I remember seeing an advertisement for an insulated kayak years ago.I paddle very cold water lots of times with ice crystals.I am not getting any younger and some creature comforts would be nice.
yoga mats
I paddle often in cold water and found that laying a yoga mat, cut to fit, under my legs keeps alot of the chill off.
Lyn
seasock
Try This
Get a big soda bottle, liter or 2 liter; fill it with very hot water; set it down by your feet; attach spray skirt. It helps for a good while.
Dry pants with Polartec underwear.
Hot air
Firey chili and beans for your pre-paddling meal.
Seriously, though…long insulated boots such as Chota Mukluks (with a pair of thin wool socks over your feet inside) will go a long way toward keeping your lower legs warm. You can sit on a yoga or other closed-cell foam pad to keep the upper legs and butt warm.
I am assuming you do not have a drysuit, in which case you can add a layer of fleece pants inside.
If he doesn’t have a dry suit…
...he shouldn't be paddling in those conditions, but I'm not going to assume that's the case.
Insulate yourself instead
Adding the cushioning as suggested above can reduce the sensation of cold water, but you should be insulated yourself well enough that this is not a debilitating issue. That way you can get out of the boat and take a stretch without freezing. More importantly an insulated boat is also not much help if you are out of it in the water.
Old Town triple layer foam core
You may be thinking of Old Town “3-layer superlinear” plastic. It has a layer of foam sandwiched between two layers of plastic.
Read about it at http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/craftsmanship/kayak_materials/
The first Cayugas were made of this material, which I found was superior to the current soft, thin plastic Old Town is now using on the Cayugas. I did in fact notice an insulating effect of the triple layer.
With a lot of searching you can still find some Cayugas made of triple layer. The Old Town website says, “Currently, you will find it on the Twin Heron, Loon 111, Dirigo Series and the Camden Series.”
It can be recognized by its harder, shinier surface compared to single layer, and by the tiny black flecks in the finish. It’s an attractive, stiff material. Care needs to be taken not to puncture it. In my opinion and experience, the foam core will absorb water in the outer layer is punctured. This isn’t really a big concern as it’s a durable material. Mine was punctured not by paddling, but by a garage mechanic who overtightened the bow and stern straps, cracking the stern. It gained about 10 lbs after that.
I find that mukluks with heavy socks provide good warmth. Also, using a half or full skirt will help a lot. If a full skirt doesn’t appeal to you, a half skirt will still be effective, much better than without it.
Ever practiced at Pure?
I just bought a new Prius and
it has heated seats. Ahhhhhh.
Its ok to dream, right?
speaking of which
Could they have put the switch in a worse place? It’s like they don’t want you to use them. Minor problem though. They are nice.
Ryan L.
Kudzu, Thanks for the suggestion. I’ve
never considered the container of hot water, even after all these years.
For winter paddling, I do use and Old Town Loon 11, which is made with Polylink (mulitple layers of material. I call it my “winter beater”.