On 15 Jan 2005 16:47:57 -0800, "Tinkerntom" wrote:

Galen, you are definitely correct about there being dedicated kayak
drysuits. Some even designed and worn by dedicated kayakers. The
problem as I understand it is that the basic technology is the same. A
watertight human container which would normally incorporate insulating
layers for the purpose of keeping you drier and hence warmer in extreme
cold water. Apart from the bouyancy factor used by divers, there are
not a lot of basic differences in the technology.

The primary risk is maintaining the watertight characteristic. A breach
of the seals, zipper, or basic material could be fatal. The Bare
statement could just be a CYA, but the issues should be considered by
the kayaking community at large, and by the individual that is
considering using a drysuit in the kayaking environment. Obviously we
each have to make our own decision, and I would not want to see any
sort of required certification process in the practice of our sport of
choice - Kayaking.TnT

Catastrophic failure is just not that common an event even with a diver's
type drysuit. I'm no expert by any means, I paddle the warm Florida waters
only on very calm days and definitely don't poke into any underwater holes.
The cave divers here often spend long times in decompression (I mean long,
it is not at all unheard of for folks to spend hours just decompressing.
The sinks and stuff they climb into are not exactly gentle on whatever is
worn, neither is the underbrush they often hike through (suited up). A
large rip or tear at depth might flood the suit with rather undesirable
results for the diver, but I doubt a rip or tear would cause a kayaker to
come to grief, unless in a sea or lake, in which case a rip or tear would
be rather unlikely, and the (far superior) warmth attainable in a drysuit
might well be needed. I don't think there is a "drysuit certification"
anyway, at least I haven't heard of it, but like I say, I don't dive.


Galen Hekhuis NpD, JFR, GWA
Guns don't kill people, religions do