February
is a bizarre weather month on Hatteras. It can freeze and snow,
but it can also be mild enough to walk barefoot in the ocean. For
those who live away from here, February is considered to be the coldest
and most brutal of all the winter months. Mention to outsiders
that you were out windsurfing during this month and they are ready to
commit you to a mental institution because no sane person would ever do
that.
Truth be told, the temperatures on the island in February are all over
the place. A couple of days of bone-chilling temperatures can quickly
be replaced by warm air, ushered in on strong, southerly winds.
Fair weather sailors can get in plenty of comfortable days of
windsurfing in February by just being patient. For the robust and hardy
sailors, it’s not that hard to get on the water four or five days
a week.
Most water sports people refer to the “rule of 100” when
deciding if it is too cold to go out. Add together the water
temperature and the air temperature to get the number. For
example, if the water temperature is 46 and the air is 54, the total is
100, which is still a chilly sailing condition.
Hatteras had an uncharacteristically cold November last year. On
one day in particular, I knew it was cold but, heck, it was only
November. While sailing, I was super cold and could only do short
sessions with long breaks in a warm vehicle. Later that night, I
realized that it was only 78 on the scale because I wasn’t aware
of how much the water temperature had dropped with the cold
front. I didn’t have boots or gloves, and a 5 mm wetsuit
alone wasn’t enough.
For the next couple of days, I was dragging. Cold water, even in
short periods, can drop a person’s core temperature, not just the
skin temperature. It can take hours to warm up. Lesson
learned. Time to go shopping.
Wetsuits, boots, and gloves are a necessary part of winter sailing, but
they are huge buzz killers. Neoprene, the main material used in
wetsuit construction, greatly reduces the body’s flexibility and
can make simple things difficult while windsurfing or kiting. A
tight or heavy wetsuit, coupled with gloves, can easily cramp the arms,
making it difficult to hold onto the boom or bar. Booties make
feet seem really big and diminish the feel of the board-making
transitions cumbersome and, for some, can affect balance. But
without them, fingers and toes freeze causing almost unbearable pain.
A well-kept secret about windsurfing in February on Hatteras is there
are days when booties and gloves are not even necessary. More
surprising is there are times when a thinner, more flexible 3.2 mm suit
can keep the body sufficiently warm. After months of heavy
wetsuits, a 3.2 mm feels as comfortable as a bathing suit.
But don’t get too carried away and under dress for your next
winter session. Air temperatures can change in hours, but it
takes weeks for the waters to warm-up. You may be warm while
sailing, but how would you feel if you became separated from your board
far from shore, especially if you were in the ocean? In cold
conditions, a wetsuit is more than just something you wear, it is your
lifeline.
So what is the moral of this story? Buy the best wetsuit and
accessories that you can find so you can enjoy windsurfing/kiting even
when it feels cold outside. Technology improves every year. The
materials are better and the designs are smarter. Updating your
wetsuit periodically is just as important as replacing a sail or mast
or lines. Why not be as comfortable as you can be?
One hundred days is what most manufacturers deem as the average life of
a wetsuit. They are not referring to normal wear and tear, but
the general fatigue of the materials and seams. Noticeable signs
of breakdown are cracks in the suits. A less obvious sign is that
the suit may feel a bit stiffer, something that you may mistakenly
blame on those couple of extra pounds picked up over the holidays.
Wetsuits use water as an insulator, meaning that a little water is
expected to seep in through the ankles, wrists, or neck. This
water is warmed by the body, and in turn, keeps the body warm. If
the suit leaks through deteriorated seams and neoprene, the water
inside the suit constantly flushes, not giving the water a chance to
warm up. This makes the wearer wet and cold. By today’s
standards, this just isn’t acceptable or necessary.
Don’t get too attached to your old wetsuit. It’s okay
to find a new home for it. To my surprise, the Internet is full
of uses for old wetsuits. Of course, people buy used wetsuits for
watersports, but did you know that there is a company that turns used
wetsuits into laptop covers? I found a shoe manufacturer that
makes espadrille heels from them, another that uses them to fill bean
bags. Rip Curl has a program that donates used wetsuits to young
surfers in Morocco. As you can read, you don’t have any
reason to hold onto an old wetsuit. Just say goodbye and move on.
The market is full of choices. Price is a pretty good indicator
as to quality. A cheap price tag will probably indicate that the
suit is not all a suit can be.
Flexibility is the biggest improvement in wetsuit technology, and
flexibility is important to staying warm. Believe it or not,
freedom of moment while wearing a wetsuit helps the body create more
heat. It is hard for the body to create heat if it is
constricted. Today’s designs use more panels in the layout
of the suit for distinct shaping, and a suit that moves with you, not
against you.
Improvements in the stitching together of the panels are another giant
leap in wetsuit comfort. Taping and gluing of the seams makes
them waterproof. The number and the placement of these seams also
affect the comfort level of the suit.
Neoprene has also gotten better and lighter. Even though there
are different grades, today’s Neoprene can stretch five to six
times its original length. Even cheaper Neoprene will stretch to
three or four times its original length.
Windsurfers and kiters should pick a suit that offers thermal
insulation on the chest, back, and thighs. This smooth skin on
the wetsuit greatly reduces the wind-chill when zipping along.
Brand loyalty is admirable, but try several different suits to get that
perfect fit. Every brand is different. A bad fitting
wetsuit is not as warm. If movements are restricted or if the
suit is too big, it’s not the one for you. Granted, trying
wetsuits on is no fun, but do it when the weather is cool and get a
salesperson to help you.
Once you are in the suit, walk around the shop. Try squatting,
hopping, and stretching your arms high above your head. Pick up a
board and hold it under your arm. If there is a boom, squeeze it
as hard as you can in a simulated sailing motion to see if your
forearms cramp.
The zipper is a big choice and here are a couple thoughts to
consider. A horizontal zipper is out of the water more which
helps the sailor to stay drier. It offers easy access and the
neck seal is tighter for additional waterproofing. The downside
is you might need someone to help you zip up, the zipper may feel
uncomfortable across the back, and horizontal zipper suits are usually
more expensive.
Vertical zippers are used more commonly as they tend to be more
comfortable, don’t require help in zipping up, and the design
allows the suit to fit the back area better. However, more of the
zipper will be in the water more, and zippers do leak.
It can be a delicate balance between choosing warmth or flexibility in
a winter wetsuit. If you want more warmth but don’t like a
thick suit, try wearing fleece as an under layer. Even when wet,
fleece provides amazing warmth and could be the answer you are looking
for. I know someone who wears panty hose for an additional leg
layer. Personally, I use a fleece neck gator from snowboarding
clothing for added warmth.
Big strides have been made in booties, too. Last season, the
local stores were offering thinner boot options and local sailors were
pleased with their performance and warmth. Split toes are
available again, and they claim to offer a more natural feel and
balance on the board.
Personally, wearing gloves while windsurfing is something I have never
been able to do. Even with a reduced diameter boom, my arms cramp
to the point of not being able to sail. It’s easier for me
to sail with frozen fingers than with cramped forearms. However,
there are some new gloves out in stores that look much better than any
I have tried before and I might find a reason to buy a pair.
Gloves are also Neoprene and come in 1.5 mm, 3 mm, and 5 mm.
Waterproof stitching is also available in gloves and shark skin palms
are available for maximum grip. Improvements have been made in wrist
seal to keep the water out without cutting off circulation. If
the blood doesn’t flow, the fingers will definitely freeze.
Besides gloves, manufacturers offer mittens, lobsters (part mitten,
part glove), and open palms, though they are hard to find. Open
palms mittens have a hole over the palm which allows your skin to grip
the boom or bar but still provides wind protection for the fingers.
There are variations in hood designs, too. Hoods will protect you
from ice-cream headaches when the water is super cold. Borrowing
the same technology from the suits, they are constructed with
waterproof seams in Neoprene and come in 1 mm, 2 mm, and 3 mm.
Our mothers have told us for years that most of our body heat escapes
from the head, so let’s cover it up!
Hoods are designed to help regulate the body’s core temps and to
reduce wind-chill. For extreme days, pick a hood that fits over
the neck of your wetsuit, a drawstring for a tighter fit, and a visor
which channels water away from the face area. The problem with
this type of hood is reduced hearing. A very popular design seen
often on the waters of Hatteras recently is a hat-style head covering
made of thin Neoprene and lined with a soft warm material. In the
back is a loop so the wetsuit zipper leash can be tied to it in case it
comes off in a crash. It fits just like a wool cap and
doesn’t interfere with hearing.
Let’s end with how to care for your wetsuit.
When you are done with your session, treat your wetsuit with
care. Turn the suit inside out and rinse with fresh water.
Let it drip dry but never in direct sunlight because the ultraviolet
rays will harm the suit. Believe it or not, manufacturers claim
that it is okay to wash the wetsuit in the washing machine on the
gentle cycle, using cold water and a small amount of mild laundry
detergent. Never, ever, ever put it in the dryer, no matter what
the setting is.
Now, let talk about the dirty stuff: Everybody does it and nobody
admits to it, but peeing in your wetsuit is not good for it.
According to the makers of wetsuits, it breaks down the seams and the
lining. But if you do, rinsing with fresh water and air drying is
a must. When storing, turn the wetsuit right side out.
The local windsurfing and kiting shops are starting to open for the
season. Take a day and check out the improvements in cold-water
gear. Remember that March is generally a chilly month for sailing
and usually produces weather systems that give us monster winds.
Let’s go sailing!
(Anne Bowers owns Indian Town Gallery in Frisco and sails every chance she gets.)
