Brian Nystrom

I've been buying latex seals and booties from OS Systems (www.ossystems.com). They a bit more expensive than some others, but the quality is excellent and you can order them in several sizes to suit your personal dimensions. Go to the Maintenance and Repairs section and select Repair/Parts Price List. Scroll past the installed prices to the parts lower down. I bought one of their big cans of glue, so if anyone needs any let me know. A little goes a long way.

The gloves that you want are on the same page. They're the 490's (blue, with liners). The one's I was speaking of are the 460's (orange, with liners). The sizing on these should run the same as Nordic Blues. When you decide to order let me know and I'll order a pair of each with you.

The 660's are the same basic shell, but the sizing is different. I've checked them out at the Ship's Store in Sandwich and they are MUCH smaller for a given size that the versions with the liners. People with relatively small hands could use them, but I could not wear a liner in the size XL. Speaking of liners, why do you assume that people will wear thinner ones? I do on occasion, but when it's cold, I wear wool liners that are just as thick as the stock ones. They're a lot warmer. BTW, the 640 style (orange) shell is the same basic glove, but it's double dipped instead of triple dipped like the 660. I'd love to find the lined version of them to try. While there may be a loss in durability, there may also be a significant gain in dexterity.

There's really no way to guage the fit other than to try them on. The issue I have with them is not one of the length of the fingers, but rather the girth. And it's not like I have chubby fingers. Dry gloves, like general winter gloves, are warmest if they have a bit of extra space in them. This is the opposite of neoprene, which works best if it fits closely enough to minimize water intrusion and exchange. I don't find the fit of gloves to be all that critcal for paddling, since holding a paddle doesn't require a great deal of dexterity. I do understand your concerns about them being to big to perform tasks requiring a more deft touch. It seems to me that you lose more dexterity from cold hands than from bulky gloves.

"What fabric do you use? A: The fabric used on all our breathing drysuits and tops is a strong nylon, especially coated for us with elastomeric (very stretchy) proofing made up of two different yet compatible molecular chains. One chain is water loving- hydrophilic, the other water hating- hydrophobic. When perspiration evaporates it separates into individual molecules which upon touching the proofing are'sucked in' quickly passing through the structure using the hydrophilic molecules as stepping stones, going from relatively high humidity inside the garment to the low humidity outside." It's not a laminate like Gore-Tex, which is a PTFE (aka Teflon) membrane laminated to an outerfabric and which either has a separate liner fabric (2 layer Gore-Tex) or a laminated on liner (3 layer Gore-Tex). Consequently, the care instructions may differ completely. However, that doesn't imply that it's any less durable.

"I was thinking of a big latex glove that you could layer regular gloves underneath and then tuck the ends under the drysuit's wrist gaskets. I would think that latex on latex would make for an outstanding seal." I wouldn't recommend that you ever put anything under the wrist seals, for a couple of reasons: - You compromise the seal. All it takes is a wrinkle or fold in the glove. - You make the seals tigher, incresing the likelihood that they will cut off your circulation. I tried latex socks under the ankle seals on my dry suit. They leaked like a sieve.

The sizing runs pretty true. However, if you get them too small, the tight fit will restrict blood flow and the result is cold hands. If you're on the border, I suggest going with the next larger size. My hands are size 10 or so, and I really wish I had gotten XL's instead of L's. The larger shell also gives you more options in liners. The wrist seals will likely need to be trimmed to fit. If you change the liners, you'll want ones with short cuffs. Long cuffs get stuck under the seals when you're putting the gloves one, causing spontaneous bouts of whining. ;-)

Atlas Gloves can be found as some commercial fishing suppliers for ~$20, but I haven't been able to find them in extra large with liners. The sizing is different with and without the liners, so if you have large hands, you'll have to buy them with liners whether you want the liners or not. BTW, they are available with liners that are not sewn in. By the time you buy wrist seals and glue and such, the price is pretty close to the price of Nordic Blues. The difference is the quality of assembly and the warranty. I've only had one problem with a Nordic blue glove. A seal ripped when I was putting them on. After emailing the company about getting a new seal, I received a phone call from Sweden inquiring about the details of the failure. They sent me a new pair of gloves at no charge and didn't even ask for the old ones back. Great service!

A small space heater probably doesn't generate enough ozone to be a problem. It also depends on the type of motor in it. Small, enclosed fan motors generate a lot less than the large open-brush motors on many power tools, pumps, etc. I dry the gear that I hang in te shower with a fan and it's never caused a problem that I could attribute to it. The real killers of dry suit seals are exposure to UV and sunscreens.

FWIW, you can do latex booties in a couple of hours or less. Cost is under $40 and it's easy to do.

"The only time my boat doesn't weathercock is when I want it to." Funny you should mention that. I noticed the same thing in the Pintail. At various times, it even leecocked, which is something it had never done before. It must be the specific wind/wave combination we were in yesterday.

I recently bought an IR dry top (like Dee's) with a neoprene neck seal. It was too tight and it couldn't be trimmed, so I had to return it. Latex seals are designed to be trimmed as needed and will fit a wider range of neck sizes.

I believe what you're referring to is ozone, which will definitely deteriorate rubber. However, if you're furnace is properly adjusted, there should be little or no ozone generated by the flame and what there is should go up the flue. Electric motors do generate ozone, so keep your paddling garments away from them.

They still don't have a price for the booties separately, but judging by the difference between their installed latex price and what the booties cost separately, they'll probably be $70-80. Seems a bit steep.

Man, you need to get back into your boat! You're obviously suffering from severe kayak withdrawal.

This session found us in a totally different type of rough water from the first session. Instead of a warm day with swell and breakers caused by the bottom topography, we had cold temps, a 20 knot onshore wind and heavy chop. Last week, we had to seek out the rough water; this week it was relentless. Such is paddling in New England. The conditions were nasty enough that several people decided not to go at all. We had two that capsized due to the conditions and ultimately decided that "discretion is the better part of valor" and decided to retreat to terra firma. A couple of boats suffered pretty signifcant gelcoat damage during the rescues, but will definitely live to be bashed again. A certain instructor-who-shall-remain-nameless decided to cut out the middle man and pre-damage his boat before the session. He arrived with his vessel sporting a snout bandaged in gleaming silver duct tape, covering a 10" split in the hull-deck seam and a nasty chunk of gelcoat missing from the keel. Lest anyone jump to conclusions, the Nameless One was neither Mr. Luby nor Mr. Stohrer. There really wasn't much opportunity for playing, as there was no consistent surf and the wind was pushing the water onshore so hard that there were no reflected waves (it may also have to do with the shoreline coutour and an apparent lack of underlying swell). Basically, we got practice paddling in and out, back and forth in chop running to 3' or so. The group I was with had no problems and we were about a mile north of the put-in when a radio call went out for everyone to return to base. After regrouping and hauling out for a debriefing on land, most of us went back out for another hour of bouncing around. We then hauled out on the backside of the sea wall for lunch. It was calm, warm and comfortable there. After eating, basking and drying out, several of us decided there was no point in going back out, so we packed up, changed clothes and hung around the parking lot for an hour until the rest of the group came back. The report was that the conditions were the same as during the first two, 1-hour sessions. We all cruised over to Liz's place for pizza and socializing. As it turns out, this was like one of Adam's 2-to-1 paddles; we spent a lot more time chillin' than paddlin'. Sometimes it just works out that way. While we didn't have as much time on the water, hopefully it was a good experience for the participants.

- Turn the garment inside out, so that you can see the ridges on the seal, if it has them. - Find a plastic bottle that fits snug in the seal. You want it to stretch it somewhat, as it makes it easier to cut. Insert the bottle into the seal. A little baby powder on the inside of the seal will make inserting the bottle easier. This also works when putting on the garment. - If the seal has trimming rings molded in, great, if not, you'll probably want to mark the seal for the amount you want to take off. I suggest taking off 1/4" at a time until you get close, then 1/8" until you're happy with the fit. For marking, I use a drafting compass set at 1/4" to make a line parallel with the edge of the seal. Believe it or not, pencil actually will show up on a black latex seal, if the lighting angle is right. Do not use a marker or a ball point pen, as the inks contain solvents and oils that can damage latex. You can also choose to just eyeball the cut, which is surprisingly easy. It doesn't have to be perfectly straight, just smooth. - Mark the point where you plan to start the cut. This makes it easier to finish it. You can mark the seal, the bottle or both. - Place the garment on a large firm surface (floor, counter, hood of your car, etc.). - Take a utility knife with a NEW blade or a NEW single edged razor blade, press it against the seal at your marked starting point and begin cutting, following one of the ridges on the seal (or the line you drew). Try to keep the blade in continuous contact if possible, as you work your way around the seal. This is easiest if you roll the bottle and garment as you cut. - When you get close to your starting point, use your non-cutting hand to open the cut at the beginning, so you can see where you need to end the cut. Continue cutting, ending exactly where you started. - You should be able to pull away the cut-off ring. If there are any places where you didn't cut all the way through, carefully go over them again with the blade. If you see any rough areas or small pieces of latex sticking out from the cut edge, trim them off. - Try on the garment and repeat the process as necessary until you achieve a good fit. BTW, you should save the cut-offs, as they make great rubber bands. ;-)

You can get food-grade silicone grease at most places that sell plumbing supplies. It's much cheaper than the tiny Aquaseal tubs.

I keep seal trimming supplies in may paddling gear. It only takes a few minutes to do the job. That reminds me, I need to do a bit of trimming on my new seals before the weekend.

There are no absolutes when it comes to this subject, since people's neck sizes vary, as do the size and thickness of the seals on various products. People also have varing tolerances to neck, wrist and ankle constriction. What works for Ken Cooper may not work for someone else. I have NO choice but to trim the neck seals on my garments and I usually have to trim the wrist seals as well. For me, it's MANDATORY. Kokatat seals seem to be about the flimsiest of the brands I've seen. They recommend stretching. Stohlquist uses thicker seals and specifically states that they won't stretch appreciably and should be trimmed to fit. Bomber Gear and Immersion Research also recommend trimming. Stretching damages the seals, as they stretch by tearing on a microscopic level. For someone with a large neck, the amount of stretching required can do enough damage to seriously shorten the life of the seal. Additionally, it can literally take weeks to stretch a seal permanently. Why would anyone put up with uncomfortable seals for weeks when they can be comfortable in minutes? Keep in mind, that a few drops of water sneaking past a seal are not a significant problem, but reduced blood flow to the head, hands and feet can be seriously detrimental. Erring on the side of comfort is the best way to go.

Paul does that kind of thing all the time. He's the only guy I know who seems to like back surfing better than surfing forward! ;-)

There are plenty of waves in the sea. We'll find more. Besides, the "Rubber Ducky Award" recipient hasn't been determined yet. Peter K leads the competition with his major whacking by a 10'+ dumper, but the rest of you will get your shot at it before it becomes official. BTW, anyone who wants to bring still or video cameras on future rough water fiasc....er...I mean workshop, is encouraged to do so. It would be nice to capture some of these "Kodak moments" for posterity. Just make sure your equipment is waterproof and that it floats! ;-)

"So girls, if you want to improve your forward stroke run, do not walk , to the next Jed Luby's Forward Stroke Clinc for Women." So, would that be "Chicks with Sticks - II" ? ;-)

"So, what's the solution? Plain old leaky -- and cheaper -- compression sacks inside a bona-fide dry bag?" That's what I do, but only for my sleeping bag. For clothing, I use the tapered float/dry bags from Voyageur. They allow you to use the fine ends of the boat pretty efficiently and without the potential hassle of having items get stuck there (been there, done that).

I'm certainly not going to argue with the doctor! ;-) Seriously, thanks for correcting my misconceptions, Andrew. I'm not sure what the issue with me and Gatorade is, but I just can't drink the stuff straight out of the bottle. Hydrolyte is isotonic and also contains glucose (the original name was E.R.G.- Electrolyte Replacement with Glucose), but it seems much lighter and more palatable. Other than reduced rates of carb absorption, are there any other disadvantages to drinking fluids that are more dilute than isotonic? For the length of time I paddle and the effort level involved, I don't imagine that hyponatremia would be a problem.