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Keeping Warm

For most of us our kayaking starts as a wet and rather cold experience and we aspire to staying dry and keeping warm. It is also true that we not only enjoy our kayaking more if we are warm but that we also perform better. So how can we stay warm? There are five key factors which contribute to staying warm:

Technique and skills will help competent paddlers to stay out of the water and even if they capsize a proficient roll will bring them swiftly out of the water. This is a valuable aid to staying warm, as the water will conduct heat away from your body 20 times faster than air. So avoiding unnecessary swims is one good way of staying warm.

Eating properly is not perhaps the most obvious way of staying warm. However, your body can be considered to be an engine fuelled by your food. On an active outdoor day in the winter your body may need two to three times as much energy as on a leisurely day at home or on a day in the office. If you have not eaten enough then your body will run out of energy to keep you warm. So follow the example of marathon runners, who expend a lot of energy on one day, by "carbo-loading". Essentially this means eating extra carbohydrate (pasta, rice, potatoes or bread) for a day or two for a day or two before a long session of kayaking. If you are paddling for the weekend then extra carbohydrate on Thursday, Friday and Saturday will help you stay warm right through to Sunday evening.

Proper sleep is essential for your body to function efficiently. If you do not get enough sleep on Friday and Saturday nights do not be surprised if you feel cold on Sunday!

Clothing traps layers of air that insulate your body and reduce heat loss. To be most effective your clothing needs to be dry: any reasonable cagoule will keep most of the water out, while one with dry seals at the wrists and neck should be really dry. It is also worth making sure that the seals around your spray deck are effective! Try to avoid sweating (ie making yourself wet and cold) by not overdressing. Some materials are more effective than others when wet: thermals and fleece drain rapidly and are good when wet; cotton becomes very cold when it gets wet so avoid wearing cotton T shirts or sweat shirts when paddling! Think about keeping your head warm: "earwigs" (a thin neoprene scull cap) not only keep your ears dry they provide extra insulation all day and stop "ice cream head" if your head ends up in the water.

Whilst your body can generate heat it also has a reservoir of heat. You can help yourself stay warm by not drawing on that reservoir: think about using a group shelter to keep warm at lunch time; have plenty of warm clothes to change into at the end of the day; avoid getting chilled before you get on the water.

Date first published: July 2000 by Peter Mansell

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