I have been seeing some pictures lately with people running rivers while there is still snow on the ground, so I started wondering if I´m just a girly man not to paddle in freazing conditions

If there's water in the river go for it, as long as you're wrapped up warm there's no problem . If it's cold I don't go too far away from civilisation but will still get on the water as long as there's somewhere to get warm and dry if everything goes pear shaped .

aslong as there's water i do, no point in wastin your time if there isn't though. Plus, it's not even that cold once you've rolled a couple of times.

there can be snow on the ground and not be below freezing its not that bad my dad went swiming while it was snowing in just a paddle jacket and didnt get hypo and we still had a few miles to go

Once I had remove the ice out of my boat before kayaking some river in Belgium. After two hours creeking I went sick and puked along the river untill the take off three hours later. Then I promised myself NEVER to creek again with tempartures below zero degrees celsius!!

hey y not as long as u r gd nd warm go 4 it!!!! i do. see u on the water some time (cold or not)
joey

DUHH

Who doesn't go playboating in subzero temperatures!!!????

I went out yesterday..

Mid winter, the snow hasn't turned it on for a while, you're getting bored skiing..... This is the time for subzero boating. Water splashing on your boat and freezing. Tipping over is not so bad as the water is warmer than the air, it;s just when you get back in the wind it isn't so flash. Great fun has to be done sometimes

I have been out paddling 3 times since New Years Eve and I'll be going again Thursday for sure. Temps have been upper 20's to low 30's. Paddle by day...ski at night. It works for me!
Nora

I get out once or twice in the winter with some friends if the weather is ideal but ussually I prefer the pool or hitting the slopes and snowboard parks.

Keep in mind the following simple rule: If you want to go paddle in the winter add 1 class to the rapid you are going to run or play in. If it is a III it just became a IV, etc.

Swims are tough, the body does not react as well. The innitial shock when submerged in cold water can have adverse effects on the body, equipment, (throw bags, mbinners, zippers, skirts) freeze and get hard if not impossible to deploy.
Rocks that are not ussually undercut get large ice built up on top that are often undercut....
Rescues get a hell of a lot harder. The shores are covered in snow and ice and are hazardous to the resuers as well.

If the risk factor outweighs your fun factor then it stops being fun.

Do what's right for you. Have fun and do it safely.

i paddle in shorts all year round. aslong as u can role and ur top half of ur body is warm its fine.

thats rite i do aswell i was paddeling the other week in north wales and there was icicles coming of th rocks but that dident stop us

I am not suggesting that winter paddling is a bad thing.....
Just be aware ofthe hazzards and paddle within your skills range.
Get lots of food available during breaks and at the end. warm is good.
The cold drains your energy a lot faster than normal.

Have fun and paddle hard.

Paddling in shorts in winter ay? So, how would you deal with a situation like foot entrapment, when you could save somebody's life standing in the water, holding his/her head up?

I paddle in winter, but with dry pants and neoprene, for sure!!

hehe the shorts remind me of a very funny story about pretty experienced raft guides and kayakers. the rafting seson was just starting and they were trying out the river they were going to be working on. the water was close to 4C and the air the same or colder. being experienced on the water some wore shorts. on of the rapids is 3 holes in a row, the first one throws you off your line, the second one is sticky and the third sucks you deep deep down when you are swiming. long story short one of the guys wearing shorts swam, spend some time under water and more time in the water... I guess the humor of the situation does not translate well in text. it was funny and the guy had about 2 -3 hrs left on the river

looking back I see I often paddle my local play spot in very cold conditions, and I go creeking when there is still snow in the spring. I just realy don´t like rolling when it is that cold, even wearing 3 layers of flese, whool and a cap under my helmet and all that... and I hate to wear gloves. acctually I have noticed my fingers swelling up a lot more when I´m paddeling in very cold conditions and punch rocks than when I paddle in not so cold conditions.

Yup i paddle every sat morning regardless of weather. (kayaked in snow, hail, rain, fog and pretty much everything else!). Just get some nice thermals and good dry cag and a skul-cap and your toasty .

I play boated last weekend in 32 degree F water and 33 air temp. instant ice cream headaches but it wasn't long before I was completely frozen and couldn't feel anything anyway

~Peace~
Brock

Weren't the first kayaker those mad folk from the north that paddled around in the sea with the ice bergs ? It all started in the cold ..

hangman only runs during snowmelt so if you dont run it in the cold you dont get to
here in the spokane area some of the best runs are snow melt dependent
the St Joe is A great run too
Kenny

In Indiana we arent known for class 5 but when the snow melts there are some creeks around here that get to be close. I just look a little weird paddling through my neighbors yard!

[quote:bd67e92d18="donmarty"]Paddling in shorts in winter ay? So, how would you deal with a situation like foot entrapment, when you could save somebody's life standing in the water, holding his/her head up?

I paddle in winter, but with dry pants and neoprene, for sure!![/quote:bd67e92d18]

well i would help and jus cope with the cold am pretty tough aslong as theres a half hour shower when we get back lol

i paddle whenever i can no matter how cold

We dont always have a choice in the uk whens theres water we paddle just wear more clothng i wouldnt recommend wearing shorts in the winter unless your stupid! you could out your whole group in danger by gettin hypothermia!

its also a good hang over cure/ way of concerntrating your thoughts

don't forget the cold water gear

Do you paddle when it's freezing outside?
Does a bear shit in the woods!

yes it does

Im sorry but one thing that really annoys me is paddlers whinging that its cold. NEWSFLASH folks, paddling is wet, and often very, very cold. If you have a problem with this, take up a different sport.

yeah like sun bathing

Wow. Nice to have attitude....
the paddling fatalities inclrease in the winter. Hmm go figure.

Having said that. I was out during the Chrismas Holidays and again last week.
Will probably get out again in the next week if the outside air temperature goes above 0 degrees celcius.
(it's -14 today!. That is just too cold so I will hope for a bit warmer )

like down here in texas it is 50 degrees