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Hypothermia
#12571057
01/09/18 08:13 PM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,518
KenTx1962
OP
Old Careful Dude
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OP
Old Careful Dude
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,518 |
Guys in light of what happened last week in Florida and some misinformation that is out on being in cold water we are going to republish an article I wrote back in 2004 after doing significant research on cold water exposure and hypothermia. We will hopefully get that back up in the next week and I will get a link up to it at that time. But in the mean time, two things to know and remember with water temp in Texas right now ranges in the 40's to low 50's (49.6 when I left Toledo Sunday afternoon). In that kind of water temp you are 30-60 minutes from exhaustion and/or unconsciousness. Your expected time of survival in the water is 1-3 hours, so first thing to know, fast action is incredibly important, as your body starts to protect it's organs you will get less and less blood flow and therefore oxygen to your brain, you will pretty quickly become foggy and lose the ability to think clearly. Second, and what really shocked me in my research, is that swimming causes you to lose body heat 35-50% faster, so if you are in the "HELP" position, or huddled with others, you could survive up to 4 hours in 50 degree water, if you are swimming or treading water that drops to about 2 hours. Always wear flotation when moving, and if by yourself smart to when you are fishing as well. You survive floating in a vest way longer than swimming or treading water. And know what the HELP position (Heat Escape Lessening Position) is, which is positioned basically in the fetal position, head out of the water, legs pulled up, crossed and held up against the groin with your arms up and folded closely across your chest. The whole idea, with the HELP position or huddling with others, is to reduce the amount of body surface exposure to the water as possible as your body loses heat 30 times faster in the water that in the air. Again we will get the whole article up on the Inside Line Website soon.
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Re: Hypothermia
[Re: KenTx1962]
#12571075
01/09/18 08:23 PM
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 9,188
the skipper
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 9,188 |
I think we could all look at our life jackets also. Most are black or dark colored and honestly don't know if they would float us with all our winter gear on. Next on my list is a high vis mustang vest. If you fish big water regularly one of those GPS devices wouldn't be a bad idea
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Re: Hypothermia
[Re: KenTx1962]
#12571120
01/09/18 08:47 PM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,518
KenTx1962
OP
Old Careful Dude
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OP
Old Careful Dude
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,518 |
Whistle on the vest itself is also really smart idea, I had one on my last one, will have one on my current vest by this weekend. In my next video update I talk about my boots. Several guys have given me a hard time about leaving my boots unzipped when I fish, they see that in my videos. Couple years ago in the summer I jumped in the pool with all my regular fowl weather gear on, curious about what I could and could not do if I hit the water in the cold. One thing I quickly figured out, boots full of water are like anchors, so when I am by myself I always leave them unzipped.
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Re: Hypothermia
[Re: KenTx1962]
#12571136
01/09/18 08:57 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 50,006
fouzman
Methuselah
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Methuselah
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 50,006 |
"Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out" - Zachary Troy Schrah - a young man with vision far beyond his years.
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Re: Hypothermia
[Re: fouzman]
#12571166
01/09/18 09:13 PM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 251
JeffLStevens
Angler
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Angler
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 251 |
just read it....good info
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Re: Hypothermia
[Re: KenTx1962]
#12571179
01/09/18 09:24 PM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,518
KenTx1962
OP
Old Careful Dude
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OP
Old Careful Dude
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,518 |
That is a good read, thanks for sharing.
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Re: Hypothermia
[Re: KenTx1962]
#12571204
01/09/18 09:49 PM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,736
InTheClear
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,736 |
Thanks, excellent information. I can honestly say I had no idea that I might do something in the water that would decrease my body heat even faster.
I remember an incident in College fishing last year that was a result of a steering malfunction and both anglers were thrown in the water, none of us are bulletproof!
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Re: Hypothermia
[Re: KenTx1962]
#12571209
01/09/18 09:55 PM
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 640
EZ_Legend
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 640 |
Something I have seen/read but not confirmed also is the unreliability of auto-inflating vests in cold weather. Better to be safe than sorry in the cold months, wear a none-inflatable vest.
2003 Legend LE21 Optimax 225
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Re: Hypothermia
[Re: KenTx1962]
#12571249
01/09/18 10:27 PM
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 4,340
Bobby Milam
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 4,340 |
I like the idea of the inflatable because it is comfortable enough to wear all day but I just don't trust them. What if your co2 was empty or if the vest itself had a pin hole leak and wouldn't stay inflated? Traditional vests just seem so much more reliable to me.
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Re: Hypothermia
[Re: KenTx1962]
#12571250
01/09/18 10:28 PM
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 98
SKR3
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 98 |
Another point on the inflatables is that if the Cartridge fails to inflate, there is a straw on the back to do it manually. I pulled a man from lake Tyler a couple of years ago, his sail boat had flipped over and he went in but his vest didnt inflate. Didnt know about the straw until he took it apart a few days later. Water was 53 he had been treading for about 10 min.
Last edited by SKR3; 01/10/18 03:42 AM.
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Re: Hypothermia
[Re: KenTx1962]
#12571331
01/09/18 11:29 PM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 364
Bryan O'
Angler
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Angler
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 364 |
Thanks for starting this thread Ken. I had the same thoughts while reading last weeks updates. A couple of other things to remember: Always keep an extra complete set of clothes in your boat. If you can dry off and get in dry clothes and and shoes you'll be uncomfortable, but probably survive. Everybody needs to go to Home Depot and get an orange traffic construction flag and keep it in their boat. I took mine off the stick it comes on and put 2 simple snaps on the corners. Then you can clip it to the eyes of a flippin' stick and wave it. A passing boat may mistakenly go by if you wave at them, but can't go by if you wave an orange safety flag at them. I've only had to use it once, but it worked on the first boat I saw. If you break down and have to try to get back on the trolling motor, it's hard to resist, but you'll get a lot farther on a medium setting than on hi-bypass. Most motors the switches will heat up and burn in to if you run extended time on high. I've seen it several times when I helped others.
Common since really needs to stay in the boat with us. Even if we're in a tournament. Last year I underestimated the wind and didn't leave enough time to get in on Rayburn. I was in Caney, and when I got around the point headed to the pavilion it was obvious we weren't getting back on time. I could have probably crashed, smashed jumped and bashed it in, but I told my co - 'sorry, but were gonna be late", and played it safe getting through that big water. We were DQ'ed, but safe (18 minutes late). We both had limits, and I offered to pay his entry. He refused it, and thanked me for keeping him safe, and not beating him up. The Co's safety is your responsibility. I was a duck hunting guide back in the 80's in college and had a customer remind me of it very sternly after a bad boat ride one night. His point never left me.
Bryan O' Total Recreation Products Inc. Commercial Park and Playground Products and Services totalrecreation.net Ranger Z521c 250ProXS V8
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Re: Hypothermia
[Re: KenTx1962]
#12571477
01/10/18 01:17 AM
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 23,170
SteezMacQueen
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 23,170 |
All great reads guys..... thanks!
Eat. Sleep. Fish.
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Re: Hypothermia
[Re: Bryan O']
#12571825
01/10/18 06:10 AM
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,408
dimitri
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,408 |
Thanks for starting this thread Ken. I had the same thoughts while reading last weeks updates. A couple of other things to remember: Always keep an extra complete set of clothes in your boat. If you can dry off and get in dry clothes and and shoes you'll be uncomfortable, but probably survive. Everybody needs to go to Home Depot and get an orange traffic construction flag and keep it in their boat. I took mine off the stick it comes on and put 2 simple snaps on the corners. Then you can clip it to the eyes of a flippin' stick and wave it. A passing boat may mistakenly go by if you wave at them, but can't go by if you wave an orange safety flag at them. I've only had to use it once, but it worked on the first boat I saw. If you break down and have to try to get back on the trolling motor, it's hard to resist, but you'll get a lot farther on a medium setting than on hi-bypass. Most motors the switches will heat up and burn in to if you run extended time on high. I've seen it several times when I helped others.
Common since really needs to stay in the boat with us. Even if we're in a tournament. Last year I underestimated the wind and didn't leave enough time to get in on Rayburn. I was in Caney, and when I got around the point headed to the pavilion it was obvious we weren't getting back on time. I could have probably crashed, smashed jumped and bashed it in, but I told my co - 'sorry, but were gonna be late", and played it safe getting through that big water. We were DQ'ed, but safe (18 minutes late). We both had limits, and I offered to pay his entry. He refused it, and thanked me for keeping him safe, and not beating him up. The Co's safety is your responsibility. I was a duck hunting guide back in the 80's in college and had a customer remind me of it very sternly after a bad boat ride one night. His point never left me.
will be picking up a orange flag soon. thx
Marine Electronics Installation [by appointment only in Azle, Texas] Graphs, Trolling Motors & Battery Chargers
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