less people to accidentally run over in the winter.
anyone else have abnormal ear blocking as soon as u fall in ?

Love this thread, it put a few big smiles on my face. It's all relative. Around here, most windsurfers would regard 10 C air and water as warm enough. The best wind comes when temperatures drop a bit lower in November. We used to sail through the winter, but only on days where the temperatures were forecast to remain above freezing. Have gotten a bit soft, though, and escape to warmer climates like Texas and Oz for the two coldest months now.

The most important thing when it's cold is to dress for extended time in the water, in case something breaks down. Hypothermia sets in quickly, and makes you uncoordinated and stupid. The other thing that helps (besides warm suits and hoods) are open-palm mittens.

Here's a little video from winter sailing on Cape Cod a few years back:
We had to use a different beach to launch since our usual launch was blocked by about 100 m of slush .

Brrrr... cold!

Do you actually stay warm in that gear, or is it always just a little cold?

If it wasn't for the colours of the board graphics, I would have assumed that it was filmed in black and white.

Actually I swam a lap of Hooker Lake, NZ in my scungies a few months ago. How often do you get to swim with icebergs! But there was no windchill factor to worry about.

yes ...when its like this (from today) 25-30knts, warm Northerly and 20 degrees in the middle of July! North Haven, SA.(30 kites + 6-7 sailors).

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FormulaNova said..
Brrrr... cold!

Do you actually stay warm in that gear, or is it always just a little cold?

If it wasn't for the colours of the board graphics, I would have assumed that it was filmed in black and white.

It's easy to stay warm, except for the hands. But the hand warming tubes in the Ianovated suit work well enough to let me get away with open-palm mittens, even though I have mild Raynaud's disease. Warmer gloves or mittens will make forearms burn in no time, unless you've got exceptional skills. The wet suit is 6 mm, with an additional layer underneath when air and water are near freezing.

One thing that's important for cold weather sailing is to keep doing it, so your body gets used to the temperatures. Taking a few weeks off and then going again when temperatures have dropped a lot is a bit of a shock to the system.

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boardsurfr said..
Love this thread, it put a few big smiles on my face. It's all relative. Around here, most windsurfers would regard 10 C air and water as warm enough. The best wind comes when temperatures drop a bit lower in November. We used to sail through the winter, but only on days where the temperatures were forecast to remain above freezing. Have gotten a bit soft, though, and escape to warmer climates like Texas and Oz for the two coldest months now.

The most important thing when it's cold is to dress for extended time in the water, in case something breaks down. Hypothermia sets in quickly, and makes you uncoordinated and stupid. The other thing that helps (besides warm suits and hoods) are open-palm mittens.

Here's a little video from winter sailing on Cape Cod a few years back:

We had to use a different beach to launch since our usual launch was blocked by about 100 m of slush .

That's it I won't complain about the cold again.. ( at least for a few weeks). How cold is the water?

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Tardy said..

515 said..

Imax1 said..
Anyone been to Aitutaki ? OMG !
It has to be the most beautiful place on earth !
I actually think they dye the water .
I could happily die there .

One of my mates went there last year kiteboarding and loved it.
Its another flight.
We were in Raro last year for partners 50th in March and only light winds.
Tried to hire windsurf gear at Muri Lagoon to teach my teenage daughter but all gear broken.
Great paddle boarding and awesome snorkelling

Back before kids, Winter is hard core especially wave sailing in Taranaki with all the snow feed rivers.
I had to cut my arms to above elbow to avoid forearm pump so would were thermals under wetsuit.
Didn't like the feel of booties wave riding so your feet would feel likes slabs of meet walking across rocks.

Not so hardcore these days but if its sunny and consistent wind I will still get out for blast

I've sailed a lot at muri lagoon ..took my own gear ..but worth it ..the locals use all captain Tama s gear and wreck it
,after talking to the locals they said May is the wildest month ,so the last 2 time i went in May i was not disappointed
sailed all the way down to fruits of Rarotonga and 20-25 knot everyday no wetsuit ,but I looked at Aitutaki ,but the plane would not take gear at that time ..
but yes IMax it is a amazing lagoon ..and worth dieing there for ..
this is me today ,iPhone shot ,our water was 19 ,so i guess that puts me in the soft cock zone ..i love july ...it blows all the time ..but cool ..

RS3?

That Cape Cod video with the ice water is hard core

A couple of photos from a ten degree day in Tassi . with 35 knots++ it had an apparent temp of below 5 ....and I just took photos despite having my gear in the car!

Boy you get some wind down there!

Heres how i do winter,Sunny Coast style.
8.5 n 150.

88cm n 7.2kg.
Yep the yard needs weeding n mowing.
Living 5min from the water i get sidetracked so easily.

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olskool said..
Heres how i do winter,Sunny Coast style.
8.5 n 150.

88cm n 7.2kg.
Yep the yard needs weeding n mowing.
Living 5min from the water i get sidetracked so easily.

Your just showing off

Imax1, showing off? Stop lookin at my man cans dude.
Holding up just 1 fish isnt showing off either.
But it does sum up winter on the Sunny Coast. Ahhhhhhh....
Will show you how if you migrate north.

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olskool said..
Heres how i do winter,Sunny Coast style.
8.5 n 150.

88cm n 7.2kg.
Yep the yard needs weeding n mowing.
Living 5min from the water i get sidetracked so easily.

That's summer ..

^^ All within the months of June/July '19.

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olskool said..
Imax1, showing off? Stop lookin at my man cans dude.
Holding up just 1 fish isnt showing off either.
But it does sum up winter on the Sunny Coast. Ahhhhhhh....
Will show you how if you migrate north.

What's with the succulents , makin tequila?

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Imax1 said..

olskool said..
Imax1, showing off? Stop lookin at my man cans dude.
Holding up just 1 fish isnt showing off either.
But it does sum up winter on the Sunny Coast. Ahhhhhhh....
Will show you how if you migrate north.

What's with the succulents , makin tequila?

Dont have time to water the plants. Too much fun down by the beach.

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olskool said..

Imax1 said..

olskool said..
Imax1, showing off? Stop lookin at my man cans dude.
Holding up just 1 fish isnt showing off either.
But it does sum up winter on the Sunny Coast. Ahhhhhhh....
Will show you how if you migrate north.

What's with the succulents , makin tequila?

Dont have time to water the plants. Too much fun down by the beach.

Ohhhhh , I was so hoping your making tequila

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Imax1 said..

olskool said..

Imax1 said..

olskool said..
Imax1, showing off? Stop lookin at my man cans dude.
Holding up just 1 fish isnt showing off either.
But it does sum up winter on the Sunny Coast. Ahhhhhhh....
Will show you how if you migrate north.

What's with the succulents , makin tequila?

Dont have time to water the plants. Too much fun down by the beach.

Ohhhhh , I was so hoping your making tequila

You fabricate the still n we will fill our bellies.

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olskool said..

Imax1 said..

olskool said..

Imax1 said..

olskool said..
Imax1, showing off? Stop lookin at my man cans dude.
Holding up just 1 fish isnt showing off either.
But it does sum up winter on the Sunny Coast. Ahhhhhhh....
Will show you how if you migrate north.

What's with the succulents , makin tequila?

Dont have time to water the plants. Too much fun down by the beach.

Ohhhhh , I was so hoping your making tequila

You fabricate the still n we will fill our bellies.

Mmmmmm,
Makin alcahol from your random backyard plants , what could possibly go wrong?
Im in

^^^ Youre the Mexican, migrating north.Thought youd bring a fambly recipe

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olskool said..
^^^ Youre the Mexican, migrating north.Thought youd bring a fambly recipe

I don't have any recipes , however a best mates polish father makes some mind bending stuff . Kinda like mixing alcahol with ........

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olskool said..
Heres how i do winter,Sunny Coast style.
8.5 n 150.

88cm n 7.2kg.
Yep the yard needs weeding n mowing.
Living 5min from the water i get sidetracked so easily.

Hey Olskool,

Dude you don't get a winter
Still windsurf with no wetsuit. I remember my first time to Queensland for work conference in July with locals complaining how cold at night it was
That's a nice fish mate.

515, cheers mate! Yep i dont think its cold here either. Everyone else wears a wetsuit though.

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FishMints said..
yes ...when its like this (from today) 25-30knts, warm Northerly and 20 degrees in the middle of July! North Haven, SA.(30 kites + 6-7 sailors).

Bonus points for 7 or so railway stations along that beach (Outer Harbour Line). And no toll roads in South Australia.

Like summer today on the SUP

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mr love said..
Don't be soft, quite a bunch of us Mexicans sailing last Sunday, Max temp 12 deg, water temp 13.5. Now is when you get the big Westerlies or NW, makes you feel alive!

I dream of water temperatures like that; I've been sailing all winter and Much of it is on a pond that freezes at the edges on many mornings. We've only had a few tiny snowflakes on a sailing day this winter so it hasn't been too bad.