NYCkayaker dry suits & cold water deaths

[skimmer]

Some of you may remember two deaths due to faulty use of dry 
suits. One happened on the New Jersey shore at Easter time. The 
kayaker went out about 100 yards on calm water, capsized, was 
seen to climb on rear of kayak and then disappeared. When pulled 
from the water minutes later, he could not be revived. He wore a dry 
suit with only light underwear under it. He did not understand that a 
dry suit is a water barrier, not a thermal barrier. Layers of clothing 
must be worn inside the drysuit.

On Thanksgiving, a paddler went out on Lake Erie on a warmish 
day and opened his drysuit zipper to stay cool. He was also 
dressed in light clothing within the drysuit. After capsizing, his suit 
filled with cold water. He was found dead. Improper use of a drysuit 
can result in rapid death due to effects of cold water immersion.

I have participated in two cold water paddling clinics in the past 
month. We insist that paddlers test their gear(walk in-walk out) in 
the cold water on which they plan to paddle. They must know from 
experience that a given level of preparation is adequate protection 
from unintended immersion during the course of their outing. In 
each clinic, we invite attendees to try on available drysuits and go 
in the cold water with those running the clinic.

This is also the advice provided in my cold water boating brochure 
published last spring on a Grant from the National Safe Boating 
Council (www.enter.net/~skimmer/coldintro.html).

Chuck Sutherland