Frostbiter’s
Guide to Cold Weather Clothing and Hypothermia, and Frostbite
The
frostbite sailing season has approached that time again where it’s beginning to
earn its name.
I
thought I would offer a guide to proper clothing, preparation, and signs of cold
injuries for winter sports that can help you and your sailing partner having
fun to the last race of the day.
The
three MOST important rules that apply to all winter sports (plus one more for
frostbiting for a total of four) you must pay serious attention to, or you may
find out the hard way with a trip to the emergency room:
1) Cotton Kills
Cotton fibers absorb water, are slow to
dry, and quickly drains your body of heat when wet. Simply put cotton clothing (socks, underwear,
tights, pants, t-shirts, gloves, hats, etc.) has no place on a boat or any
sport exposing you water. READ
LABLES: Stay away from cotton blended
fabrics unless it is less than 15% cotton fibers. 40/60 Cotton-Poly is not good
enough. Synthetic poly fibers do not
absorb water and therefore stay warm when wet and dry quickly.
2) Fashion Does Not Equal
Function
Your new jacket may be the latest in trend
wear, have a designer label, show your sail #, and match your partners
outfit... but is it made for the sport?
When you wipe out skiing you don't (usually) go for a swim. Be careful when shopping; many brand names
carry several lines of clothing, which look similar but cater to different
sports or extremes of environments. For example, some Kayaking dry tops while
similar to sailing dry tops, only stay dry when attached to a Kayak spray skirt
as opposed to layered over pants. Beware
"Casual Wear"; dock wear is for the dock and yacht wear for the
yacht. Ask your friendly salesperson the
difference between things.
3) Stay Dry
Staying dry is more than just "Don't
Fall In." Remember, in a JY-15 your
feet, lower legs, and hands get wet quickly from water entering the cockpit. Your body also gets very wet from
perspiration during strenuous activity, which can be just as dangerous if you
fail to follow RULE #1.
4) Wear a PFD (aka Life
Jacket)
If
you do fall in or your boat capsizes a life jacket will keep you afloat. RCYC frostbite program requires that a PFD
be worn at all times. If you end up in the water and you have followed
RULES #1,2, and 3 but get knocked unconscious you had better have followed RULE
#4
Layer
1) Wicking (Long Underwear):
Your
body sweats in order to cool down through evaporation of moisture from your
skin. The function of the wicking layer
is to remove sweat from your skin and transfer it to your other clothing layers
before it evaporates. It is therefore
important that this layer is made of synthetic fibers, which wick and dry
quickly. Look for ones made from
synthetic fabrics such as polypropylene, capeline, or other poly fibers. SEE RULES #1 & #2
Layer
2) Insulation (Fleece):
This is your main defense against the
cold. A key point to keep in mind: It is
not the material itself that keeps you warm, but the layer of air trapped
beneath it. With insulation, loft and
layers both equal warmth. However, since
bulky clothing generally interferes with sailing a small boat (and with
swimming) it is better to rely on several thinner layers, rather than on thick
layer. It is also easier to manage your
comfort with multiple layers as you can add or remove them if you start getting
hot or cold.
Wool fabrics are warm and stay warm when
wet, however keep in mind they are slower to dry and can get heavy when soaked.
Synthetic fleece or poly pile fabrics are best; they stay warm when soaked and
are quick to dry. If your fleece hat or jacket goes for a swim, you simply need
to wring it out good and tight to get it 70-90% dry. SEE
RULES #1 & #2
Layer
3) Shell (Spray Top/Bot.):
In any sport, but particularly sailing,
this is your most important defense against the elements and staying warm. (SEE
RULE #3) The shell layer repels water, and keeps wind from depleting the warm
air trapped in your insulation. The
shell layer should be loose enough to allow adding additional layers of
insulation and freedom of movement. The older foul weather gear gets the less
waterproof it stays and the more likely water will seep through zippers,
gussets, seams, and fabric. If the
gussets and zippers are all still good on an older shell, it may be worth
re-treating the fabric and seams with Nikwax or Seamseal type products.
Ideally this layer should be
waterproof/breathable such as Gore-Tex, however, most boating outerwear is made
from coated nylons and taffeta because it is considerably less expensive,
easier to maintain in salt water environments, and easier to repair tears.
For boating, look at outerwear with
watertight or water proof gussets or seals at the neck, wrists, waist, and
ankles. It is very important that
gussets are tight enough to keep water out, but not cut off blood circulation! Check to see that ALL the seams on the shell
are factory tape or glue sealed and spots haven't been missed. Understand that there are differences between
a Spray Top/Bot., a Dry Top/Bot. designed for rain & waves, and a Dry
Top/Bot. designed for immersion. The
least amount of openings in the shell layer the more waterproof it will be; the
best dry suits have only a neck gusset and a single waterproof zipper (gloves
and socks are sewn in). SEE RULES #1, #2, & #3
If you are considering spending money on a
Gore-Tex type shell, keep in mind that it only really works when there are
significant temperature and air moisture differentials between the air trapped
inside the jacket and the outside air. Wearing a life vest or backpack will
negate any benefit of areas it covers the Gore-Tex. Read the label and tags to make sure it is
made specifically for boating in salt water.
Note
on Vapor Barriers:
Because
most boating wear has low or no breathability it acts as a Vapor Barrier, which
is excellent for retaining heat. The
cushion of air trapped beneath a Vapor Barrier layer gets warm quickly and
keeps warm for a long time. Since it also traps moisture, it is all the more
important to follow RULE #1 as you will get wet from perspiration. As long as the moisture stays warm from your
body heat you will stay warm, and damp (A Dry Top acts like a sauna and a
Wetsuit acts like a hot tub). One of the
best uses of a vapor barrier is on your feet over insulating socks (Plastic
bags work just as well as and are cheaper than manufactured vapor barrier
liners) If you get too hot you can periodically vent between races. However, in cold weather you must be very
careful to not let too much of the trapped heat escape as cold air (or water)
rushing in will quickly chill your skin or even freeze inside which may take a
while to recover from, and can quickly cause hypothermia.
How
to tell if you or someone you love has a Cold Weather Injury:
(Note
this works equally well for someone you don’t love.)
Hypothermia:
Hypothermia
occurs when your body temperature drops below the normal 98.6 degrees F. It only takes a drop of 6 degrees to loose
complete coordination and become unconscious!
Please recognize that many people get hypothermia from not wanting to
feel embarrassed by telling others they feel cold, need more clothes, or want
to stop and go inside. Get over it! It’s
a much greater risk to you and your partner when you keep silent. If you are uncomfortably cold for too long,
your chances of getting frostbite or drowning are high if you fall overboard,
even with a life vest.
There
are 4 factors that contribute to hypothermia:
-Cold Air Temperature (Not Necessarily Extreme)
-Wetness (Rain, Fog, Snow,
Immersion, Sweat)
-Wind (Increases the Effects of
Cold and Wetness)
-A Likely Victim (Poor Clothing, Exhausted,
Dehydrated, Hungry)
Studies
have shown that hypothermia does not occur unless dehydration is also present.
Drink plenty of water or juices -NO
CAFFEINE OR ALCOHOL!! Keep a water bottle in the boat.
|
Body Temperature |
Condition |
|
98.6 - 96F |
Shivering,
Reduced Blood Flow, Need To Urinate. |
|
97 F |
Loss
of Judgment (Yes, loss of 1.6 degrees is all it takes to be at the back of
the fleet!) |
|
95 F |
Loss
of Coordination |
|
96.0 –90 F |
Noticeable
Shivering, Harder as Temperature Drops, Slurred or Difficult Speech, Memory Loss |
|
94 F |
Loss
of Emotions |
|
92 F |
Major
Loss of Coordination |
|
90 F |
Unconscious |
|
90.0-88 F |
Ashen
Gray Complexion May Appear Without Pulse or Breath. Shivering Stops |
|
<88.0 F |
Severe
Hypothermia, Death |
A
person can be re-warmed both from the inside and out:
-Internally: Eating High Calorie Food
(Proteins & Fats are Best), Muscle Activity
-Externally: Fire, Heater, Hot Water Bottle, or a Warm
Body.
Important Fact:
External methods of heat gain are generally
poor. Even with the best hospital
methods, heat is gained by only 1-3 degrees an hour! Using your body to warm someone with
hypothermia has a good risk of making a 2nd victim of you.
Frostbite:
Occurs
when body tissues get damaged from cold and eventually freezes solid in extreme
cases. Even minor cold damage to your
skin tissue can cause cold sensitivity for months or even permanently. If you have had tissue damage from cold
before, take extra steps to protect that area before it gets cold as you have
greater chances of getting frostbite.
1st Degree –Numb Feeling, Cold skin,
Ashen Gray Skin, Mild to Moderate Pain on Thawing
2nd Degree –Numb, Cold Skin, Moderate
to High Pain, Swelling, and/or Oozing Skin on Thawing, Blisters (Clear or Blood
filled)
3rd Degree – Skin has Total Numbness
and is Cold, White Color, Rock Hard, Deep Skin Splitting, and Severe
Swelling &Blackness upon Thawing.
For 1st to 2nd
Degree Frostbite Skin-to-Skin Re-Warming is Best.
Do Not Rub the Skin, as it may cause peeling and splitting. Running under warm water is not recommended
for 2nd Degree Frostbite. Never Use Hot Water! You can best re-warm
fingers and toes by putting them under your (or a friends) armpits, belly, or
crotch. Sitting on them does not work.
For 3rd Degree
Frostbite
Leave Frozen, Insulate Against Further Damage, Hospitalize Immediately!
Hope
this helps someone. Just remember to
take a little time to get rest, eat plenty of food, drink plenty of caffeine
free fluids, and bring a few extra layers.