Are you not afraid of Winter? Do you continue to kite? Read tips on how to stay warm and what signs of hypothermia are here.
Do you keep on kiting in the Winter months? Then we have 18 tips to stay warm. Kitesurfing in Winter has the advantage that the kite spot is nice and quiet and you have the space. You will not encounter swimmers either. The disadvantage is: hypothermia is lurking, possibly with a fatal outcome. If you follow a few important rules and make good preparations, you can safely go on the water!
Good preparation, the right material
Tip 1
Check at home where it is nice and warm your kite surfing gear for defects, so that you will not be surprised on the water.
Tip 2
Put your things well organized in your car. This way you prevent your balls from freezing and not finding your dry towel.
Tip 3
Always go with a budy and let those who stay behind know where you are.
Tip 4
Plan your kite session in terms of time. A winter session is always shorter to prevent hypothermia.
Tip 5
Take a thermos flask with hot tea or coffee. Great if you come off the water comes benumbed. It heats the inner body!
Tip 6
Bring another thermos with warm water. Nice to pour into your suit after kite surfing or in your shoes. Feels like a warm bath.
Material
Tip 7
Your neoprene suit is at least 5.3 mm or thicker. Make sure your suit is dry before putting it on.
Tip 8
Under your neoprene suit you can wear a thermal shirt, if it is not warm enough you can pull a windstopper over your wetsuit. A dry suit is warmer, but sweat condenses on the inside.
Tip 9
A plastic bag over your hands makes it easy to put on your suit faster. Especially useful if you do that in the open air. This way you cool off less quickly.
Tip 9a
Even better, put on your wetsuit before going to the spot. Get in the car, heating off, windows open 😉, because when you change clothes in the cold and wind you are already 1-0 behind!
Tip 10
Hold on when you drive back. Heating on 10. Well cover your seat with plastic and duct tape, but there are also special seat protection covers for sale. Seawater will ruin your seat and / or your seat heating, so protection is recommended.
Tip 11
Wear surf shoes of 5 mm, possibly with neoprene socks in it. Once your feet are cold, you cannot get them warm anymore. This also applies to your hands.
Tip 12
Wear neoprene gloves (5 mm). There is also a mitt variant (the so-called Lobster glove). Make sure your gloves are not too tight, this will reduce blood circulation and cool them down quickly.
Tip 13
Wear a cap (hoodie) if it is not already attached to your winter suit.
Tip 14
Wear earplugs against surfers ears.
Tip 15
Coat your face with Vaseline so that water runs off your skin and you cool down less.
Tip 16
Do a good warming-up before you go on the water for a good blood circulation in your body.
Tip 17
On the water and tired? Do not take a risk go out off the water as quickly as possible!
Tip 18
As a novice kiter it is not wise to go kite surfing in the winter. You are still too much in the water. The chance of hypothermia is too great, with all the associated risks.
Hypothermia
If your body temperature drops below 35 ° C, you speak of hypothermia. In ordinary people language: hypothermia. Your body temperature is normally between 35.5 and 37.5 degrees Celsius. On the cold water, your body requires a lot of energy to stay warm. If you are not properly packed, your body will only last for a limited time. Even in the best neoprene suit or drysuit, your body temperature drops if you lie in water of 5 degrees or lower (the average temperature of the North Sea in the winter). So stop on time.
Signs of hypothermia
- Shivering, heavy shivering that suddenly stops.
- Dizzy
- Nauseous Slowness / drowsiness (sometimes mistaken for drunkenness)
- Drop of attention
If you come across someone who has hyperthermia , make sure that the person does not cool down further. Take off wet clothing, dry him or her thoroughly and wrap a blanket or similar around him or her. No alcohol and do not place in front of a hot stove. Call 112 (Europe) 911 USA or any other emergency telephone number
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