Wetsuit 101 and other cold weather tips.

Summer is over.  Fall is here. Winter is not far behind.  Stand Up Paddling is not just for warm weather.  With proper gear, some preparation and a little caution,  Stand Up can be safely enjoyed all year long.  

 

Winter Paddle out,( January 2013).

I have been wearing and selling wetsuits for close to 40 years.  Many wetsuits are sport specific, but they all share certain characteristics.
The purpose of a wetsuit is to keep you warm in the water. When you are in the water, the suit traps a thin layer of water next to your skin.  Your body warms that water, and the thickness of the suit provides insulation from the outside air and or water temperature.
The thickness of the suit is usually measured in millimeters. Most suits are a combination to provide both warmth and flexibility. ie: 3/2 or 4/3.
The thicker the suit, the warmer it is.  The thinner the suit, the more flexible.
Wetsuits are made of neoprene rubber.  Thickness for thickness, the more expensive suits tend to be more flexible and warmer.  You get what you pay for.

Wetsuits have approximate temperature ranges:
 2/1 mid 60's
3/2 mid 50's
4/3 mid 40's
5/4 around 40
I say approximate, because one person might be freezing in a thick suit, and someone else might  warm in a thinner suit.    

Wide range of outfits for last December's East of Maui Santa Paddle.  Note wearable PFD's.  Always a good idea for cold weather! 

      
 Stand Up paddling presents an interesting challenge.  Unlike surfing and diving where you are in the water all the time, you may or may not get wet on a stand up board.  Stand Up paddling generates a ton of heat and energy.  In most cases the right suit for the water temperature, is going to be too warm paddling. However, you could find yourself in big trouble if you should fall in and get separated from your board in cold water.*

Here are some chilling facts about hypothermia:

The United States Search and Rescue Task Force has a risk list for when hypothermia might set in if you are submersed in water:
Water temperature: 32.5 to 40 degrees
Time until exhaustion or unconsciousness: 15 to 30 minutes
Expected time of survival in the water: 30 to 90 minutes

Water temperature: 40 to 50 degrees
Time until exhaustion or unconsciousness: 30 to 60 minutes
Expected time of survival in the water: 1 to 3 hours

Water temperature: 50 to 60 degrees
Time until exhaustion or unconsciousness: 1 to 2 hours
Expected time of survival in the water: 1 to 6 hours.
People have survived longer or shorter periods of time than outlined on this list. These are estimates.


What is the Stand Up paddler to do?  Than answer lies in what type of paddling you are doing.  If you are surfing your Stand Up, you will need to wear a suit based on the water temperature.  A flat water paddler, can make do with a thinner suit.  A "Spring 2/1" with short legs and short sleeves is always a good thing to have in your gear gear bag. It will give you some basic core insulation on a cool day and not be over restrictive. 

2/1 Spring

  The "John or Jane", a full length suit with no arms has been a go to for kyakers for years  and works equally as well on a stand up board. By wearing a long john top, fleece or a lightweight jacket on your upper body, you can paddle comfortably in all but the coldest conditions and have a decent  margin of safety should you fall in.  
 

O'Neill Jane

We also sell a separate pant from a company SUPreme  that works well for cool to even cold weather if you are pretty certain you will not fall in.  Unlike a John/ Jane, they will not give you  core insulation in the water.   Once again, teaming it with different types of tops allow you to fine tune for the air temperature

Supreme Pant

For winter and cold air/water paddling a drysuit is the best way to go.  Insulation comes from what you wear under the suit. They are loose, non restrictive, and if you fall in, you stay dry.

O'Neill boost Drysuit

In addition to the wetsuit you need booties to keep your feet warm.  In most cases, the thicker the better.  Cold feet suck! 

 East of Maui has everything you need to paddle comfortably and safely all year long.  Stop by or call, and let us help you get geared up this fall. 

  Two more things.
  One: Proper fit is CRITICAL!  It is critical to performance, and it is critical for comfort.  The size charts are close, but there is no substitute for trying them on.  Do not order suits online.  Let the staff at East of Maui correctly fit your suit.

Two:  Not many people look good in wetsuits.  They don't hide much. Actually they don't hide anything.   Get over it.  Go paddle have fun.  Plus if you paddle all winter, you are  still gonna look better than your friends that don't paddle! 

Aloha, see you on the water.  MB




 * I find myself wearing a lightweight coiled leash most all of the time.  In cooler temperatures, I won't leave the beach without it. Getting separated from the board is the last thing I want to worry about when the water is cool or cold.

The Dawn Patrol

The 1st Paddle on my new 2014 Naish Nalu 11'6" -photo MB

URBAN DICTIONARY :  "DAWN PATROL : The act of getting up extremely early - sometimes before sunrise (i.e, "dawn") -to go surfing. This term is most often used by Surfers, but it still can be used outside of surfing and refers to getting a very early start to the day."

Bay Bridge Dawn-  photo-MB

It is hard to believe that September has come and gone, and we are already well into October.  There is still plenty of paddling to be done, but with less daylight hours available, it has gotten just a little harder to squeeze it in.  The first week of October felt more like August. I took advantage of the warm weather and got in several  great solo DAWN PATROL paddles.  It takes a little motivation to roll out of bed when it is still dark, but watching the sun come up over the water more than makes up for a few minutes of lost sleep.  I can't think of a better way to start the day. 

Life comes to the Chesapeake   photo-MB

Grab your coffee, grab your board, and head out the door.  You will be glad you did! 

Farewell My Friend

 I said farewell to a much loved  friend yesterday.  I knew  the day would come, but it didn't make it any easier.  I even took her out on one last date just to say good bye. It has only been a  day, but I already miss her.  

Last Paddle Out

 We had such a good time together.  Sunrises and sunsets on the Chesapeake Bay.  Trips to the beach together.  Sometimes there were waves and sometimes there were not, but every trip was fun.  She was lively and exciting, and at the same time she was always smooth and steady.  Even though I had others, she was always there for me. She was my favorite. Though fair or foul weather, she never let me down. Sometimes it was just the two of us, and sometimes we went out with others.  She was always the prettiest girl at the dance.

Pretty Girl

 I sold my beloved Naish 11'6 " Nalu Wood SUP board yesterday.  She has gone to a good home and a kind master who will treat her well, but still, it was hard to say good bye.  She wasn't my 1st Nalu 11'6", but she was a good one.  She was shaped by Harold "Iggy" Ige.  I bought her while he was still alive, and his spirit has lived on in her, since his passing in January of 2012.  I never got to meet Iggy, but I felt his spirit smiling down on me every time I was out on her.  I know this maybe hard for some people to understand, but she was more than a big piece of foam, wood, and fiberglass. She had soul, and she had life.  More importantly, she gave life, and I'm going to miss her.

Life

Living in the Bubble

I read an article in Skiing Magazine* (written by Drew Pogge) yesterday that basically said, when you live in a ski town, it is like living in a bubble.  "The bubble is a feeling.  It's a slowed down reality, a suspended equilibrium, a simple re-prioritization of life"  The bubble is not perfect, but Mr. Pogge is right,  the next powder day sure helps smooth out the rough edges.  

 

 

My bubble is the Chesapeake Bay. I got a quick 45 minutes in my bubble this morning. I hope you find and spend some time in YOUR bubble today.

 

*Stop by the shop if you want to read the entire article.  We have the current issue of Skiing in the shop.

SUP SALE!

Here is your chance to save on a SUP! Hurry, these deals are limited!

NEW! Wheeleez SUP Cart

I saw this a couple weeks ago at the OR trade show.

Compact

Easy assembly

Holds boards up to 6" thick.  

We have the singles in stock, $139.95, and multiple board carriers on order for next spring. *  This is by far the best SUP dolly on the market.

*(Multi-board carriers can be  special ordered for you this  fall too)

Outdoor Retailer Show.2014

Paddle, work, eat, sleep, repeat,  as often as possible seems to have been my program since my last post, and actually most of the summer. I have simply lost count of the number of times I've paddled over the past several weeks.  Before work sessions, after, work sessions, sometimes both.  Group paddles, solo paddles, short paddles, long paddles.  Calm days, windy days, sunny days, cloudy days. Each and every paddle session has been a good one. 
Selling stand up boards, and teaching stand up lessons is my job, and stand up paddling is also what I do for fun.  I'm a lucky guy.

Last week I was in Utah, attending the Stand Up Paddle Industries biggest trade show, The Outdoor Retailer Show.  It is big business, a lot of work, and a whole bunch of fun.   

The show began with a demo day on the Pineview Reservoir near Ogden Utah, very close to the Snowbasin ski area.  I love paddling on the Chesapeake, but it was pretty nice be paddling with mountains in the background.

Pineview Reservoir

  In addition to hundreds of boards available to demo, many of the who's who of professional paddlers, watermen, and waterwomen were in attendance.  Literally within minutes of arriving, the very 1st person I see is Robby Naish.  I've met Robby many times over the years, he is just a nice, normal guy, but  it is still hard not to be in awe in the presence of such a great waterman.  So much history, such a champion. I still get a little tongue tied every time I meet him.

Robby Naish out windsurfing later in the day

I talked to Joe Bark,  I got a hug from Candice Appleby (I think I melted), and I finally got to meet and paddle with stand up fitness guru, and Naish team rider Suzie Cooney.   Suzie and I  have chatted  for several years via e-mail, but it was a treat to finally meet her in person.  Suzie offers great stand up training advise and tips though her  website  http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com.  Suzie, Candice and all of the great athletes are  always an inspiration for me to paddle and play just a little bit harder!  I always learn something from them, and I hope it helps me do a better job of helping  my customers.  You simply don't get that level of experience when you buy a board from Sups "R" Us!

Suzie Cooney. Today Pineview, tomorrow Maliko

 
Sarah and I paddled from about 9:45 in the morning until quitting time at 4pm.  We paddled boards we sell, and boards we don't.  We paddled a lot of great boards, and a few that were not so great.   We paddled until we were pooped!  I won't go into the details here on all the different boards we paddled, but stop by the shop and I will fill you in.  When it is all said and done, I'm still a huge fan of the entire Naish line,  Joe Bark's Surftech race boards are still some of the best, and every board from all the different brands we sell at East of Maui has earned its place in the shop.  

Bark 14' Phantom

 
We spent the next three days attending the show at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake.  While not nearly as much fun as the demo, we saw more friends, met new ones, looked at lots of great equipment, got the rundown and lowdown on what was new and changed for next year.  In addition to all of the Stand Up boards and equipment, the show is packed with everything you need to have fun outdoors. Climbing, camping, fitness, yoga, running, it was all there. You could spend a whole day just looking at different water bottles.  Mind boggling.   The Stand Up world was just a little part of the show, but I'm happy to say that it is my world!

Sarah and I wrapped up the show on Friday, and while it always sad to say goodbye to both old and new friends, it was time to get back to Annapolis, back to East of Maui, and back on the Chesapeake Bay.

Paddle, work, eat, sleep, repeat!

Friends!

Anthony Vela and Chuck Patterson having  fun.

Two of my favorite lady paddlers! Sarah and Candice

Dave Chun and Gerry Lopez

I love getting my picture with pretty ladies! Suzie and MJ

Lindsay doing Sup yoga in the demo pool.