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thanks Paul, yes Rachael was having no fun at all😂😂

I am in spray top and some waterproof yachting pants , viakobi v cold pants and top and another helly hansen insulated top, sharksin socks and 7mm booties, insulated storm hat. Rachael has much better gear for the cold. she's in an immersion research dry suit, heavy weight polar fleece top and bottom from Immersion research and booties. Her set up is the way to go

@@jameslyne6318 Yeah, I'm going to vote either for Rachael's setup or a decent wetsuit. Looks like you weren't having to work too hard, so maybe not too much overheating risk. But if you by some fluke accidentally go in the water, any direct contact with water that cold can zap your body heat, strength, and coordination incredibly quickly.

Our bay water gets down to around 44 degrees in the winter, but our lakes get down to 35 degrees and colder. If I'm not dressed for immersion I don't play around on the lakes - I either stay off or I stay close to shore (and then only if I have enough neoprene on that I am confident will allow me to swim to shore if necessary).

@@paulreavley5900 we are pretty careful about not being more than 15 drifting minutes from land. At 110kg I have plenty of inbuilt insulation and thermal mass , but paddling fully in the knowledge I have less than 5 minutes to execute a succesful remount before loss of dexterity and 15 mins to drift to shore. I grew up sailing in the North of england every day of winter training in water that even in summer never gets above 45 degrees. So have some cold water adaptaion experience, but fully cogniscent of the risk and mitigation of said risk

got to think you could get similar or better waves on lake erie or ontarioi, without the big drive to Lake Champlain

Bluefin is great, I only started paddling a year ago and bluefin allows me to go out in conditions way above my experience level. Downwind against the oc1 .The OC1 is easier to glide without paddling and able to steer bigger angles around waves to keep on wave and wait for opening infront. Bluefin tends to swamp easily low freeboard and my 105kg means you got to keep paddling hard to keep it dry. Bluefin rudder is to far back and spends alot of time out of water in the close and steep waves we get on the lake. Bluefin is great though to go out in any condition, remounting is easy, and catches waves well. I like the surfski for out and backs as paddling upwinfd in oc1 is tough and surfski paddling is kinder on my back and shoulders

@@jameslyne6318 Hi James, thank you for your reply. I do have some back trouble so probably better to avoid the OC1 but I do like when it glides! I paddle a V7 and a Swordfish. The V7 is easy but a very wet ride too. The Swordfish is a bit squirrelly but offers a dry ride. Not that easy to remount unfortunately.

@@kayakintro yep its big learning curve from V7 to fennix swordfish( I found the remount tough as well when I tried a swordfish). I have a flow kayaks superstar coming to me hopefully in about 10 days time, this was my choice as my expedition surfski for the future, great design for downwind paddling , more volume stable, dry and good remount as well as bullettproof construction. I also have one of their elite ski addicts coming for my need for speed, but I think the superstar will be the go to when rough and choppy at my skill level. Keith and Chris at Flow kayaks down in christchurch have been great to deal with. I love your videos the Waitemata harbour has alot of good memories for me, I was there for the last cup and in 2003, so have lived in Auckland for many months each campaign. Its paddling paradise New Zealand, great to see the harbour in you videos

fenn bluefin