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How cold is too cold without a wet suit?


Arick

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I went out and wake boarded yesterday(Oct 11th) with the air temp about 79 and lake temp 61 with no wet suit. My friend thought I was a little bit nuts. Keep in mind I don't have a heater on my boat. After the initial shock, I was fine! I know when I get out of the boat my skin was cold to the touch, but I felt great!

So... am I nuts? I'm sure folks on here have been in water that is more cold....

Edited by Arick
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Depends on you. Been in sub 50 degree water a couple of times with no wetsuit early in the year. Wouldn't recommend it, but after an MN winter it really doesn't feel that bad. Normally I'd use my short suit once the water is around 60, but if I forgot to bring it I'd still ski.

Our rule has always been that air and water temp should add up to at least 100 unless you are in at least a shortie, but we violate that occasionally .

Edited by oldjeep
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Air and water temp add up to 110 is normally our limit. Can do it without a wet suit but it's gonna hurt to be in the water. I would say anything down to 110 you are going to feel good for extended amounts of time in the water with a wetsuit.

Oldjeep 100 is impressive.

edit:English is hard.

Edited by tdelandsheer
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Air temp was 71 water 68 yesterday. Was a little cold when you jumped but not bad at all. Probably the last time out though. Next weekend is gonna be brutal. Will probably see close to 32 degrees for the first time in the morning

Father is from Green Bay and laughed when I said it was gonna be a cold time out on the boat. This is the same man that has a picture of him barefoot skiing in the snow while drinking a bottle of whiskey.

Edited by mountaineerhill
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ahopkins22LSV

I wear at least a heater top in the 60's and my full when it dips low 60's and 70's. I ski too like OJ said, in the water for just a few seconds. I mainly wear it to have a layer between my wet skin and the air. Jumping into cold water doesn't bother me.

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I dont even wear one anymore. If the air temp is do-able, then it's a go. My crew and I have been skiing together for so many years, a skier is only in the water for a few seconds before pull out.

I dislike the wetsuit restriction so much I just gave it up.

Steve B.

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Air temp was 71 water 68 yesterday. Was a little cold when you jumped but not bad at all. Probably the last time out though. Next weekend is gonna be brutal. Will probably see close to 32 degrees for the first time in the morning

Father is from Green Bay and laughed when I said it was gonna be a cold time out on the boat. This is the same man that has a picture of him barefoot skiing in the snow while drinking a bottle of whiskey.

Pictures or it didn't happen! ;)

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Depends on you. Been in sub 50 degree water a couple of times with no wetsuit early in the year. Wouldn't recommend it, but after an MN winter it really doesn't feel that bad. Normally I'd use my short suit once the water is around 60, but if I forgot to bring it I'd still ski.

Our rule has always been that air and water temp should add up to at least 100 unless you are in at least a shortie, but we violate that occasionally .

Thats the rule we use too. Record so far was 61. I was in a dry suit and still thought I was going to die. Water was 36 air was 25. I ride in a dry suit until combined is over 100 then generally ride a heater top.

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Thats the rule we use too. Record so far was 61. I was in a dry suit and still thought I was going to die. Water was 36 air was 25. I ride in a dry suit until combined is over 100 then generally ride a heater top.

Whats a heater top?

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Thats the rule we use too. Record so far was 61. I was in a dry suit and still thought I was going to die. Water was 36 air was 25. I ride in a dry suit until combined is over 100 then generally ride a heater top.

Sounds too cold for me, all I have is a relatively thin shortie. Worst one I can remember is a late October day when the water was in the 50s and it started lightly snowing while we were skiing. That was back at the inlaws old place where we could hop start from the beach and take a running exit, so unless you screwed up you stayed pretty dry.

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Air temp was 71 water 68 yesterday. Was a little cold when you jumped but not bad at all. Probably the last time out though. Next weekend is gonna be brutal. Will probably see close to 32 degrees for the first time in the morning

Father is from Green Bay and laughed when I said it was gonna be a cold time out on the boat. This is the same man that has a picture of him barefoot skiing in the snow while drinking a bottle of whiskey.

I think I've seen that picture.

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I'll go no suit til low 60's and wetsuit down to low 50's. Like others have said, air temp is important. We are fine with air temps in the high 50's as long as the sun is out and no wind. No wind keeps us feeling warm and also gives us good water conditions.

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I'm good with water temps into the mid 50s if the air temps are in the 70s with a 2mm heater top & board shorts. Any cooler than that & I go right to the dry suit.

:plus1:

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Thats the rule we use too. Record so far was 61. I was in a dry suit and still thought I was going to die. Water was 36 air was 25. I ride in a dry suit until combined is over 100 then generally ride a heater top.

That's how it was at a local polar bear event last year. Took me about 20 min in the car with the heater on full blast to not feel like I was going to vomit.

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Be safe out there.

I don't ride in the cold anymore but when I was a senior in HS we took a trip up to a girlfriend's lake house the week of ice out. Air was almost 70* and sunny with no wind so I figured I'd slalom--and trunk it--just to say I did it that early. Water was probably high 30s, maybe touching 40 as the ice was out for only a day or two. When I walked into the water for a shallow standing start the bottom was hard and the temperature physically hurt my legs, so I told her to get back to me ASAP if I went down. Of course I did fall, but instead of powerturning and getting back quick she slowly throttled down and turned ever so gently like we would mid summer, then idled all the way back while talking with the others in the boat. When I fell I thought I was going to grab the handle and get up and out of the cold water but it was quickly evident that wasn't going to happen. By the time she was halfway back I had kicked my ski off and when they finally got to me my buddy had to grab my vest and drag me into the boat. Just a minute or two in the water and I could barely move. We got back to the dock and I spread out flat in the sun for a good 30 minutes before I felt able to stand and walk around.

Thankfully I always wear a CGA and we didn't have a mechanical issue with the boat.

Now if it's to the point of uncomfortable I'll wade around in knee-deep water and play with the dog rather than risk it.

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Ive surfed a number of times when the air and water have both been in the mid to low 50's. I use a 1mm heater shirt and its bearable for a surf run. No fear of long term exposure and hypothermia since you would likely not be in the water/wet long. But, it would be a good idea to have a few of the crew know the signs of exposure.

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I was out until mid Nov last year when the lake temp hit the mid 40's. My dry suit sprung a leak so I was using a 4mm wetsuit last fall. A little chilly but hey, I'm on the lake!! :thumbup: We typically run the 100 degree rule in the fall, after that grab a suit. the exception for us is in the spring when the water is still brutal cold and the air is in the 70's all ready.

I did something dumb like jk the first spring with my first Malibu. Air was in the mid 70's and we were pumped to get out. The water was right around 38 and two of us boarded with trunks. Even though we were fast getting back to the riders it hurt...a lot! Don't try it. I know I won't do that again. :no:

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