boomerangben
Well-Known Member
Interesting thread.
As aircrew, I wear a survival suit (Goretex membrane dry suit) up to 8 hours a day. I vary what I wear underneath depending on water temperatures and stay comfortable with a/c when air temperatures are up. Neck and wrist seals can be made comfortable (ish) but they do need looking after, so digging out the survival suit after it has sat unloved in a bag for the last five seasons, might result in an inconvenient split in a seal, rendering the suit ineffectual. Ours are serviced on a 2 monthly cycle.
I have had an immersion suit demonstrated (thick neoprene suit) and are basically there to keep you dry, warm and afloat, but are very restrictive. Presumably, they don't need to allow for much movement since it is recommended that you do not waste body heat by using muscles in a survival situation.
I haven't dived for years, but on the basis that most drysuits are not breathable (nor indeed wetsuits), I think they would be too uncomfortable to wear whilst sailing for extended periods unless it is seriously cold. Professional divers in the North Sea wear hot water suits unless doing short dives in shallow water, so if you end up in cold water for an extended period, even a drysuit won't stop you getting hypothermic.
Apparently most people drown rather than succumb to hypothermia. Once you get partly hypothermic, you become incapable of preventing inhalation of water. Hence the importance of a lifejacket with a sprayhood.
I'm with Searush on this one. Keep the boat well maintained, your own seamanship up to scratch and don't fall over board. Prevention is always the best option.
As aircrew, I wear a survival suit (Goretex membrane dry suit) up to 8 hours a day. I vary what I wear underneath depending on water temperatures and stay comfortable with a/c when air temperatures are up. Neck and wrist seals can be made comfortable (ish) but they do need looking after, so digging out the survival suit after it has sat unloved in a bag for the last five seasons, might result in an inconvenient split in a seal, rendering the suit ineffectual. Ours are serviced on a 2 monthly cycle.
I have had an immersion suit demonstrated (thick neoprene suit) and are basically there to keep you dry, warm and afloat, but are very restrictive. Presumably, they don't need to allow for much movement since it is recommended that you do not waste body heat by using muscles in a survival situation.
I haven't dived for years, but on the basis that most drysuits are not breathable (nor indeed wetsuits), I think they would be too uncomfortable to wear whilst sailing for extended periods unless it is seriously cold. Professional divers in the North Sea wear hot water suits unless doing short dives in shallow water, so if you end up in cold water for an extended period, even a drysuit won't stop you getting hypothermic.
Apparently most people drown rather than succumb to hypothermia. Once you get partly hypothermic, you become incapable of preventing inhalation of water. Hence the importance of a lifejacket with a sprayhood.
I'm with Searush on this one. Keep the boat well maintained, your own seamanship up to scratch and don't fall over board. Prevention is always the best option.