By RANDO- The River CEO
I work from a yak,….down by the river
Spring has finally arrived and we’re all chomping at-the-bit.
The temps are perfect—lower 70’s ( there might be snow on the ground in Ohio, but that could change the next day!) You throw on a pair of shorts, a cotton shirt and a light-weight jacket and load your kayak. Remember,… we’re talking about a typical spring here!
You drive to the river for the first time, anticipating the smell and ambiance of the water. What an awesome way to start a spring day! But things could end badly if you set out like this. Kayak clothing in the spring? We must consider WATER temperatures over what the weather is outside. Early spring is the most dangerous time for a paddler to get cold shock or hypothermia.
How do you protect yourself? With the proper Kayak clothing for the WATER temperature and ALWAYS with a PFD.
Rule of thumb… Layer it on.
Layers are vital for protection during spring paddling. Typically, you’ll need three layers: a base layer to wick sweat away from the skin and keep you dry (this could be synthetic nylon or wool). If you’re wearing a wet-suit, no additional wool or synthetic is needed. A mid-layer is meant to give warmth, but also absorb lots of water (fleece works well). The outer layer is to protect you from wind and water. A waterproof paddling jacket or even a dry-suit is recommended.
Again,… there’s a great temptation to dress for the air temperature and not for the WATER temperature. The WATER temperature can be a full 30+ degrees lower than the air and that’s enough of a difference. A spill from your boat in this situation, could cause your limbs to become immobilized within 5 minutes, even if you’re only 5 yards from shore. The right clothing can save you!
Tip: You can visit our “River Links” to find the water conditions, so you’ll know how to dress and prepare for your day on the water.
Here are some crucial facts about correct kayak clothing (and the lack of it) when the WATER temperature is significantly lower than the air. I found the information below, on an educational web-site.
Choose Correct kayak clothing, based on water temperature:
* Without a wet-suit, people may become completely shocked by the difference in air/water temperature and lose consciousness nearly immediately.
* Those who don’t lose consciousness may only have about 30 minutes in 40 degree water before exhaustion or loss of consciousness set in.
* A 3mm neoprene wetsuit will likely give you another 30 minutes on top of that.
* In 35 – 40 degree water you only have 10 or 15 minutes before your hands and arms become dysfunctional.
* Even swimmers and experienced swimmers become unable to function once cold incapacitation happens.
* Kayakers who are immersed in cold water (typical in early spring and late fall) typically lose body temperature 4 to 5 times faster than when in air of the same temperature.
* This can lead to cold shock, hypothermia, cold incapacitation and even death.
* Keep in mind the 5-50-50 Rule, which is that kayakers have 5 minutes to swim 50 yards in 50 degree temperature and have a 50/50 chance of surviving that.
* Also consider the 1-10-1 Rule, which is that if an unprotected kayaker suffers cold shock for only 1 minute he has about 10 minutes before he can no longer function and then will succumb to hypothermia in 1 hour (unless drowning happens first).