I'm doing a wet-exit on a Sea Kayak camping trip. Please help with this question?

Question

There won't be enough time to change after I do my wet exit (it sucks...).

I need something that can keep me warm, even after it's drenched with cold, sea water.

Any suggestions?

Answer 1

get some thermals.you might have to go to an outdoor shop to get them now but most general clothes shops stock them in the winter months.

when your buying thermals make sure you get polyester ones because when cotton ones get wet they suck they heat straight out of you. polyeater doesn't absorb as much water.

check out a cheap cagoule (dry top) if your sea kayaking you won't need an expensive creaker cag, with latex seals. just one that will shelter your body from the wind.

like this

http://www.peakuk.com/peakukkit.php?cont...

Answer 2

My personal paddling kit consists of:

Dry Cag,

Rash Top,

Helly Hansen Thermal,

Thermal trousers,

Jogging bottoms (Hehe),

Dry trousers,

Wetsuit for really cold days and a Fleece for the same.

Dependant on the weather depends on what you need to wear. At the least Id say thermal top, Westuit and dry cag. But with my kit combo I can go swimming get back in and be dry at the end of the day :)

Answer 3

Get a paddle jacket. I used to whitewater rafting/kayaking with my family a lot and I remember that my dad always had on a paddle jacket that was kind of like the texture of wool... I don't really remember what it was made of, but I'm sure that if you ask someone at REI or something they could help you.

good luck!

Answer 4

Wear polyester underwear. Wear a paddling shirt. Pack a dry underwear top in a water tight bag. After you have righted the kayak and been re-seated, take off the shirt and the wet underwear top. Don the dry underwear. Turn the shirt inside out and dry its surface. Don it. I assume there will be boats on each side of you to keep you from rolling again. Homework, test your underwear and paddling shirt in the bathtub. Don't use wool, it absorbs water. Yes, it will keep you warm when it is dry. Pack a cotton towel in a dry bag for wiping off. Many sea kayak deaths are the result of hypothermia! Safety rule: Get out of cold water!

Answer 5

Are you doing wet exit practice?  There are lots of options for what to wear... depending on how cold the water will be.  

In southern CA, the ocean can be a bit chilly - I wear one of these: http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?p...

For wet exit training - in water down in the mid 50's.  Put a spray jacket over it:

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/4295,...

If you don't foresee a future need for a wet suit... Here's the deal:  Do NOT wear cotton at all, not even underwear.  All your clothing needs to be nylon/poly blends or wool.  There's a saying in pretty much all water sports: "cotton kills."

-Microfiber / quick drying underwear

-Polypropylene or merino wool long underwear and long underwear shirt

-close fitting fleece pants and shirt.

-nylon / goretex rain shell top.

Wool, polypro, and fleece are fabrics that can keep you warm even when they're wet.  These fabrics don't hold onto the water- and what little water stays in them will warm from your body heat.  When you wear cotton, it keeps so much cold water next to your skin, it pushes you towards hypothermia because your body cannot overcome it.  Cotton also will weigh you down in the water and is very dangerous.  

The rain jacket will keep the wind off of you until you get to land. The breeze is what will make you cold.  Wear a wool beanie, after your exit, take it off, wring it out, and put it back on!    

If this is an organized trip, I can't imagine a trip leader / guide allowing participants to become hypothermic in the name of practicing a wet exit.  If you're in the open ocean, and will continue paddling, the work you do will help to warm your body, and you'll dry soon enough.  

Keep an extra set of clothes in a dry bag that you pack near the hatch openings, so it's easy to access.  When you do land, change.