dressing for cold wet boating

Listen you silly kid.
Do you want the last word?

Fine: Insert last word here:____________________

Now go away and stop making an ass out of yourself. You started this post as a way to keep yourself warm. You got the info that should do you. If you need more info I suggest you contact Matt Miller of Hobie Admin if you need more technical help.

One more time child, we are not Hobie Tech Support!

Good Bye!

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Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'

I'm not looking for the last word, but if you are going to continue to make outrageous statements, I will answer. Who said I thought you are tech support? I never once asked you for your opinion. I never asked you to fix anything. So don't act like you're put out because you keep horning in on all my posts where I ask for information. If you don't like someone calling you out when you say something nutty, then don't say something nutty on my posts. You do tend to say a lot of nutty stuff and I just attributed it to you being the strange old bird on the forum. But for some reason you like to get on my posts and make it personal and I just do not appreciate it. Please desist with all your name calling. I've never written anything nutty on any of your posts, so how about if you do the same for me? This is clearly not the place for you to vent on me and you are clearly out of line for berating me about my opinion on my own post. My stating my opinion is not whining and you have no right acting the way you have trying to negate every statement I make. You can continue to act nutty while everyone looks the other way. I'll say no more on the matter, you may continue to lash out at me if it's keeping you alive. But I would prefer if you keep your negative comments about me off the public forum. Thank you.

Madwad
Does all that typing make any sense?
What for, I already know your persona. It's lame. In truth you sound like a pothead or maybe a bit of Jack Daniels with a few tokes, eh?
All I know is that if I keep typing, I got you by the shorty shorts as you just can't stop trying to be a Nutbar.
I like peanuts
I like Almonds
I like Walnuts
Mix them all up and we got a Nutbar.

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Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'

I wear a drysuit because I also do a ton of sea kayaking where involuntary immersion happens, but many of my sailing friends here just use splash pants over their insulating layers.

NRS has excellent quality water gear in a wide range of prices. On the cheap end, the Rio splash pants are $42. They don't breathe, but many people find that it's a lot more important to have breathable tops than bottoms.

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp? ... eptid=2019

I have lots of stuff from NRS, and I'm happy with all of it.

I usually reach for a t-shirt that still has the sleeves on it, and one with the smallest holes I can find right there where the Land Rover door latches always tear my t-shirts.

This is how we cope with the winter.

_________________
Island life in the Devil's Triangle:
http://2gringos.blogspot.com/

Guys,
One of you may correct but the other does not want to give an inch.
If you don't like what someone is replying...please leave the thread.
I wanted to read this thread to see what other owners wear for various weather conditions. Not to read pages of barn yard dogs barking at each other.
After buying my first AI, I bought some 'inexpensive' weather gear and found them pretty unsatisfactory. I then bought a fairly expensive dry suit...but as some members have mentioned, it is a pain to put on and peal off.
I was hoping that someone had a 'middle level' suggestion. Several of you have given me some good ideas and I appreciate the help.

I just purchased an AI and this is my first post! I was looking at the dry suit option but I don't want to look like diver dan all the time so I found the Tempest pants made by Kokatat to be a good option. They have built in feet so no cold toes and they seal up with a dry top or splash guard. The built in feet are the clincher for me. Does anybody use these? I found them on campmor for around $150 which isn't too bad either. They seem like a good compromise between a dry suit and waders.

I have just read this thread from start until now because without all the emotion it is definitely a subject most of us are interested in. How do you keep dry and warm when out in testing conditions. Depending where we live, our needs are different. I simply use a 3mm wet suit and wet-suit booties with hard soles, with a rashie top on the outside which cuts the wind out and light, non-insulated motorcycle spray pants which do the same. A non insulated spray jacket is there as an additional layer if the wind is still getting to me...Pirate

_________________
Master of the galleon 'Pirates Lot'

Apparently it's a full moon, so I am going to bite my tongue on this subject,..

_________________
The Wind Is Your Friend...

Madwand,
Owning a kayak for running rivers, a Hobie Wave, and an AI, I have tried to find cold weather gear I can use for all three in addition for wearing the gear around camp. I don't think anyone has mentioned SealSkinz socks in this thread so will throw in my 2 cents. The socks are waterproof, (neoprene I think) and have a liner sewn in that is like reagular cotton socks. They have an elastic band at the top that is snug but doesn't stop the blood flow to your feet, so you can step in water that goes over the top of the socks and water doesn't dribble down your leg. The pair I have are 10 years old and have been used and abused and still holding up. Advantages: they are very warm but you can wear a thin pair of polypro liner socks or heavier wool socks underneath for more warmth, they are extremely tough, inexpensive (around $30-$40), and they are easy to take off/put on while on your boat and store in a hatch or dry bag. I am usually in rocky places so I wear them with water sandals. Probably wouldn't need sandals if just on sand.

Also, consider a pair of waterproof snow ski pants that you can get on sale at most gear shops in the spring. Sounds kind of weird for water sports but I have a pair that I got for about 30 bucks. They are very comfortable, lined for extra warmth, and totally waterproof. I can just roll up the cuffs when getting in/out of the boats.

And for a top, I agree with Intents about the NRS splash jacket. Great piece of gear.

Thanks, Shelley. Would these socks be effective inside dive boots, or would they defeat the purpose, not allowing the water to be warmed up?

Madwand,
I am not familiar with dive boots so not sure if the SealSkinz socks would work with those. The pair I have are a little bit big so I can wear wool socks underneath and so they are a little bulky. Someone let me try their Gill sailing boots and I could not wear them with the SealSkinz so doubt they would work with dive boots. But my socks are old and I imagine the material used now is thinner and still just as tough so it may work. And you are probably correct that wearing both would defeat the purpose of the boots.

So do you just go to pedaling with these on, or do you need some type of footwear on top of them to pedal? We both have water sandals, but they are kind of bulky for pedaling. This sure sounds better than dive boots that keep my feet wet all day. I'd like to avoid trench-foot.

I agree with Shelley.
I have been using Sealskinz socks over the last two winters and have been very happy with their performance. They are much more comfortable than neoprene socks (which I used to use) as your feet remain dry. They breathe as well, but can get a bit sweaty if pedaling hard with our humid conditions. I use a thinner activent sock as a first layer and that has been the best combination.
I wear New Balance 92O water shoes over the socks. The Sealskinz allow me to stand in the water to launch and as long as the water isn't over the top of the sock my feet are dry. I ended up getting the longer 'waterblocker' version which allow you to stand in deeper water than the standard Sealskinz.
This winter I got their Sealskinz gloves and like them better than my previous neoprene gloves. No more sweaty hands.
Bear in mind that the socks are made of three layers and have an odd bulky feel. Best worn with a size larger than normal shoe.
I kayak all winter and have found Goretex Paclite jackets and pants to be the best gear for our temperate conditions. Our Winter temps rarely get down to zero degrees C though, averaging around 9C and the coldest water temp would be about 16C. Similar to Florida I believe.