A few things:
- Barrett and William - enjoy if you sail!
- Don't listen to the Friday song on Thursday - you'll forget what day it isn't.
- I looked at historical Lake Lanier monthly water temp trends and the water is warmer in Feb than Jan - so we've got that going for us.
Turned out to be a real good day for me. Foiled with 6.4 for 45+ minutes - the first 30min pretty good despite mostly over powered but as I started to get tired trying to hold on with all the layers of clothing on me, I got worn out and started to fumble a lot. Came out, changed to 4.7 sail and that worked excellent - what a difference the right gear for the conditions make!
I am loving the dry suit and double layers of gloves/mittens (neoprene inside, goretex ski mitten shell on the outside). Sure, bulky, hard to handle the boom especially in tough conditions and I get tired faster but beats the heck out of cold hands (I had no issues with any coldness anywhere despite getting in the water a bunch of times when tired and overpowered with 6.4) or passing on good wind conditions due to the chill. Highly recommend it - with caveat to always know yourself, your tolerance and limitations for safety first!
Dry suits are a great investment. I remember my 1st, The Ronny Rollover. It developed a strong irrigation system in the crotch. Then the Bare Polar heat which other than replacing the seals a couple times is still working fine after 22 years.
I have an Ocean Rodeo Soul. I don’t one the exact terminology but, unlike yours or the O’Neil’s I have seen around here, it’s dry uppers and lower body - no neoprene anywhere. I love that i can just wear my ski under layers (or any cold weather dry activity clothes to go to the lake, put the dry suit on without taking off anything other than my jacket, sail, get out, take the dry suit off and put on my jacket. Namely, no stripping down in the cold. It also has an around the neck zipper that’s very easy to get on/off yourself (not across the back). And it has a zipper in the front of the legs for bio breaks!
It is bulkier than those with neoprene legs though and it would not be easy to swim with it.
Sorry for verbose review - just thought it might help anyone considering the investment with pros/cons (albeit from the POV of my limited experience).
PS: one big benefit of the full dry suit that I forgot to mention - you can wear it back to back days as there is really no ‘drying’ needed like that with a wetsuit or half neoprene dry suit. Comes very handy if you get back from the lake late one day and want to go back there the next morning.
I’m definitely old school - wore a 4-3 O’Neil wetsuit today. Chris P. was also in a wetsuit. At 38F it was was cold getting in & out of our wetsuits, but other than our hands, Chris & I agreed that we weren’t cold while windsurfing. Other than a 10 min. Lull, the wind was quite steady.
I wasn't cold and hands were no problem. I sailed until i got tired, then quit. My suit is not very warm, but I can supplement with a hooded vest and a pair of oversleeves from a convertible suit, plus open palm mitts.. Didn't do any swimming this time, though.
.
I always liked this cover of the Vogues original
Tech dorm '84-'85 - that played into the halls every Friday - awesome.
Latest runs show afternoon temps in the high 40s. The highs for the day will be overnight.
Now, I have to go back and rummage around for my drysuit.
I can sail Friday afternoon at VP if conditions are good.
Barrett
A few things:
- Barrett and William - enjoy if you sail!
- Don't listen to the Friday song on Thursday - you'll forget what day it isn't.
- I looked at historical Lake Lanier monthly water temp trends and the water is warmer in Feb than Jan - so we've got that going for us.
It's Friiiidaaaay!
Well. 63º at 2 a.m. now 49 with rain
Them what's goin'... have fun!
12:30 VP live - some white caps in the channel. No rain.
Turned out to be a real good day for me. Foiled with 6.4 for 45+ minutes - the first 30min pretty good despite mostly over powered but as I started to get tired trying to hold on with all the layers of clothing on me, I got worn out and started to fumble a lot. Came out, changed to 4.7 sail and that worked excellent - what a difference the right gear for the conditions make!
I am loving the dry suit and double layers of gloves/mittens (neoprene inside, goretex ski mitten shell on the outside). Sure, bulky, hard to handle the boom especially in tough conditions and I get tired faster but beats the heck out of cold hands (I had no issues with any coldness anywhere despite getting in the water a bunch of times when tired and overpowered with 6.4) or passing on good wind conditions due to the chill. Highly recommend it - with caveat to always know yourself, your tolerance and limitations for safety first!
rgenet
What dry suit did you get Hamdi?
Dry suits are a great investment. I remember my 1st, The Ronny Rollover. It developed a strong irrigation system in the crotch. Then the Bare Polar heat which other than replacing the seals a couple times is still working fine after 22 years.
Alan
I have an Ocean Rodeo Soul. I don’t one the exact terminology but, unlike yours or the O’Neil’s I have seen around here, it’s dry uppers and lower body - no neoprene anywhere. I love that i can just wear my ski under layers (or any cold weather dry activity clothes to go to the lake, put the dry suit on without taking off anything other than my jacket, sail, get out, take the dry suit off and put on my jacket. Namely, no stripping down in the cold. It also has an around the neck zipper that’s very easy to get on/off yourself (not across the back). And it has a zipper in the front of the legs for bio breaks!
It is bulkier than those with neoprene legs though and it would not be easy to swim with it.
Sorry for verbose review - just thought it might help anyone considering the investment with pros/cons (albeit from the POV of my limited experience).
PS: one big benefit of the full dry suit that I forgot to mention - you can wear it back to back days as there is really no ‘drying’ needed like that with a wetsuit or half neoprene dry suit. Comes very handy if you get back from the lake late one day and want to go back there the next morning.
Langdon
rgenet
I’m definitely old school - wore a 4-3 O’Neil wetsuit today. Chris P. was also in a wetsuit. At 38F it was was cold getting in & out of our wetsuits, but other than our hands, Chris & I agreed that we weren’t cold while windsurfing. Other than a 10 min. Lull, the wind was quite steady.
Barrett
I think you and Chris are part Eskimo anyway.
Alan
I choose poorly. Stephen J. went to Hartwell yesterday and foiled on a 7 in balmy 50 degrees. That would definitely been worth the extra drive.
I wasn't cold and hands were no problem. I sailed until i got tired, then quit. My suit is not very warm, but I can supplement with a hooded vest and a pair of oversleeves from a convertible suit, plus open palm mitts.. Didn't do any swimming this time, though.
HamdiD
rgenet