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[SF] Crissy wetsuit thickness

 
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watermonkey



Joined: 16 May 2003
Posts: 108

PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:55 pm    Post subject: [SF] Crissy wetsuit thickness Reply with quote

What wetsuit thickness is preferable at Crissy in summer? I'm pretty comfy in a 3/3 longsleeve at Coyote...
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pshaw



Joined: 24 Apr 1996
Posts: 75
Location: Mill Valley

PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sailing at Crissy is somewhat different than sailing at Coyote or even TI because on an ebb tide, if you have a breakdown, injury, or the wind dies, you will go out to sea where the water is considerably colder than in the inner bay. Also, you may be spending quite some time there. A few years ago a Crissy sailor had a boom break at around dusk and went out to the ocean for six hours until the tide changed. You do not want to be wearing a 3/3 in such conditions. I have sailed there for nearly 15 years and recommend a 5/4. A shorty or a thinner suit is courting disaster. You may be able to sail there a long time with an inadequate wetsuit without any bad result if you are a good sailor, with good equipment, and the wind doesn't die. But if something goes wrong, you are in real trouble.
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tsokat



Joined: 15 May 1997
Posts: 326

PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 10:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have always used a 4/3 with a polartec vest or thin neoprene short sleeve shirt layer underneath at Crissy and the coast.
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boggsman1



Joined: 24 Jun 2002
Posts: 9118
Location: at a computer

PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 2:33 pm    Post subject: Crissy Wetsuit Reply with quote

[color=blue][/color][size=18][/size] Cool Bad Advice.

The 4/3 is the most common choice at Crissy, a 5/4 with any sun will cook you like a baked potato. Ive spent three hours in the water 1/2 mile outside the gate in a 4/3 floating around waiting for help and i was fine.
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girsang



Joined: 16 Jun 2000
Posts: 52
Location: San Francisco

PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 3:58 pm    Post subject: Crissy Wetsuit Reply with quote

If you're comfortable in a 3/3 at Coyote, you'll be fine at Crissy.
Most at Crissy wear a 4/3. That's true for most other locations in the bay and coast.
I've been sailing Crissy for about 5 years and I've always worn a 3/2 because that's what I'm comfortable with.
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carl



Joined: 25 Feb 1997
Posts: 2674
Location: SF bay area

PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I also differ with Boggs.

I wear a 4/3 at Coyote all summer and don't "cook",,,,well maybe the 80+deg days in August. The summer water can be 10-20deg cooler outside Crissy and the ocean (especially with alot of upwelling from strong NW wind).
The difference betw a 4/3 and a 5/4 will be a big deal if you spend a
night in the water. I have the feeling Boggs never falls in, maybe sails formula? Just dunk in once in a while trying to do a new trick.
Nobody will give you grief for blowing a 540 Vulcan! (disreguard if you do sail formula).

A VHF radio is also recommended at Crissy.
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kevinkan



Joined: 07 Jun 2001
Posts: 1661
Location: San Francisco

PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The most popular thickness at Crissy is a 4/3. I'd say that 5/3's are more pouplar than 3/3's or 3/2's at Crissy. The water is considerably colder there than at Coyote. That said, I have a 3/3 short sleeve suit that I use at Crissy on the warmer summer days. Right now, I'm keeping warm in my 5/3. YMMV. Remember, it's a lot easier to cool off than to warm up. If you're hot, fall in!!

kev
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boggsman1



Joined: 24 Jun 2002
Posts: 9118
Location: at a computer

PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:33 pm    Post subject: wetsuit thickness Reply with quote

FYI: I fall in all the time, swim home from NTower, flounder around in the NTower Eddy, etc etc.
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pacspeed



Joined: 14 Sep 2000
Posts: 627

PostPosted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 11:07 am    Post subject: Crissy advice Reply with quote

I'm a gorge resident and sailor, a bay area expat looking to return "to the fold" sometime next year. Unfortunately, I did virtually no windsurfing during the 5 years I lived in SF, so I'm definitely going to need local advice.
I'm thinking Crissy looks like the funnest spot with the most familiar conditions for me. I have a question regarding floating out the golden gate to sea: If something breaks, or the wind dies, doesnt it seem like the prudent thing to do is ditch the rig and paddle hell bent for leather for the closest shoreline rather than bob around out in the shipping/sharks/cold water channel? I dont know if the cost/benefit analysis would dictate spending hours out there waiting for help vs. losing a 1000$ rig.
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coachg



Joined: 10 Sep 2000
Posts: 3549

PostPosted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 11:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is a tough call. Make sure you can make it to shore by paddling. If not, the rig is much easier to spot and will slow down your rate of drift.

Coachg
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