Last
year's
fun!
photos by Ric Klinger of the Small Boat Shop.
Oh shoot! I usually like to give a LOT more notice than this, because the Small Boat Shop runs one of my favorite cold-water workshops anywhere, but with TQ and I not helping out this year (first time in a long time), it totally snuck up on me.
Are you a seasonal boater who's ever listened to your frostbiter friends talking about their winter adventures & thought that it sounds like tons of fun? Maybe just want to extend your boating season to later in the fall and earlier in the spring? This workshop is a great chance to learn the things you need to know to do so safely. People who already are year round boaters can get something out of it, too - could be fun to bring your winter-curious friends, and personally, I just think an occasional review is a good idea even if you've been going out in the winter for ages.
Saturday morning, 2/18/2012, various boating safety experts will be at the Small Boat Shop in South Norwalk, CT. to teach you what you need to know, and at the end, anyone who wants to can put on some cold-water gear and put it to the test right there in Norwalk Harbor! Probably won't be ice like we had last year (that was FUN), but that water will still be good and cold & you'll see just what a good job the gear does of protecting you and extending the time you can function in the water. You can try the shop's gear, or bring your own - this is an excellent chance to test things out with supervision right there & a warm shop, hot drinks, and hot showers yards away.
The dry-land session begins at 10:30 am; there's usually a quick lunch break around noon, followed by the gearing-up (a lesson in and of itself!) and then, come on in, the water's COLD!
For full details, visit thesmallboatshop.com
5 comments:
It looks like there were either a bunch of hulking paddlers present last year, or else the suits didn't get entirely burped. Although the appearance is somewhat comical, that can have serious repercussions. I have a friend who capsized last month during brutal conditions (single digit temperatures, high winds, 33 degree water), and to add to his problems he hadn't done a great job burping his dry suit either. When he capsized, the remaining air in his suit rose to fill the leg portion, and he had a tough time doing a wet exit (I probably should mention that he was also paddling by himself). Fortunately, he eventually got out of both his kayak and the water, and we now have a cautionary tale to tell that sometimes keep me awake at nights. Cold water workshops are essential to anyone wanting to paddle year round in the northeast, and though it's fun to float like the Michelin man, you have to burp your dry suit! Having said that, I will now revert to my frivolous self.
I nearly mentioned something about that myself - they are way too puffy & it was OK for what we were doing, but for paddling, they definitely would've wanted less air in there.
I never owned a dry suit... also never paddled water that cold... I think if I was still paddling a drysuit would be essential for me now.. something to do with being older? or more to do with whats available and accepted and fasionable. I rememer it being a ig thing to get a dry top to wear over a wet-suit instead of an old waterproof anorak...
I do miss paddling.
This has got to be one of the most fun things.
The colder the better! :D
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