Winter is the glad song that you hear.
Seven maids move in seven time.
Have the lads up ready in a line.
Ring out these bells.
-tull

With September coming to an end it’s time again to review my winter kit. While I may happily work on my rolling skills with my little inflatable PFD in warm water next to a beach, there is not a chance I’ll be using it this winter. Here are some basic changes I make each winter. .

1. Drysuit – I have a Palm Stikine. It’s heavy but breathable. It has a rear shoulder entry which can be both good and bad. My experience though is that it’s a tough suit. Note too that Palm is soon to come out with an Expedition drysuit as well. When it’s really cold I tend to haul out my old NRS non-breathable drysuit. Choosing a drysuit with sewn in socks is a big deal. You may also want a relief zipper. Of course Kokatat is another good brand.

2. Clothing – Under my drysuit I wear layers of Icebreakers and breathable layers. Sometimes I’ll wear up to 3 layers. Remember a drysuit keeps you dry, but it does not keep you warm. I also have a nice wicking Icebreaker hat and marino wool socks. For rolling I have a 5mm diving hood. Personally I’ve not found truly warm gloves. I have a bunch too. Sealskinz do keep your hands dry until you roll. This year I added pogies as well.

All year I carry some spare clothing, but in the winter I’m going to take a good pile of warm stuff to change into in case I were to fall in or to change someone else into if they go swimming. Spare gloves, hats, socks as well. I think it’s a good plan to carry clothing for two people. I keep all my dry clothes in a dry bag in my front hatch. There is also another dry bag with my emergency blanket & towels.

3. Rescue – Summer and winter rescue gear does not change too much. You can assume whatever is going out in summer weather is going out in the winter. However in winter I tend to check batteries in the VHF and GPS more often. I also carry extra heat packs and matches. Back before I could roll I used to carry a foam block “paddlefloat” instead of the inflatable type. In the winter it takes too much time in my opinion to blow it up. Let alone if you’re chest is locking up from the cold. The foam float is fast. However, it is bulky and has less buoyancy. You need to practice with it. Better yet, roll.

Here’s something we can overlook in winter. Check your clips and cleats regularly to see that they are not freezing up. Often I find my contact tow frozen to the deck and the clip on my tow belt getting splashed and frozen. Check them often. Your skirt can also get frozen onto the combing. Occasionally cracking the ice off is a good idea.

Some days I also take along a couple screwdrivers to help pull myself along on an ice shelf that may be too thin to stand on. It’s worked well when I’ve launched from a boat landing that is frozen 3 or 4 feet out. Usually you get about half way on the ice, then fall though.

Don’t forget your repair kit. Ice can be hard on fiberglass!

4. Food & Drink – Even on a short trip in winter I’m going to take some kind of sugar and water. You need to stay hydrated in winter to allow your body to stay warm. In some ways hydration in winter is more important than summer. Be sure to always have energy bars, gel, snickers or whatever you prefer. Also the classic BCU thermos comes in really handy about now. Some people will argue that coffee and tea are bad choices. Maybe hot cider would be better. I’ll probably stick to coffee and tea. . . such a rebel!

I could certainly go on and on about winter paddling safety, except it’s just like any other time of the year really. Thing is in frigid temperatures time becomes a factor and you often get punished for your mistakes. Cold water does not forgive. Now is good time to review. Practice your rescues and think about possible scenarios and how you would handle them. If you have questions about your abilities get training, don’t paddle alone. Maybe don’t paddle in winter. Something to think about.

Feel free to post your winter paddling tips, and thoughts as well.

Hopefully it’s not to late to wish our Jewish friends a good year. Shana Tova! [learn more]

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Here are some earlier posts about winter paddling;

Frozen – More detailed overview of winter paddling

The Son of Gaia – More winter safety

Related Posts:

1. December 26th
2. A Time To Ski
3. ice age coming
4. Thin Ice & The Forward Stroke
5. Skim Distance Review