How cold is too cold?

upupnaway 09-24-2003, 10:00 AM

What is everyones cut-off temp for riding? Up here in Illinois, we have had a really bad season. we did not get to ride until june 6th, and now we have had a string of cold days, so the water is starting to get chilly. I really want to extend the season a little, so convince me.
How low would you go if your set up was a shorty wetsuit and a hyperlite punk vest with the sleeves on?

kali 09-24-2003, 10:17 AM

heres what we have done in CT...Went the first weekend after the ice melted (last weekend of april) 40 degree water 40 degree outside. A drysuit makes all the diff in the world. although your feet and hands take a little abuse. the rule of thumb i have been told with a wetsuit is the 100 degree rule..as long as the temp of the water and the temp of the outside air are greater or equal to 100 then your risk of hypothermia is minimal....its all about how bad you wanna board i guess

upupnaway 09-24-2003, 10:28 AM

I would ride behind an ice breaker this year if I had to, I just need to convince second and third that I am not insane.

(melvinator) · (melvinator) **Join Date: Apr 2001** 09-24-2003, 11:43 AM

Hey Mike I am from Grand Rapids Michigan and was out in a regular wetsuit April 28, and in a shorty by mid May. If you want to ride longer go to a sporting goods store right now and buy a wetsuit, most places are like 50% off right now. With a shorty I wouldn't go out in much colder water than 60 degrees.

(paulsmith) · (paulsmith) **Join Date: Mar 2002** 09-24-2003, 11:50 AM

Get a drysuit and you'll lengthen your season considerably.

(aaronlee13) · (aaronlee13) **Join Date: Jul 2001** 09-24-2003, 11:52 AM

In cali i'll go most of october with out a wetsuit... Then november get ready for snowoarding... If i was still to ride I would be needing a wetsuit end of october...

(tdeneka) · (tdeneka) **Join Date: Aug 2002** 09-24-2003, 12:08 PM

No such thing as too cold!!!

Water below 60 we'll go to spring suit
Water below 50 we'll go to fullsuit or drysuit
Water below 40, definitly drysuit!!!

kali 09-24-2003, 12:19 PM

thomas,
do you wear anything for your feet...the hood and gloves are great but we havent come up with anything to protect our feet...we use our toenails as indicators on when to get out...if they turn purple its time!!

(aaronlee13) · (aaronlee13) **Join Date: Jul 2001** 09-24-2003, 12:23 PM

thats pretty hard core... Coldest that i've been out was outside temp of 46 (not sure of water temp) with a full wetsuit... I had Fun, but rather be snowboardin

mmj420 09-24-2003, 12:25 PM

i am w/ kali on the 100 degree rule, but then i live in cali and it does not get much colder than that .....get a oneill boost dry suit and go for it

wakeboard_iraq 09-24-2003, 12:39 PM

Thomas - I would like to hear your answer for Matt's question - what do you do?

(tdeneka) · (tdeneka) **Join Date: Aug 2002** 09-24-2003, 12:42 PM

Nothing on the feet. I thought of patenting something that would keep your feet dry and warm; I'll try to describe it.

When closed, it would look sort of like a shifter boot in a car, your leg being the shifter. It would attach between the binding plate and the board, and have a zipper up the front that is open at the top, not closed both ends like a drysuit, more like a zipper on your pants, but still a dry-type zipper. So unzipped, it would just flop around the sides and back of the binding. You would put your foot in the binding, then zip it up into "shift-boot" mode fitting snugly around your calf. The material would be either neoprene (closed-cell water proof) or simple vinyl with an insulated lining. The main effect would be to keep the foot dry, but insulation might be even better. The only entry for water, assuming the zipper works well, would be the seal around your leg. The holes that allow the binding plate to attach would just need to be some compressible rubber/foam. As you tighten the mounting screws, the seal would be good. Who wants to make it for me????

Now that I have disclosed this to the public, I think I have a year or so to patent it, right?!?!?!

Sorry for the long post!!

turtle 09-24-2003, 12:46 PM

100 Degree rule for sure.

I will trunk it at 60 water temp if the air is over 70.

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 09-24-2003, 12:52 PM

Thomas. That's the craziest pic I've seen. You are F@#$ing nuts!! I'm with Aaron. When I see snow, it's time to snowboard.

(scottyb) · (scottyb) **Join Date: Sep 2002** 09-24-2003, 1:02 PM

I went with a wetsuit in 44 degree water with 44 degree air, and well it sucked pretty bad and i dont think i will do that again without a drysuit. I got a brainfreeze from getting water in my nose!

(rootc) · (rootc) **Join Date: Aug 2002** 09-24-2003, 1:45 PM

Thomas - there is such a thing as too cold. Try to wakeboard on water that is 32 degrees. We have 4-5 months of that on its way.

(project3060) · (project3060) **Join Date: May 2001** 09-24-2003, 1:47 PM

What I do for my feet is put on a pair of socks, then some rubber boots (got from Overtons). Then I put my dry suit on over this. I use my son's bindings which are a size larger than mine and use a lot of binding lube to get my feet in.

(tdeneka) · (tdeneka) **Join Date: Aug 2002** 09-24-2003, 1:58 PM

The day of that picture, boat displayed:

air: 34°F
water: 34°F

It was painfull, but worth it. There is a too cold though; if the air is below freezing. Doubt it would be fun with water freezing all over.

Ray, neoprene surfer boots might be more comfy (I assume you are using the latex socks over regular socks?). I have never tried this (I don't have larger bindings to cram into!), but I have pulled our dock out in 32° water with them and have stayed warm for an hour.

wakedave375 09-24-2003, 3:27 PM

hey thomas, you have a hood and gloves if i am not mistaken. are they completely dry and are they worth it? and where did you get them?

thanx

(lizrd) · (lizrd) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 09-24-2003, 5:41 PM

Mike - first of all there will be no convincing me that you are not crazy. I'm your second and I have dealt with your sleep eating syndrome long enough to realize that most likely you are just a little PAST crazy.

As far as how cold is too cold? I would say tonight was about it... TFC.

(wannagowakin) · (wannagowakin) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 09-24-2003, 6:46 PM

what part of illinois are you in?

(wakenyc) · (wakenyc) **Join Date: Sep 2003** 09-24-2003, 6:46 PM

Thomas Deneka, "YOU ARE MY F&%&ING HERO"
Great Pic's...

(airfreak) · (airfreak) **Join Date: Jul 2001** 09-24-2003, 7:03 PM

As long as you can break the ice, you can ride. As far as the feet goes, I wear booties and skyski :-)

. The wind keeps the ice to one side so you don't have to ride through it.

(thane_dogg) · (thane_dogg) **Join Date: Jun 2002** 09-24-2003, 8:05 PM

Last winter the coldest water I went in was 49 degrees. I forget what the outside temp was. That was with a full wetsuit and I was pretty freakin' cold. I'm gettin' a dry suit this year.

(kirk) · (kirk) **Join Date: May 2003** 09-24-2003, 8:51 PM

On the Columbia River we were out Feb.1st this year. Dry suit with Dry gloves and booties. It feels like some one throws a slushie in your face when you fall though... instant brain freeze. Water temp 38 degrees.

buttacup 09-24-2003, 9:00 PM

Thane- you only get that cold because you weigh under 100 lbs, put some more meat on your body and you'll be fine for a few hours in that cold water

xtremebordgurl 09-24-2003, 10:56 PM

I surf when the water is 33-35 degrees in the winter, no drysuit though, just a 6mm wetsuit with gloves and booties. Works like a charm!

(tdeneka) · (tdeneka) **Join Date: Aug 2002** 09-25-2003, 6:23 AM

D Kenny:

Hood and gloves are not dry (you might be able to find some that are though). They are just wetsuit neoprene. They can be found at most surf shops/sites (except warm weather places like florida!).

Jeff:

I just started going with a couple guys who have been insane for longer than me. They have been out every month for over five years. Here is a pic from month 59 (last January, same day as my pic above).

upupnaway 09-25-2003, 7:53 AM

I went out last night, water about 60, air about 55-60. It was tolerable, but the shivering threw off my timing!

lakesideluver 09-25-2003, 2:08 PM

mike june 6th? wasnt that about when i came down there? my first time in the water this season was april 16th.....you arent getting old there are ya? put some meet on your bones like me youll be just fine ha, ill always be a third if you let me bring the rave

wakeboard4568 09-25-2003, 2:50 PM

I ride in my bathing suti w/ a rash guard in about 50 something degree water. Ive only doen that about twice though cause my mom thought I was gonna have to go to teh hospital. Thank Goodness for wet and dry suits.
elisabeth

(shredhead) · (shredhead) **Join Date: Jun 2003** 09-26-2003, 10:05 AM

Mike:
I live in IL and I've got a least another month. After that it can get harder to find partners, but I have ridden as late as 12/15. March is my earlest start and I didn't get a dry suit until this year. You can get away with a 3/2mm wetsuit if you have a hot shower in the boat or bring a thermos of hot water to pour down your suit before and after.

(h20jnky) · (h20jnky) **Join Date: Mar 2003** 09-26-2003, 11:12 AM

buy a snowboard.....

todd_fish 09-26-2003, 12:12 PM

my coldest water has been 52 degrees... I'm not sure what the air temperature was. I would think high fourties would be as low as I'll go before purchasing a drysuit. two things that make it easier... hot shower and dockstarts.

I went tuesday night... great water temp and conditions...

march til november... with only a wet suit

you gotta love the south...

(depswa) · (depswa) **Join Date: Nov 2000** 09-26-2003, 12:47 PM

41 degrees in a 3/2mm wet suit sucked! In a drysuit, it's not bad...Just achy feet and hands.

upupnaway 09-26-2003, 2:10 PM

We had boat troubles that were not taken care of till june 6th mike, otherwise I would have had another month or so. That was right about when you came down.

This summer has been awful weather-wise. the water never warmed up like it usually does.
On August 11th, it was in the 60's with a wind blowing about 25mph from the north.

stupid illinois.

(wannagowakin) · (wannagowakin) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 09-26-2003, 2:24 PM

i 2nd the stupid illinois, but on the illinois river at ottawa the water was in the mid 80's in august

(wannagowakin) · (wannagowakin) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 09-26-2003, 2:28 PM

o ya, one newyears day my dad went trick skiing on the river in illinois, pretty cold

upupnaway 09-27-2003, 6:26 AM

We are going to get down to 32 on wednesday. It sure happened fast. two weeks ago we were riding till dark. When are they going to dome the U.S.?

renegade 09-27-2003, 7:22 AM

If you look for sailing drysuits i think by gill, they cover your feet also

(jwb) · (jwb) **Join Date: Sep 2003** 09-27-2003, 10:22 PM

they got that polar bear swim dealie thing in meradosia illinois right in the river....pretty crazy