So it's turning cooler in South Carolina (south east usa). I have had two sessions now with my full wetsuit on and both have been light air 6-12 knots. I had fun but I just could not get things going as much as I felt I could and was not sure why. It was harder than I expected to fly and keep flying. Then I remembered/realized the effect of the extra weight of the suit. Weight matters especially in marginal conditions. Time to lose weight and/or head south for the winter!

I got about 145 days this year.
120 with a 4/3 and booties.
So 24 with a 3/2 and bare feet.
One with 2 mm springsuit.

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utcminusfour said..
So it's turning cooler in South Carolina (south east usa). I have had two sessions now with my full wetsuit on and both have been light air 6-12 knots. I had fun but I just could not get things going as much as I felt I could and was not sure why. It was harder than I expected to fly and keep flying. Then I remembered/realized the effect of the extra weight of the suit. Weight matters especially in marginal conditions. Time to lose weight and/or head south for the winter!

Every year, this time of year on the first cold day: Screw this, I'm not sailing through the winter unless it's in Florida.
Three months later: it's above 40 (4.5C), I guess I'll go today - no worse than yesterday.

LeeD, we don't have your stats but I haven't worn neoprene in four months and it's great! (of course the wind sucked for most of that time )

I had a cheap 3/2 wetsuit I've used for a few years now. I recently did a little research and pulled the trigger on a 5/3 Mystic. They label it as semi-dry suit. Regardless, I'm amazed at how warm and not wet I am in the water or air. Definitely made a difference in keeping me going for the remainder of the year... and I'm in Colorado!

6 mm wetsuit here in Estonia in winter time! I've foiled in winter months (which seem to get warmer!) in -2 celsius air temps, just about when the lakes start to freeze. Funny that the usual spot where I go into the water froze up for about 50 m, so I needed to find an alternative spot.
Foiling with light snow falling is very surreal!

Hands were warm with the NP 3 mm gloves, but such thick gloves reduce your strength drastically - although after a nr of sessions you get used and get stronger. The problem was really with the feet - burning and numb toes with 5.5 prolimit boots. Just bought new O'neill 6mm boots. Hope it will be warmer.

But currently still enjoying the 4/3/2 suit, with air temps of 10-15 celsius.

When it's that cold, I go snowboarding.

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MProject04 said..
6 mm wetsuit here in Estonia in winter time! I've foiled in winter months (which seem to get warmer!) in -2 celsius air temps, just about when the lakes start to freeze. Funny that the usual spot where I go into the water froze up for about 50 m, so I needed to find an alternative spot.
Foiling with light snow falling is very surreal!

Hands were warm with the NP 3 mm gloves, but such thick gloves reduce your strength drastically - although after a nr of sessions you get used and get stronger. The problem was really with the feet - burning and numb toes with 5.5 prolimit boots. Just bought new O'neill 6mm boots. Hope it will be warmer.

But currently still enjoying the 4/3/2 suit, with air temps of 10-15 celsius.

I complained that I had no shoes until I met the man with no feet...

Props to you. That certainly is making the best of things!

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segler said..
When it's that cold, I go snowboarding.

Me too.. xc skiing that is! Only last year almost no snow.. and I was honestly happy I could go foiling! Everyone thinks I am crazy.

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Paducah said..

MProject04 said..
6 mm wetsuit here in Estonia in winter time! I've foiled in winter months (which seem to get warmer!) in -2 celsius air temps, just about when the lakes start to freeze. Funny that the usual spot where I go into the water froze up for about 50 m, so I needed to find an alternative spot.
Foiling with light snow falling is very surreal!

Hands were warm with the NP 3 mm gloves, but such thick gloves reduce your strength drastically - although after a nr of sessions you get used and get stronger. The problem was really with the feet - burning and numb toes with 5.5 prolimit boots. Just bought new O'neill 6mm boots. Hope it will be warmer.

But currently still enjoying the 4/3/2 suit, with air temps of 10-15 celsius.

I complained that I had no shoes until I met the man with no feet...

Props to you. That certainly is making the best of things!

The hardest part of windsurfing in -2 Celsius is not the cold on the water or wind or cold hand feet etc. The worst is getting out of the wetsuit in an unheated car ??

Keeping Warm tips:



For the feet:
a. Socks Thick or Thin ski socks.

b. Put a large plastic bag over your foot.
Slide into your wetsuit, adjust the bag so its loose around you foot.
Slip into booties.
The wetsuit will seal the bag.
Beware of foot movement within the boot.

or method a and b.

Keeping Warm tips:



For the feet:
a. Socks Thick or Thin ski socks.

b. Put a large plastic bag over your foot.
Slide into your wetsuit, adjust the bag so its loose around you foot.
Slip into booties.
The wetsuit will seal the bag.
Beware of foot movement within the boot.

or method a and b.

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MProject04 said..
The hardest part of windsurfing in -2 Celsius is not the cold on the water or wind or cold hand feet etc. The worst is getting out of the wetsuit in an unheated car ??

The virtue of a van. Crank that sucker up, let it get warm and sit inside (being small helps). Too many times sitting on the bumper, trying to get the wetsuit off my ankle in the cold wind* trying not to die.

*When it's that cold, there's no side of your car that's protected. Wind, like nature, finds a way.

The new super-stretchy front-zip suits are a total pain to get into and out of for us big guys, but they really do change the game once they're on. I bought an XCel Celiant Drylock 4/3 this year and it's more flexible than my 2mm back-zip suit, and very nearly as warm as a full drysuit. The only knock on it that I've found (apart from getting it on and off) is how much positive buoyancy it has. It's like wearing a full-body flotation vest. I haven't surfed in it yet, but I'm not sure I could duck-dive in it

What I did not see in the great video (thanks CRVYWoody) is the use of wetsuits with a rubberized outer layer (like the O'Neil Reactor 3/2), that outer layer of rubber prevents evaporative cooling which is a big heat loss mechanism in the wind, and when the sun hits the black rubber it really heats up fast and you can feel it inside. I overheated one cool day wearing a 1mm jacket that was rubberized out the outside, had to hang in the water to cool off!

The West coast of Florida below Tampa bay stays fairly warm in the winter, used my O'Neil reactor 3/2 once last winter it really blocks the wind with the rubberized front and back. Have a kite boarder Hyperflex hooded jacket (has a zipper for a hook to stick out off) I use it for when I am out of the water, started to sweat in it one time when the sun came out, it is 100% rubberized and blocks 100% of the wind.