So i have a question for all you hardcore easterners... im from san diego born and raised, and im moving to maine next year (portland). Im curious, even with a 6/5/4 boots hood gloves and thermals underneath etc.. are you actually ever warm? or is it just a coldness thats tolerable for an hour or so? i know wind chill plays a big part as well as other things but if you could give me some general feedback id appreciate it. Im not a fool i know its gonna be freakin cold and ill surely incur a barrage of "cali" jokes but ive surfed for a few decades in both warm and chilly (central cal) water. but im really excited to experience "exotic" albeit fickle Nor Eastern surf. thanks.
I can can stay out for about 3-4 hours in my 5/4/3 with gloves , boots and a longsleeve thermal layer. tolerance to cold does affect how long can one can stay out . Usually 3-4 hours like is said is my limit as thats when I usually start to feel a chill in my suit
in ny i surf with a really good 5/4/3 and 7mm mitts/boots and can stay in as long as my arms warrant.. i think maine is a whole different animal though.. i don't know about wearing thermals underneath. maybe pick up one of those quik cypher heated vests. they look pretty nice to give you an extra boost when you need it. but like i said ny can't really be compared to maine imo best way to stay warm is stay active. catch as many waves as you can and stay moving.. if you sit you get cold
cold cold is all mental ive stayed in 4 hours in november with a 4/3 and no hood or boots or gloves, but after pretty much only surfing in new england you just get used to the temp.
Ive surfed in ny with a 4/3, thermal layer, hood, 7mm boots and 5mm gloves, and stayed in for 3 hours in 37 degree water. So im guessing that a 6/5/4 should probably enough to keep you warm in maine. When you have good equipment, the limiting factor in cold and windy weather is usually your face, so pack a tube of vaseline when you go to maine.
Get Acclimated It's all about getting acclimated. Just spend a bunch of time in the water and it will happen. A 4/3 with 3 gloves and 5 boots works fine for me in the winter in MA. Most of us around here consider it warm when the water and the air are the same temp, no matter what time of year it is. It's all relative.
agreed I am also from new york. I know you cant compare it to main, but I think its important to adjust your body to the cold. Start in early november if not sooner, and go in when you can, even if the waves are not amazing. This way, your body will adjust, and once you have made it to winter. If your gunna just go in once, not knowing what to expect, then i think it would be much harder to adjust. Remember, it only gets warmer until summer which is defiantly the easy route.
It's up to each person individually. Some people's physiology is not cold tolerant. For others, it's no problem. But to answer your question, yea... you're actually warmer than the dude on the beach taking pictures if you wear the right suit. Old wetsuit technology (or lack of it) meant you were cold, but at least you could get out and surf any time of the year. And when I say surf, you were pretty much kooking it straight down the line because the rubber back then was pretty stiff and ill fitting. Today, you can actually be somewhat comfortable, and still be able to MOVE in your suit. My advice is to buy the best suit you can afford - a good 5/4/3 full with 7mm boots and 5mm gloves should be good for a few hours as long as you're fit and don't tire easily. You start to get cold when you get tired, because you start to slow down. Keeping it moving is key.
lets get one thing strait....water in maine is colder than any water on the west coast. by far. as soon as you hit the water you loose your breath...if you pour warm water into your suit pre seshh it could add an extra hour on to your session.. your body is going to be sweating but your face feet and hands are going to be numb within 2 hours
Maine is some of the coldest water in the world! The northern new england coastline is completely cut off from the Warm Gulf Stream, that takes a N/NE turn into the Canadian Maratimes. Will definitely be a shock for a California transplant. But, you are going to love the relatively uncrowded waters!
at first u'll x-perience an initial "shock" in cold water...mostly the duckdiving/ur face. it'll hit u like nuthin' u've x-perienced b4. but u'll warm up fast. i can't emphasize enuff tho...pleaze, 6/5/4 wetsuit, 7mm booteeyz, 5mil gluvez. u'll thank mee after ur sesshion. 2day'z technology in rubber iz KRAYZZZZZZZZEEEEEY!! vereey flexible/warm. and X-pensive! but there'z nuthin' 2 fear about cold water once u git suited up...it's usualleey thu suiting up and gittin' owt that i fear most...if it's a nice day (ie. 30-40degreez/no wind, it's no big deal). lastleey, i can't agree with Surfsolo...DON'T DOO IT! we're headin owt ur way soon, which iz logical...y in thu hell wood ne1 moove 2 thu east coast, let alone maine!?
So what?? November is no real indication of how cold it really gets here in NY. I've gone in the h2o in november in just a 4/3 plenty of times, thats not going to get anyone thinking its not as bad as it really is. No doubt it gets cold here in NY, with water temps dipping into the mid 30s in feb-march, but Maine is definitely a different ballpark. I don't think its the difference in water temps, because they are all in the 30s at that time of the year, but more along the lines of more intense wind chills and blizzard like conditions in northern New England.
ha i second that and in nov. the water is still relatively warm in ny a 4/3 might b too much sometimes
the water might be relatively warm in november, but the weather conditions are 'severe' since most of our waves come from storms that bring cold rain and winds to coastal areas
How cold I keep a bottle of tequila in the car. When I'm done surfing I take a healthy swig of the catcus juice and I am warm again. In Maine Scotch or Conganc might work a little better.
