Benefits of a Survival Suit in Cold Water

[ontherocks83]

Originally Posted by SVTwilight

Since the most likely use of the suit is if you fall overboard, I don't think they will do you much good unless you wear them all the time. In that case it would seem that you would be far better off with an immersion suit or a good kayak/diving drysuit since you could actually still function on the boat. Gumby suits, not so much.

Also, sailboats unlike really large commercial fishing boats, often seem to sink pretty fast. Would you have time to grab the suit and don it before going into the cold water?

We take our diving drysuits in cold weather/water since we can live in them if necessary with enough mobility and (relatively) easy off and on for toilet breaks, etc.

With practice they can be put on while in the water. Obviously does not help if you fall overboard but if you keep it near your ditch bag or in a Lazarette (like sailor chic) then you can throw them in the raft and don them after abandoning.

Also you never know how quickly your boat may sink. I believe I would plan on an order of actions and things to grab and hopefully make it through the whole list. The CF member who sunk this year after loosing a rudder had over an hour if I remember correctly. Had the freighter not have been there to rescue them, Gumby suits would have been great for them to have and they would have had plenty of time to put them on.

[Mark1977]

I have one of these... bring it with me on any boat I'm out on.

[dohenyboy]

how about that bubble the man used to try to travel to Bermuda? all you need was some reading material, a distress beacon, and you would be set.

[Paul L]

We had 2 onboard when we sailed offshore in the Pacific Northwest. Sold them when we got to southern Cal. They take up a fair amount of room and need to be stored somewhere with easy access. The second hand ones from commercial boats are often available for less than us$100.