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Marc Heusser[_2_] Marc Heusser[_2_] is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Oct 2007
Posts: 102
Default Clothing for cold weather sailing

In article ,
wrote:

In principle I agreed with you.
Your statement "Wherever possible, entry into water below 15°C should be
avoided. Direct
entry into a life raft should be the objective."


Actually it was the statement from the mentioned report, not mine.

Direct entry into the life raft requires you to jump into the water first.
By the time you are in the life raft (depending on your ability and physical
condition) it could take anywhere from 2 minutes to 15 minutes and more. In
the Bay of Fundy the water temperature is always 40F (about 4C) all year.
By the time you are in the life raft you may well be subject to acute
hypothermia.


Worse, much worse, if you read the report:
You could die of a heart attack immediately entering the water, and you
could loose all your force within minutes to grab a rope etc.

As the report is based on analysis of real events I tend to take it
seriously (also my medical training suggests that it is sound advice).

The report strongly recommends agains entering the water at all, if
anyhow possible. Of course a survival (dry) suit helps.

I do hope never to be in that (real) situation ;-)

And training entering 4C water without survival suits is most likely
plain dangerous.

Marc

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