoprene gloves with strong elastic gasket or velcro closure at the cuffs
Neoprene hood/neck/face baklava (bring a thing to wear on your head also!...)
Mukluks helpful, but not mandatory.

Make sure you have a roll on both sides and/or very solid bracing skills at minumum. Multiple self-rescue skills and emergency equipment (VHF radio is extremely helpful if you're in open waters even if you're with a group). Do not take all this for granted even a little. But even more important than practicing your rolling, etc. is to practice capsizing AND GETTING YOUR FACE WET in very cold water. It's not hypothermia that'll kill you, it's more likely to be the gasp reflex.

Good luck! :banana:

[PaMtbRider]

We have 14.5 ft sea kayaks we take out on local lakes throughout the summer. I would love to try some winter paddling, but not until I can afford a drysuit.

[HenryA]

Another WW kayaker here. I've paddled in temps where the water was like a big slushy drink. Here in the SE United States you can paddle year round as it rarely freezes enough to stop moving water. My back is too wrecked to paddle now but here's my version of winter paddling: I almost always wore a dry top, layers of insulation and neoprene farmer john shorts. I stayed warm inside my boat. But take a big swim and that can change quickly. You can go from relative comfort to life threatening cold in minutes. For that matter you can do that in warm weather and get in serious trouble quickly. This is no exaggeration.

A combination of cold weather and cold water can be FATAL before you know you are in trouble. I've pulled many a fellow boater out of cold water and got them on the bank wildly shivering after only a minute or two in the water. When paddling a river in cold weather you do generally have a chance of getting out on dry land. On a lake you may not have the ability to get out of the water. You can DIE in a very short time. You SERIOUSLY need to always paddle with a group and always with proper clothing and proper emergency gear. A dry suit should be considered required equipment for what you are asking about.

Do some searches on "kayaking and hypothermia" or similar.

[dawgie]

I am an avid sea-flatwater paddler, but I quit using my kayak between November and April. I already have one expensive hobby (cycling) and don't want to spend the money it would take to kayak safely in winter. If you haven't done so, I would recommend reading this book:

Sea Kayaker's Deep Trouble: True Stories and Their Lessons from Sea Kayaker Magazine

http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Kayakers-Deep-Trouble-Magazine/dp/0070084998/ref=cm_lmf_tit_1

The book is a great read if you paddle and also an eye-opener. Upon reading it, you will quickly find that most of the kayaking deaths and near deaths are caused by exposure -- that is, tipping over in cold water. It can happen surprisingly quickly, even to strong swimmers.

I paddle a bit in fall and spring when water temperatures are borderline, but stay close to shore so I can quickly get out of the water. I also carry a dry bag with extra clothes that I could change into if wet.

[mike p]

Thanks all for the help! That's what makes this place great! Dawgie, just ordered the book on eBay for 5.00! Thanks again everyone!

Mike