Cold Water Dangers

Even though it is summer and the water is warm in Texas doesn't make it so everywhere. I just read a story from the Coast Guard News about a young man who fell out of his Kayak in Lake superior and has died. Apparently the water temperature is only 49 degrees there still and that is definitely cold enough to get hypothermia.
A couple of things that stood out about the story he had on a blue life vest.. as they stated this makes visibility harder because you blend in.
He had a wetsuit but it was half way on... He did not put it on before starting out on the trip, it is almost impossible to grip anything once your fingers get cold. There is no way to finish getting the wet suit on.
No strobe light and the article doesn't mention if he had a whistle but you need one on your vest.

Whether it is cold water or warm you need a brightly colored PFD. Outfit the PFD with a strobe light and a whistle. For added safety get a small and portable PLB (personal locator beacon).
If it is a cold water situation dress appropriately from the beginning.
Make sure you don't go alone, unfortunately his friends lost site of him.
File a float plan, just tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return.
Be safe and have fun.

A great strobe light for your PFD is the ACR Auto-Hemilight 2

Of course if you need any help with safety gear we are here to assist you.

Colder Weather Means More Boating Risks

As the cooler temperatures make their way south to the Houston area we find increased risks with boating...Should you fall over board and remain in the water very long you are at increased risk for hypothermia. Hypothermia is actually defined as any time the core body temperature falls below 95* F. Taking extra precautions in cooler temperatures is the key to avoiding a tragic outcome.  On Friday December 2, 2010 we had a shrimp boat capsize in our waters and 3 of the 4 men were rescued clinging to debris, sadly they have to be treated for hypothermia which leaves a grim reality that the 4th person in the water probably has hypothermia as well leaving them at greater risk of drowning. He has still not been located and the Coast Guard suspended it's search for him. You can read the full story here.

Make sure there is a working PFD for each person aboard and make sure they are wearing it. By having the life vest on you give yourself an advantage should you fall over board. Once you fall into the cold water if you begin to lose dexterity and function you will not be able to swim to keep your head above water a PFD is designed to help you stay afloat. Wearing it is the only way to be sure it will work.

With that being said there are some things that can make your journeys on the water safer and help protect you against hypothermia. The first thing you need is a life raft this will help get you our of the water if your boat were to capsize or sink. even if you go into the water and become wet and cold you can increase your chances by having a way to get out of the water. Pack some extra isothermal blankets in your ditch bag and use them to attempt to stay warm once you are in the life raft. Purchase an EPIRB or PLB or both and keep the PLB with you. The sooner they can find you the better chance you have of recovering fully from hypothermia.

If you plan on making overnight trips in cold weather you may want to consider an immersion suit for each crew member. The immersion suits are designed to help you stay warm, they will make a big difference in how quickly your body begins to go through the stages of hypothermia.

As always file a float plan, check dates on safety gear, check all components of the boat, and be prepared for the worst conditions and you will always have a more enjoyable boating experience.
There are a lot of ditch bag items that can help one survive and if you need help choosing these items we will be happy to sit down and help you. We can also provide you with more information on PFDs, PLBs, EPIRBs, and Life Rafts.

Survival Times in Cold Water Without Protective Clothing

Water Temperature		Loss of Dexterity	Exhaustion or	Expected Time of
Degrees C	Degrees F	with no protective clothing	Unconsciousness	Survival
0.3	32.5	Under 2 min.	Under 15 min.	Under 15 to 45 min.
0.3 to 4.5	32.5 - 40	Under 3 min.	15 to 30 min.	30 to 90 min.
4.5 to 10	40 - 50	Under 5 min.	30 to 60 min.	1 to 3 hrs.
10 to 15.5	50 - 60	10 to 15 min.	1 to 2 hrs.	1 to 6 hrs.
15.5 to 21	60 - 70	30 to 40 min.	2 to 7 hrs.	2 to 40 hrs.
21 to 26.5	70 - 80	1 to 2 hrs.	2 to 12 hrs.	3 hrs. to indefinite
Over 26.5	Over 80	2 to 12 hrs.	Indefinite	Indefinite

The above table is simply a reference, remember each person's body reacts differently and one may become colder more quickly if they suffer from certain illnesses or if they take blood thinning medications.