How cold...

[SeanT]

...is too cold?

Because we have to cart the kids around with us we generally try and keep our boating to when it's 20C (68F) or warmer. In summers past this hasn't been a problem, but this summer, especially the last few weeks, has been unusually cool. I'm hoping for a bit of an indian summer to take us through September and into October.

There was frost on my boat cover this morning (I've been leaving it out so it's ready, I have to collapse the tower to get it my garage). I'd like to go tonight, but the high looks like 17C (62.6F). The kids range in age from 4 - 10. The older two I don't worry much about, they like to watch me wipe out. The younger one gets a bit stir crazy when he needs to sit for a while though.

I don't have any hardcore ski buddies that will go anytime the mood strikes or the water is calm. Not that I like to freeze myself, but as summer slips away I'm starting to feel a little desperate.

How cold does it get before you refuse to go in the water?

 

[craze1cars]

Re: How cold...

You're about at my limit...but you Canadians are a lot tougher than I am. Frost already??? Heck, it's above 90 degrees here in Indiana today...with lows in the upper 60's. We've got another good month in us for sure...

We gauge our decision on water temp more than air temp. When the water temp dips below about 67F, the shorty wetsuits come out.

Whe the water temp dips below 60F, we usually call it a season...we're not motivated enough to get full body wet suits or dry suits.

But in spring, a few of us hard core skiiers like to have bragging rights of being first boat out skiing on the lake. Which for the past few years means we're out there 1 day after ice-out...brrrrrrrr. It's more of a polar bear plunge than a good riding session...but it's a fun way to kick the season off! But then after that first blast we usually take a month off and wait for water temp to get past 60 again LOL.

But we don't have kids to worry about. So I can definitely see how that would change things. So whatever they're able and willing to tolerate is pretty much your answer...only you know them best.

 

[skibrain]

Re: How cold...

North Dakota and Minnesota.
Memorial day(end of May) used to seem early. Watersports through September was pretty common if the weather stayed mild. It really depends on your gear...and having open water.

Dry suits and hoods plus a cooler full of warm water to help return hands and feet to operating temp after a run and allows that season to extend from April into October. The lake is really quiet pre and post season At that point it also requires someone with a heated garage willing to delay winterizing their boat.

Last year I had two txt messages from Chris, my most hard-core ski buddy.

Sent 11/30/09: Dec. tomorrow. Important day. May be last day to ski. (we did on 12/1 with air temp 40F and water 42F)
Sent 3/30/10: Have u ever skied in March? (had to pass, but skied a week later)

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: How cold...

Dang Brain! You sir are hard core! I love it.

 

[SeanT]

Re: How cold...

I guess I'm mostly just lamenting the early fall we seem to be getting up here. What sucks even more is that I need to go to Kelowna BC tomorrow, and I can't take the boat. It's quite a bit nicer over there right now.

Hoping things smarten up for this weekend. I need to get out at least once this week!

Was getting read to go today, but the wind got up and temps cooled off to about 14C.

Last year we were out until the last weekend in September. Flirted with an October run, but the boys' football started eating up the weekends.

 

[skibrain]

Re: How cold...

Snow in November. There was just a bit of skim ice around the dock...

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: How cold...

I retract my previous statement and submit a more appropriate one: You sir are freakin nuts!

 

[lrcustom]

Re: How cold...

BBO,
Brain my be freakin nuts but look at that awesome ice wall behind him.

LR

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: How cold...

BBO,
Brain my be freakin nuts but look at that awesome ice wall behind him.

LR

Yessir, It's awesome. Brain is the man.

 

[Dave.Mishchenko]

Re: How cold...

I have kids that are a bit younger than yours and we just bundle them up and they're OK. We'll stop for a while and let them play around for a bit. We'll also do a fire and hot dogs to warm up.

 

[badkins50]

Re: How cold...

I thought it was impossible to get the cold chills on a 92 degree day until I seen skibrains post! I'm good, I think i'll pass on the snow/ice missions. I don't like getting in the pool when it's less than 78. Scratch that, I wont get in the pool when it hits 78 or below. Good luck though.

 

[convergent]

Re: How cold...

When I lived in Upstate NY, I had been in as early as April, and as late as October.... and I didn't have a wetsuit! The thing is that it is just really cold and painful going in. Once you are up and being pulled, you don't notice the cold temp anymore and when you eventually end up back in the water your body temp is so much higher that it feels refreshing for the minute it takes to be retrieved by the boat. I will say that it was a lot easier to do it late in the season than early, because you knew you'd have a long wait before you could go again. Early on, your brain is just saying that once you wait a few weeks it will be warmer and you have the whole summer ahead. Now that I'm in NC, I'm expecting we'll be able to easily make those months.

 

[75TowerOfPower]

Re: How cold...

My family used to ski early and late into the season at our cabin which is on Manitoulin Island, in Lake huron. The water temp doesn't often get over 65 degrees in the summer, its a deep clear lake. They used to do dock starts with sweat shirts and track pants on and then pull off and hopefully end up sinking just past the dock in ankle deep water or so.

 

[SeanT]

Re: How cold...

The weather just won't quit being bad. Friday it was 23C and windy as all hell. Yesterday was close to 20C, but windy again. Now it's rainy and looks like it will be rainy all week.

Just when it warms up, the wind is blowing so bad it's no fun anyway. *sigh*

And to make matters worse, I just did a there and back trip to Kelowna for some family business just this past Wednesday - Friday. Weather and lakes were gorgeous. Made me want to move...

 

[WildH2Oskier]

Re: How cold...

I bow before yall. We stop when the water starts to cool off down here usually around the end of November. Then we start back around the first of March. I don't have a cabin with a boathouse or I would just do like most everyone with one does and just lower the boat into the water and let it sit there all winter. If its in an enclosed boat house it never gets below freezing and keeps the boat safe since the water temp never hits freezing and the enclosed house keeps the wind from sending the boat below freezing.
My biggest problem now is that my back is starting to go from repeated ski related poundings. So I'll probably begin stopping earlier and staring later.

So what do yall do during the off season?

 

[Adirondack]

Re: How cold...

Snow in November. There was just a bit of skim ice around the dock...

Hard core man. Truelly hard core. I'm usually sipp'in some hard cider, early wraping some christmas stuff, and running thru my mind whether I forgot anything on the winterize.

 

[skibrain]

Re: How cold...

42 air temp when we skied this morning. I wore the dry suit and was reminded I need to patch a few leaky spots before October.

 

[security6]

Re: How cold...

I bought a 12 volt electric blanket for the wife and kids. It plugs into the cigarette lighter. We haven't had to use it yet, but I hope to extend the season with it.

 

[SeanT]

Re: How cold...

That is a great idea!

I don't have the heater option in my boat. I've played with the idea of using a small propane heater in the bow or something to heat up, but all signs point to BAD idea on that.

The cooler full of hot water is a good one too.

I'm planning to go skiiing Friday night, the forecast is 17C (62.6F). No idea what the water will be like, probably colder. It could very well be the last run of the season if this weather keeps up. The forecast for Saturday is similar, but I'm busy, and Sunday it looks cold.

 

[skibrain]

Re: How cold...

Could you "extend" that cord all the way down the rope?
I'm thinking that a pair of electric BVDs would be sort of cozy. As long as its not a shocking idea.