Received: from zonker-fddi.hpl.hp.com by opus.hpl.hp.com with SMTP (1.37.109.8/15.5+ECS 3.3+HPL1.1) id AA10398; Fri, 15 Sep 1995 22:55:42 -0700 Return-Path: <poulton@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis> Received: by zonker.hpl.hp.com (1.37.109.8/15.5+ECS 3.3+HPL1.1) id AA09243; Fri, 15 Sep 1995 22:55:32 -0700 Date: Fri, 15 Sep 1995 22:55:32 -0700 From: Ken Poulton <poulton@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis> Message-Id: <9509160555.AA09243@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis> To: wind_talk@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis Subject: Re: The ultimate safety kit
> > I've always wondered if I could swim back to the launch at 3rd from the far
> > side of the channel. Especially in really big chop in just a shorty. I
>
> Unless you have a really unique metabolism, you would be hypothermic
> in about 30 minutes. The swim would probably take you the better
> part of four-to-six hours.
I think Will is right, within a factor of two or so. The day I found
Mark in the channel at 3rd, he was wearing a short-sleeve/full-leg suit.
He was in the water a total of about 2 hours, by which time he was
showing early signs of hypothermia (visibly shaking and uncoordinated).
This was in June, and he is a pretty big guy. A smaller person or a
shorter wetsuit would cut the time.
Because of this, I wear my 4/3 mm suit year-round - I just let some
water in at the neck on the rare occasions when I get too warm. Since
heat loss though the head can be large, I carry a full hood, too. The
day I spent 3 1/2 hours bobbing, I was just starting to feel cold.
Ken Poulton
poulton@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis
"The most dangerous thing ... is to be ... without wind."
-- Tristan Jones
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